Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind turbine using a mold assembly includes placing a first blade segment in a reusable mold portion; placing and securing a reusable spar fixture within a custom intermediate mold portion; placing a spar cap atop the custom intermediate mold portion and the reusable spar fixture; placing blade skins in the custom intermediate mold portion and/or around a portion of the spar caps; placing a second blade segment around a portion of the spar caps; aligning the first blade segment with a first end of the blade skins; aligning a second end of the blade skins with a first end of the second blade segment; providing a vacuum only within the custom intermediate mold portion; infusing the blade skins with a resin to join the first blade segment, the blade skins, and the second blade segment together to form the rotor blade.

Abstract: A method of assembling a wind turbine blade includes providing a load-bearing spar structure having one or more locating features for locating one or more wind turbine blade segments, the load-bearing spar structure being secured to a fixture, the fixture being moveable and extendable. The method also includes at least one of moving and extending the fixture so as to at least one of move and elevate the load-bearing spar structure through an assembly line. The method also includes positioning the one or more wind turbine blade segments onto the one or more locating features of the load-bearing spar structure as the fixture is at least one of moved and extended through the assembly line. The method also includes securing the one or more wind turbine blade segments to the load-bearing spar structure.