Start your APQP4Wind journey today
APQP4Wind is a non-profit organization endorsed by world-leading utilities, wind turbine manufacturers, and suppliers. The background for APQP4Wind is the continuous quality improvement needed to keep pace with the ongoing trend toward decreases in the Levelized Cost of Energy within the wind industry.
The standards available in APQP4Wind have been created to substitute company-specific procedures and set aligned methods and procedures for all suppliers and sub-suppliers nationally and internationally. The APQP4Wind Manual and corresponding Toolbox define the framework for quality requirements and provide recommended formats and templates.
To ensure that manufacturers and suppliers speak the same language regarding quality assurance, the APQP4Wind Manual and Toolbox are supported by a training concept that provides uniform application of the tool. The APQP4Wind Training concept is designed to build these competencies and mature the industry.
The APQP4Wind Training concept
Training in the APQP4Wind concept is a vital part of the APQP4Wind journey to ease the implementation steps, broaden your knowledge of APQP4Wind, and establish a common mindset when working with quality assurance processes in the wind industry.
So far, the APQP4Wind organization has approved and certified three APQP4Wind Training Providers as global providers of training courses to deploy the new quality standards: Bureau Veritas Certification, DNV, and TÜV Rheinland Greater China. These training providers must comply with the APQP4Wind organization's requirements to get their training setup, content, and trainers approved for APQP4Wind Training.
"The significance of APQP4Wind as a driver in this development process cannot be underestimated, and it all starts with ensuring that the right resources and competence are in place in the whole value chain from suppliers to wind turbine manufacturers," says Kåre Appel Weng, Sales Manager at DNV, and continues:
“The APQP4Wind Training concept is unique as it is the first attempt to provide a common standard specific to the wind industry. With the assistance and proper training from a training provider, the concept will pave the way for a general maturing of the supplier base and provide the global industry with a common language.
Benefits of the APQP4Wind Training
The training concept has multiple advantages: It ensures that suppliers follow the same procedures for approving sub-components (PPAP - Product Part Approval Process) and understand how the standards should be adopted in practice. This means that the APQP4Wind Training courses provide a thorough understanding of the APQP4Wind framework, allowing participants to gain in-depth knowledge about its principles, processes, and methodology.
"By attending the training, individuals acquire the skills and competencies necessary to effectively apply the APQP4Wind framework in their respective roles and responsibilities within the wind energy industry," says Alex Guo Zhu, General Manager of Wind Power Services at TÜV Rheinland Greater China, and elaborates:
“The APQP4Wind framework can only be fully understood by joining the APQP4Wind Training. During the training, individuals can improve their quality management level and facilitate better communication with customers and suppliers. After the training, training providers stand as solid support when companies meet difficulties applying the APQP4Wind framework, which provides more value to the training.
Ultimately, APQP4Wind Training improves project outcomes by fostering a systematic and proactive approach to quality planning, control, and risk management in wind energy projects. This leads to enhanced customer satisfaction, increased project success rates, and greater overall competitiveness in the industry.
APQP4Wind Specialist Training and Management Awareness Training
Currently, there are eight types of training in the APQP4Wind concept. APQP4Wind Management Awareness Training and APQP4Wind Specialist Training are considered the main training courses for several compelling reasons:
Firstly, APQP4Wind Management Awareness Training is essential for organizational leaders, managers, and decision-makers as it aims to give the participants a basic understanding of the management role in the APQP4Wind process and introduce the framework, requirements, and tools. With this awareness, leaders can effectively align their strategies, policies, and resources with the principles of APQP4Wind.
Secondly, APQP4Wind Specialist Training equips individuals to understand the framework's principles, processes, and methodology through exercises and case scenarios. Therefore, the target group of this training course is quality managers and -engineers, system-, product- or process engineers, project managers, engineers, specialists, and others involved in the APQP process.
By combining APQP4Wind Specialist Training and APQP4Wind Management Awareness Training, organizations can establish a robust foundation for implementing the APQP4Wind framework at operational and strategic levels. The specialist training ensures that individuals possess the necessary skills to effectively execute quality planning and control. In contrast, management awareness training ensures that leaders understand the framework's value and can guide and support their teams. Ivan Mikkelsen, Lead Auditor and Product Manager at Bureau Veritas Certification, elaborates:
“APQP4Wind Training brings an overview and knowledge of the structure and intent of APQP4Wind with different depths for management and employee training. Moreover, it provides the opportunity to discuss and learn from other players in the value chain, share best practices, and offer room for reflection on the delegates' first and following steps to implement APQP4Wind.
Start your APQP4Wind journey today!
Peter Worck Nielsen, Sales & Training Manager at Bureau Veritas Certification, highlights the importance of organizational development and management support in embarking on the APQP4Wind journey and says: "Taking a company on the APQP4Wind journey is an organizational development project, which needs the management team to provide support and understanding, to provide resources and desired perspectives for the company."
For more information on how to get started, do not hesitate to contact our approved training providers: Bureau Veritas Certification, DNV, and TÜV Rheinland Greater China, or check out our website to find more information about the different training courses.
From June 1 until September 30, 2023, APQP4Wind celebrates its 5th anniversary as an independent organization. To celebrate with us, our approved Training Providers are providing a 10% special discount on all APQP4Wind Training Courses. You can find the upcoming APQP4Wind Training courses under Training Schedule.
And remember, once one employee in your company has received a valid Specialist Training certificate and another employee a valid Management Awareness certificate, the company is ready for the next step: Becoming APQP4Wind Company Member!
As an APQP4Wind Company Member, you can influence the further development of APQP4Wind by joining APQP4Wind Working Group and becoming APQP4Wind Country Ambassador. You can download the APQP4Wind Company Membership sign-up form on our website, fill it out, and send it to the Secretariat at contact@apqp4wind.org.
Bureau Veritas Certification:
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in training, laboratory testing, inspection, and certification services. Created in 1828, Bureau Veritas has more than 82.000 employees located in more than 140 countries around the globe.
Visit their website: www.bureauveritas.dk
DNV:
DNV has been a global training provider since 1864. It delivers world-renowned testing, certification, and technical advisory services to the energy value chain, including renewables, oil and gas, and energy management.
Visit their website: www.dnv.com
TÜV Rheinland Greater China:
Since 1872, TÜV Rheinland has provided safe and sustainable solutions for the challenges arising from the interaction between man, the environment, and technology. TÜV Rheinland is committed to quality operation excellence from the automotive to wind power industry. Visit their website: www.gcn.tuv.com