MOLDING APPARATUS FOR MAKING A WIND TURBINE BLADE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

摘要

A method of making a wind turbine blade (20) includes forming a first shell half (32) in a first mold half (52); forming a second shell half (34) in a second mold half (54); closing the mold halves by rotating the first and second mold halves relative to each other about a pivot axis (88) and translating the pivot axis; and coupling the first and second shell halves to form the wind turbine blade. A molding apparatus includes a first mold half (52) for forming a first shell half (32) of the wind turbine blade; a second mold half (54) for forming the second shell half (34) of the wind turbine blade; and a turner assembly (78) for providing rotational movement of the first and second mold halves relative to each other about a pivot axis and providing translational movement of the pivot axis along a translation axis.