Interview with Dr. Michael Magerstädt, Corporate Manager Marketing Industry General ROSEN Group ROPLAST, in The Windfair Newsletter

Dr. Michael Magerstädt: Technically speaking, our application areas are wherever the ROSEN Group's core competencies are able to siginificantly improve the operation and performance of wind energy installations. These core competencies are development and manufacturing of high performance elastomers with tailored properties on one hand and sensor technology optimized for minimal energy consumption, highest sensitivity and smallest footprint. In practical terms, this means: a.) application-specific adjustment of vibration damping properties of high performance elastomers employed to avoid damage to tower foundations, turbine- and transmission mounts; b.) deployment of ROSEN sensor technology combined with wireless data transmission and dedicated evaluation software for on-line condition monitoring of wind power installation, and c.) the combination of the outstanding material properties of high performance elastomers with size-minimized sensor and transmission technology. With this, condition monitoring sensors can be applied at places hitherto inaccessible or to obtain data that where not even collectible before (e.g., ice or strain sensors integrated into the structure of rotor blades thereby saving weight and allowing measurements at locations where sensors cannot be attached by conventional means). In pipeline inspection, sensors are employed under extreme conditions (temperature, pressure, media). These sensors need to consume an absolute minimum of energy and exhibit best possible data compression to enable an inspection tool that runs distances of up to 1200 km (world record by ROSEN in 2010) to be "flushed" through the pipeline by the media (3-5 m/s) to collect data in high resolution along the entire length of the pipe. On-board energy supply is limited (Li batteries) and a huge amount of datapoints (terabyte range) need to be collected over the entire run. Propulsion of these tools is effected by means of sleeves made from high performance elastomers manufactured by ROPLAST. These sleeves seal against the inner pipe wall and hence create a pressure difference moving the tool forward with the product flow. The forces acting on these sleeves (high pressure, tons of tool weight, grinding of the sleeves along the pipe wall), the material properties of the elastomers must be matched to these requirements as well as to the product stream. This starts with hydrolytic resistance and tear propagation resistances, but also applies in particular to abrasion resistance. The elastomer must not wear during the 1200 km run; otherwise, there will be bypass of product stream which could cause the tool to stop. In addition, the elastomer must not cause vibrations near the resonance frequency of the tool, hence, vibration damping properties of the high performance elastomer needs to be custom tailored as well. Experience in development and decades or manufacturing and application of ROSEN sensor technology and RoPlasthan® high performance elastomers in pipeline inspection has enabled us to offer tailored solutions to other industries. This transfer of our core competencies to other industries has made us one of the world's largest cast PUR elastomer within just a few years. The wind energy industry is a "home game" for us because it is energy related on one hand and on the other hand, wind towers, especially in the growing offshore market segment, have very similar issues as e.g., oil and gas offshore riggs.


Windfair: For how long has the ROSEN Group, and ROPLAST respectively, been in operation?

Dr. Michael Magerstädt: Specific developments of single applications reach back more than 5 years; our first broad market appearance was at HUSUM Wind 2007, incidentally, at the windfair booth.


Windfair: What do you forsee in the near future for your oganization?

Dr. Michael Magerstädt: The increasing global share of wind energy in total energy supply is
certainly an important driver. Since we act globally, we are able to offer the right products and services in each of the rather differently developing geographical markets. In addition to market growth, we see unproportionally high growth chances in wind energy for us due to the emerging trend towards offshore wind plants (adding issues like underwater cable protection, corrosion protection, quite different condition monitoring requirements to which we can offer solutions). Thanks to our field-proven ability to successfully manage even large development projects in the shortest possible time we think we have a big advantage over competitors.


Windfair: ROPLAST is one of the largest producers of Polyurethan in Europe and produces special foundation fasteners for Wind Turbines. Do you have any other key Wind Turbine products?

Dr. Michael Magerstädt: As mentioned before, we offer a number of products for condition monitoring, particularly in combination with self-sufficient wireless data networks that are optimized for each customer's specific requirements. In addition, we offer a wide range of vibration damping products; we can customize the RoPlasthan properties to the application requirement. E.g., we can adjust the rebound resilience between a strong spring effect and a strong damper (<< 10% rebound) within the elastomer manufacturing process. For offshore applications we are currently developing a completely new product for cable and bend protection which will significantly reduce expensive on-site offshore man hours; we hope to market introduce this (patent pending) product within 2011.


Windfair: Thank you very much for the interview.