Australian made wind turbine anchor cage secures good design award

Sydney-based engineering company Allthread Industries has been awarded Gold in this year’s Australian Good Design Awards for its wind-turbine anchor cages which were recognised for their “revolutionizing costs and productivity”.

Allthread’s low-impact wind turbine anchor cages were awarded the Gold accolade in the engineering category of this year’s Australian Good Design Awards.

In its simplest form, an anchor cage consists of a thick steel baseplate and hundreds of 4-metre-long bolts that are sunk into a pit and filled with concrete, then bolted to the base of the turbine to provide stability.

However, many anchor cages are made in China and imported when needed as flatpacks, and the sustainability and environmental impacts of production are unknown.

Mostly Australian made

This is where Allthread Industries’ low-impact anchor cages come in. Made from 100% Australian steel and made up of 98% Australian materials, 50% of which are recycled, these anchor cages provide improved quality, reduced environmental impacts, benefits to the local economy and industries, and lower costs.

The Australian Good Design Awards jury commented, “Great to see this safe and environmentally conscious innovation contribute to such an important area of our economy and society. Congratulations on this way to improve productivity and strengthen local industries!”

Cheaper and easier to install

A total of 38 Allthread cages were supplied to the Murra Warra II wind farm in Victoria, and were approximately $A200,000 cheaper than imported alternatives. Installation time was also dramatically reduced, taking only 90 minutes using two workers plus a crane, as compared to two days with six workers and heavy machinery.

“We are thrilled to have our achievements recognised,” said Simon Preston, general manager of Allthread Industries.

“This accolade is an acknowledgement of the innovative design solutions we use to produce better, safer, cheaper and more reliable anchor cages, at the same time slashing environmental impacts and supporting the local economy.”