Apparatus for automatic manufacturing of wind turbine blades

An apparatus comprising a tool support (2) adapted to be mounted above a wind turbine blade mould (1), wherein the tool support (2) is elongate in a longitudinal direction (L) and adapted to extend longitudinally along at least a portion of a length of the wind turbine blade mould (1) when the tool support (2) is mounted above the wind turbine blade mould (1), wherein the elongate tool support (2) comprises a main suspension beam arrangement (4) which is elongate in the longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of support frames (8) fitted to the main suspension beam arrangement (4) for supporting the main suspension beam arrangement (4) above the wind turbine blade mould (1), the plurality of support frames (8) being provided as a series of support frames (8) positioned along the length of the mains suspension beam arrangement (4) on opposite longitudinal sides (11a, 11b) of the main suspension beam arrangement (4), each support frame (8) abutting a framework (108) and each support frame (8) comprising a base mechanism (29) adapted to be detachably fitted to the wind turbine blade mould (1), an elongate guide rail assembly (5) provided on the main suspension beam arrangement (4) so as to extend longitudinally along the main suspension beam arrangement (4), a slider base (6) slidably mounted on the guide rail assembly (5), a drive mechanism (53) for driving the slider base (6) longitudinally along the guide rail assembly (5) and a tool holder (7) mounted on the slider base (6),

• wherein the main suspension beam arrangement (4) comprises a pair of suspension beam members (104a, 104b) mounted on the framework (108) and which are elongate in the longitudinal direction (L) and spaced from each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, and the slider base (6) comprises a central body (150), each suspension beam of the pair of suspension beam members (104a, 104b) being separate from each other and mounted on opposite sides (152a, 152b) of the central body (150), a pair of mount assemblies (166a, 166b), each mount assembly (166a, 166b) being supported on a respective suspension beam member (104a, 104b).