Contents

Yaw drive for offshore turbines up to 21 MW
Three motor technologies: asynchronous, permanent magnet and reluctance
Service and “local for local” production

Bonfiglioli presented its drive solutions for wind turbines at the WindEnergy trade fair, held in Hamburg on 22–25 September. Drawing on more than 45 years of experience in the wind sector, the company offers a complete product range that controls energy generation, from pitch drives for blade positioning to yaw drives for nacelle orientation.

Yaw drive for offshore turbines up to 21 MW

Stand 360 in Hall B6 featured two complete yaw drive solutions and one pitch solution. The first yaw drive combines a 716T4W planetary gearbox with sensors, a BE series asynchronous three-phase motor and a DGM modular inverter integrated directly into the yaw motor. According to the company, the 700TW series, chosen by many leading turbine manufacturers, delivers the highest torque density with a peak torque of 225,000 Nm. With its increased power, this solution is suitable for offshore turbines of up to 21 MW.

The second yaw drive combines a 700TW series gearbox with a BWM series permanent magnet motor and an AxiaVert inverter. The key innovation in this solution is the 4th-generation gearbox, which stands out for its more compact design and higher torque density.

The pitch servo motor shown on the stand belongs to the 54 kW BMD series permanent magnet motor family, developed for offshore turbines of up to 18 MW. Notable for its high torque density and compact dimensions, the synchronous servo motor meets demanding dynamic, speed and position profiles thanks to its low inertia and high overload torque even at zero speed. According to the company, the best results are achieved when it is used in combination with frequency inverters and planetary gearboxes.

Three motor technologies: asynchronous, permanent magnet and reluctance

Bonfiglioli presented three motor technologies side by side to address the different needs of the wind sector: asynchronous, permanent magnet and reluctance motors. The reluctance motors, a new addition to the portfolio, sit between asynchronous and permanent magnet technologies in terms of performance and offer a balanced solution in terms of efficiency, reliability and cost. Their lower dependence on permanent magnets also makes them more resilient to raw material availability and supply chain fluctuations.

Service and “local for local” production

Part of the stand was dedicated to services aimed at increasing turbine uptime over their service life. Thanks to an installed base covering equipment from almost all major turbine manufacturers, Bonfiglioli can supply replacement units or parts for the vast majority of applications, and also offers repair services as an alternative to complete replacement. Representing this approach, a VF series yaw drive with integrated W and Z sensors and a torque limiter was on display.

Through its “local for local” approach, the company aims to meet local content requirements from its production facilities in Europe, India, Brazil, China, Vietnam and Türkiye. For 2026, Bonfiglioli holds APQP4Wind certification, the quality framework of the wind sector, and has also received an EcoVadis Bronze Medal.