The parties of APQP4WIND are getting ready to unveil what they say are new standards to ensure that wind manufacturers and suppliers speak the same language when it comes to quality assurance in the production phase of turbines.
Over the past year-and-a-half, Siemens Wind Power and Vestas Wind Systems, along with their suppliers, have been working closely together on the project, which is supported by The Danish Industry Foundation.
By putting emphasis on quality planning and assurance, rather than only quality control, APQP4WIND aims to help eliminate errors and thereby lower the costs of wind energy, according to a press release from the group, which adds that the new standards are focused on quality assurance early in the production process to systematically reduce production-related defects in the final product.
The manual was developed by Siemens, Vestas, KK Wind Solutions and LM Wind Power.
“APQP4Wind supports collaboration throughout the entire value chain and creates measurable value for all parties involved,” explains Henrik Hjortkjær, head of QE processes and systems at Siemens Wind Power, who has been working on the project from the start. “As a manufacturer, we can provide a product of higher quality at lower warranty and production costs, and it helps to guarantee high customer satisfaction because the product meets the specification of functionality requirements.
“At the same time, we are strengthening our collaboration with suppliers, so they now have a clear framework for the requirements of the products and components they supply. Therefore, it will serve as a tool to verify and document internal processes and outcomes,” he adds.
More information can be found here.
