APQP4Wind Project Goes Global

In a year since its launch, close to 1,500 APQP4Wind manuals have been distributed and over 450 APQP4Wind training courses held worldwide, with more training courses planned in the USA, China, Spain, Turkey, Denmark and possibly India in 2018.

“We are extremely pleased at the immense progress there has been in the development of APQP4Wind. The remarkable speed with which the industry has adopted this new quality planning framework speaks volumes. There is no doubt that the industry has a keen focus on how to optimize production processes and reduce LCOE through this initiative – for the sake of a strengthened competitiveness and stronger collaboration between suppliers and manufacturers,” Kim Nedergaard Jacobsen, Senior Project Manager in Danish Wind Industry Association, said.

Representing the world’s largest market for wind energy, China is a crucial market to have on board in the deployment of the APQP4Wind framework, as it is not only beneficial for companies already working with the APQP4wind standards, but it also underlines and supports Denmark’s role as a major influencer and trailblazer in the further development and maturing of the global wind energy sector.

As part of the deployment strategy, training courses have already been held in China by the two training providers, DNV GL and Bureau Veritas.

“We are very happy that the industry has started to study and take ownership of the APQP4wind manual and training concept. Our next step is to keep improving the manual by getting inputs from the industry, and to help it spread throughout the value chain in both Denmark and the global industry,” Jacobsen said.

The APQP4Wind project and the manual is an initiative started by the Danish Wind Industry Association and associated members due to a common wish to simplify and strengthen the entire quality planning and product release process.

With global representation in the steering committee (Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, KK Wind Solutions and LM Wind Power) APQP4Wind is offering training and best practices on how to apply the manual and execute the expectations described in the manual. Currently, the steering committee is developing the industry-specific quality assurance standard, which will ultimately be rolled out in both the Danish and international wind industry.