Small wind / Buyer questions
Purchasing and delivery
How should a wind project confirm that the delivered blades form the intended set?
The short answer
Check the blade identities, revisions and any manufacturer-defined set or pairing requirements against the exact turbine configuration before installation. Reconcile the physical blades with their records and condition observations. Equal length, appearance or a shared turbine model label does not establish that separate blades can be combined into an acceptable operating set.
Obtain the applicable set requirements
Ask the responsible supplier how blades are identified and whether a delivered set has specific matching, orientation or other assembly constraints. Request the records needed by the installation team and clarify the status of any replacement blade. Do not infer balance or interchangeability requirements from another product. The actual blade design and instructions define what must be checked. This page provides an identification workflow, not a method for balancing blades or approving a mixed set in the field.
Reconcile identity and condition
Compare each physical identifier with the delivery and assembly records before moving the blades into the installation sequence. Record unreadable markings, unexpected revisions or damage as discrepancies and obtain technical disposition. Preserve transport support and unpacking observations where they relate to blade condition. A complete count of blades does not prove the correct set is present. Avoid relabeling an uncertain blade to match the expected list or treating cosmetic similarity as an accepted substitution.
Retain the installed set history
Record the blades actually installed on each asset, including any approved replacements or changes to the supplied set. Link applicable assembly instructions and acceptance evidence to that identity. Keep removed blade history when later service work changes the configuration. This enables a supplier to assess future spare inquiries using the actual installed equipment. It also preserves the distinction between component identity verification, condition acceptance and any separate functional or commissioning checks required before the turbine is released to operate.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy: Small Wind Guidebook — project and service context
- UK Health and Safety Executive: maintenance of work equipment
Examples are illustrative. Confirm product-specific performance, compatibility and supply scope in the applicable documents.