Machines & Tooling: Two 870-Ton Units Manufacture XXL Components

Large Portal Machines Two 870-Ton Units Flexibly Manufacture XXL Components

2025-09-24 A guest contribution by Nikolaus Fecht | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

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At Haco, a very large Dörries portal machine has recently been added to the Droop+Rein gantry machine. Together, the two giants are setting new standards in machining components for gearless wind turbines in the 14 to 15-megawatt class.

Ready for the XXL future: The combination of a fixed portal and a movable table enables a maximum diameter of 15,000 millimeters.(Image: Starrag/Ralf Baumgarten) — Ready for the XXL future: The combination of a fixed portal and a movable table enables a maximum diameter of 15,000 millimeters.
(Image: Starrag/Ralf Baumgarten)

The second large machine is ready for operation – a new manufacturing duo has started at Haco A/S for perfect interaction. The Danish family business is now prepared for the future of wind energy: It can process huge rotor housings and brake discs for offshore wind turbines in the 14 to 15-megawatt class even more efficiently and precisely.

The small southern Danish town of Rødekro near the German-Danish border is developing into a logistical hub for the offshore wind industry. Its proximity to the Port of Esbjerg, Northern Europe's leading offshore wind hub, as well as to the ports of Aabenraa and Sønderborg, enables efficient transport routes for wind turbine components. A current example of sustainable logistics is the close collaboration between Haco and SM Industrie A/S, a leading supplier of steel wind turbine components. The new machine duo is being used in a hall on the premises of SM Industrie.

Gallery

The Dörries large portal machine with a movable table is designed for workpiece rotational diameters of up to 15 meters.(Image: Starrag/Ralf Baumgarten)

The Dörries large portal machine has been in operation since the end of 2024.(Image: Starrag/ Ralf Baumgarten)

Since the beginning of 2024, a Droop+Rein gantry machine with a movable portal has been in operation, capable of flexibly machining very large workpieces in a single setup.(Image: Starrag/ Ralf Baumgarten)

"Our two large machines – two true giants – are now in production." Hubert Erz, Senior Consultant Sales/Renewables at Starrag(Image: Starrag/Ralf Baumgarten)

Gallery with 6 images

Machine Duo with Unified Operation

Since early 2024, a large Droop+Rein gantry machine with a movable portal has been in operation, capable of flexibly machining very large workpieces in a single setup. Recently, it has been supported by an equally large Dörries portal machine with a fixed portal and movable base. Despite their differences, both machines are based on the same core components, simplifying maintenance and operation.

The new large portal machine significantly expands Haco's machining range. Thanks to the improved main drive and the increased workpiece rotation diameter, more massive, welded rotor housings and other large components can now be manufactured with precision. "Our two large machines – two real giants – are now in production," says Hubert Erz, Senior Consultant Sales/Renewables at Starrag, who has been supporting the southern Danish contract manufacturer for over a decade.

This sets a new standard in machining components for gearless wind turbines in the 14 and 15 megawatt performance classes. The focus is primarily on rotor housings, i.e., generator housings, and brake discs, both of which currently reach a diameter of around 9,000 millimeters and are manufactured with an accuracy range of ± 0.1 millimeters.

Hubert Erz, Senior Consultant Sales/Renewables, Starrag

When the Specifications Demand High Precision...

This is where precision comes into play: The wind power industry typically demands tight tolerances for large components such as rotor housings and brake discs in its specifications. "Regardless of the machine size, the key is to precisely calculate and dimension the main components using modern design tools," explains Erz.

We achieve the first static compensation already during shaping.

Hubert Erz, Senior Consultant Sales/Renewables, Starrag

In addition, there are finely adjustable mechanical components and final electronic fine adjustments, as well as a precisely designed machine foundation that takes static and dynamic loads into account.

Precision depends on automation and control. However, production reliability and continuity are also a priority for Haco. For this reason, the family-owned company has consciously decided against the latest Siemens control system. Instead, Managing Director Henning Albrechtsen relies on the proven version: "We trust in established technologies. This not only ensures production reliability but also the flexibility of our employees."

Simulation of Complex Machining Processes

Instead, the managing director invested in programming and simulation. New post-processors with an integrated simulation module from the British Starrag subsidiary TTL enable his team to create NC programs at the main plant and simulate the machining process, including measurement programs, in advance – an approach that significantly increases productive machine runtime. Additionally, the second machine was equipped with a modern magazine concept featuring automatic loading and unloading of tools, as well as six machining heads for turning, milling, and drilling, enabling flexible and precise machining of large parts in a single setup.

The two 870-ton machines required a foundation capable of withstanding the enormous static and dynamic loads to ensure precise machining. For this reason, Starrag made extensive assembly and handling preparations during the design phase to guarantee the transport and precise alignment of the massive components. A key element is the two-story basement, which serves as a stable base and facilitates access to central components. Haco and Starrag tackled this challenge together as well. The client is satisfied:

We integrated units into the foundation, significantly reducing noise emissions – a clear advantage for work quality.

Henning Albrechtsen, Geschäftsführer, Haco

Sustainable Concepts for the Wind Power Industry

The new machine duo was developed in the Starrag business unit LPMS (Large Parts Machining Systems) – a unit specializing in innovative manufacturing solutions for large components and adhering to the strict criteria of the VDMA label Blue Competence. This also had a sustainable impact on this project.

Modern, energy-optimized components, advanced drive technology, and the feedback of surplus energy ensure reduced energy consumption at Haco's plant in Rødekro. These measures lower material consumption, reduce waste, and optimize energy use – a competitive advantage for industries focused on sustainability.

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Machine Duo Sets Benchmark

The investment in two large machines offers excellent opportunities for machining current and future large components for the wind industry and other sectors. The deliberately chosen flexible design and equipment of both machines impose virtually no limits on the processing of large components.

The courage of Henning Albrechtsen and his team is now paying off. Together, a new plant was created, enabling our Danish longstanding customer to sustainably, efficiently, and reliably produce future, larger generations of wind turbines and XXL components.

Hubert Erz, Senior Consultant Sales/Renewables, Starrag