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Technology / Engineering guide
Fibreglass Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Records
A useful blade inspection record helps the service team understand what was observed, where it was found and whether it has changed. Organise the evidence for the installed blade set before requesting an assessment or replacement decision.
Describe the observation. Preserve the evidence.
The current five-model range uses glass-fibre-reinforced plastic blades. Material identity supports the discussion; condition assessment still needs the applicable blade documents and qualified review.
01 / Blade identity
Create a record for each blade in the installed set.
Assign each blade a consistent record identifier and retain its available serial or production identity.
Assign each blade a consistent record identifier and retain its available serial or production identity. Link it to the turbine model, installation date, blade-set documentation and known replacements. Distinguish a photographed blade from another blade that looks similar.
Record the document revision defining the blade geometry and connection. The rotor diameter is not the length of an individual blade. A condition record should use the supplier’s blade reference, so location descriptions remain meaningful after the photographs are reviewed.
02 / Location map
Give each observation a repeatable location.
Use an observation identifier with the blade identifier, surface or edge, reference point, distance along the blade and approximate extent.
Use an observation identifier with the blade identifier, surface or edge, reference point, distance along the blade and approximate extent. State how the location was established and which regions were inaccessible. Keep the same reference convention across later inspections.
An example record could contain blade_id, observation_id, region, reference_drawing, location_description and access_limitations. These are proposed record fields, not a MARSTON defect-classification system. Agree the coordinate convention with the service team before relying on it.
03 / Photos & limits
Pair an overview with a clearly identified detail.
Retain an overview that locates the observation and a detail image that shows what is visible.
Retain an overview that locates the observation and a detail image that shows what is visible. Note the date, viewing direction, image identifier and any measurement method used. Keep the original files alongside annotated copies, so an annotation does not replace the evidence.
Visible marks can be described without deciding their structural significance. A photograph cannot establish the condition of every internal composite layer. Specialist inspection may be needed for a concern that cannot be resolved visually; the reviewer should define the applicable method and interpretation.
04 / Observation language
Separate appearance from diagnosis.
Write what is visible: a surface line, local coating loss, a damaged edge or a mark near a connection.
Write what is visible: a surface line, local coating loss, a damaged edge or a mark near a connection. Record dimensions only when they were actually measured, with the method and its limitations. Use unknown for information the inspection did not establish.
Keep the inspector’s observation separate from the service reviewer’s classification, operating decision and requested additional evidence. Do not label an observation harmless, cosmetic or structural from a general internet example. The criteria must apply to the actual blade and condition.
05 / Change record
Compare observations using consistent references.
Link repeat photographs and measurements to the original observation identifier.
Link repeat photographs and measurements to the original observation identifier. Record differences in lighting, access or measurement method that affect comparison. A larger-looking mark in a closer photograph does not by itself establish growth.
Preserve relevant event information, including the time of a reported impact or abnormal event and any service work since the previous record. Use the event reporting guide when turbine-state records help explain the context.
06 / Service review
Keep the decision and its conditions with the evidence.
Ask the responsible service team to identify the assessment, required further inspection and any operating restrictions under the model-specific instructions.
Ask the responsible service team to identify the assessment, required further inspection and any operating restrictions under the model-specific instructions. Record the reviewer, date, instruction or drawing reference, required action and closure evidence. This page provides no blade repair or load-test procedure.
For a replacement enquiry, provide the turbine and blade identities, the relevant drawing and the existing blade-set information. Ask how replacement and set compatibility will be established. Retain that decision with the maintenance record.
Continue the review with Wind Turbine Yaw Faults: Event Records & Support Reporting.
Continue the review with Wind Turbine OEM & Custom-Project Requirements.
Continue the review with Small Wind Turbines in Coastal Environments.
Further project guides: Wind Turbine Vibration & Rotor Balance: Record Review.
Review blade coatings and erosion exposure and blade-root and hub interfaces alongside blade identity and inspection records.
General background: DOE: visible and subsurface wind-blade inspection. These references explain industry concepts; they are separate from the applicable MARSTON product and project documents.
Prepare the information for this review.
Use the checklist to organise the project information. Mark unavailable items and retain document references.
| Review item | Information to provide | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Blade identity | Model, blade identifier, drawing revision and known changes | Connect the evidence to the correct component. |
| Observation location | Surface or edge, reference convention and approximate extent | Allow the reviewer to locate the finding. |
| Evidence files | Overview, detail, dates and measurement limitations | Preserve what the inspection actually established. |
| Change context | Previous record, events and intervening work | Support a meaningful comparison. |
| Review decision | Reviewer, criteria, action and closure reference | Keep disposition separate from observation. |
Engineering questions.
Are all current MARSTON blades fibreglass?
Glass-fibre-reinforced plastic blades are confirmed for the current five-model range. Obtain the applicable blade specification for further material and construction details.
Can a photograph prove there is no internal damage?
A visible-surface image has a limited inspection scope. The responsible reviewer may request another assessment method for an unresolved concern.
Should every surface line be classified as a crack?
Describe the observation and provide its location and evidence. Classification requires the applicable criteria and qualified assessment.
What is the minimum information for a damage enquiry?
Provide blade and turbine identity, location, dated photographs, observation dimensions if measured, event context and previous records.
Does this page provide a repair method?
No. Repairs, acceptance criteria and return-to-service decisions require the instructions and expertise applicable to the actual blade.
Can I replace a blade based on length alone?
Replacement needs review of the component identity, geometry, connection and compatibility with the installed set. Length alone is insufficient.
Technical enquiry
Bring your project information to the discussion.
A useful blade inspection record helps the service team understand what was observed, where it was found and whether it has changed. Share the available information and the equipment scope you want reviewed in a technical quotation.