Following an extensive R&D trajectory, offshore hydraulic equipment specialist Degra and subsea technology company Seatools jointly introduce a standardized range of active heave-compensated hoisting winches. The broadly applicable AHC winch range features unique control technology and will come available through a rental pool – making heave-compensated winch technology more accessible than ever before.

The range’s initial offering contains winches with hoisting functionalities including Constant Tension (CT), Active Heave Compensation (AHC), and Render Recover (RR). Thanks to its intelligent control system which features a self-learning algorithm, on-site commissioning becomes a straightforward matter. After the operator enters only a limited number of situational parameters the intelligent control system will automatically configure and optimize itself. The obvious benefit being a minimum of commissioning time, in addition to high-performance and high-reliability heave compensated winch technology becoming widely accessible in the offshore market.

Degra’s field-proven offshore hoisting winch designs served as a basis for the development of this product range. To achieve proper dynamic behavior during active heave compensation mode, Degra devised a clever hydraulic system design. Individual component selection played a crucial role during this process. Moreover, detailed winch system simulations enabled analysis of the system’s behavior, parameter setting and control strategy optimization, and testing of system response during mode transitions, extreme circumstances, and failure cases. Simulations furthermore included vessel motions, mechanics, electronics, hydraulics, and controls to ensure correct performance of the system once deployed. The simulations were closely followed by test results from hardware tests performed at a dedicated test rig, which provided great confidence in the operational performance and reliability of the standardized AHC winch range.

Degra’s Managing Director Jan-Willem de Graaf is very pleased with the introduction of the AHC winch range. “Collaboration with Seatools furthers Degra’s ambition to deliver distinct turn-key offshore hydraulic equipment solutions within very short time frames. Seatools’ high standing, based on its capabilities in motion control technology, resulted in a product range that is unique to our market: intelligent and highly reliable AHC winch solutions that can be operational within very short time frames.”

Jan Frumau, Managing Director of Seatools, also commented. “This cooperation brings out the best of two companies: Degra’s decades-long track record in offshore hoisting winch systems and our control engineering capabilities. Having invested considerable development effort in the universality and reliability of the winch range, we are confident that this workability-enhancing product will be greatly appreciated by the market.”