Swiss Steel Group bundles special steels in wind energy portfolio

Swiss Steel Group is expanding its activities in the wind energy sector by combining a range of engineering, high-performance and stainless steels into a dedicated portfolio for wind turbine manufacturers and component suppliers.

The portfolio focuses particularly on steels for highly stressed drivetrain and gearbox components as well as bolting and fastening systems. These applications face increasing mechanical demands as wind turbines become larger and more powerful, while offshore installations additionally require resistance to corrosive environments.

According to Swiss Steel Group, wind turbine nacelles contain an average of around 30 tonnes of steel, rising to as much as 250 tonnes in some newer installations. Applications for the group's steels include main shafts, bearings, gears and gear rings as well as blade, nacelle, tower flange and foundation connections.

Among the grades offered is 42CrMo4 (Firmodur 7225), a quenched and tempered steel used for main shafts and other drivetrain components. Depending on dimensions, the grade offers yield strengths of around 500-900 MPa and tensile strengths of 750-1,300 MPa. Swiss Steel Group individually quenches and tempers the bars to control their microstructure, strength, toughness, straightness and residual stresses.

The portfolio also includes 34CrNiMo6 for shafts, bearings, gearboxes and bolted connections, and boron-alloyed 32CrB4 for fastening applications. Case-hardening steel 18CrNiMo7-6 (Carbodur 6587) is intended for highly loaded gearbox components including gears, pinions and gear rings.

For applications exposed to particularly corrosive conditions, Swiss Steel Group offers X2CrNiN23-4 duplex stainless steel for anchoring systems and concrete reinforcement. Martensitic stainless grade X17CrNi16-2 is used for steering systems and other mechanical components requiring a combination of strength and corrosion resistance.

EAF production based on recycled material

Swiss Steel Group says all high-performance steels in the wind portfolio are produced in electric arc furnaces using around 92% recycled material and subsequently processed at comparatively low-carbon production facilities.

The company is positioning these products in particular as a means for wind turbine and component manufacturers to reduce upstream Scope 3 emissions associated with steel procurement.

By combining its existing grades and application expertise in a dedicated wind portfolio, Swiss Steel Group aims to expand its role beyond supplying individual steel products and work more closely with component manufacturers and turbine OEMs on material selection and development across the wind energy supply chain.

Source and Photo: Swiss Steel Group