MacGREGOR anchor-handling/towing
winch range can pull up to 600 tonnes
22 April, 2009
Cargotec’s MacGREGOR anchor-handling towing winches with 300- to 600-tonne capabilities were developed to meet the demand for deeper and heavier operations; as well as hydraulic-drive units, electric-drive versions are also available, in response to customer requests
Developed from years of experience, engineering expertise and proven operational performance, MacGREGOR can now offer anchor-handling towing winches (AHTW) with pulling powers of between 300 tonnes and 600 tonnes and will be able to supply them in both hydraulically and electrically-driven versions. MacGREGOR has unrivalled experience in developing marine cargo handling and offshore load-handling solutions, and is part of Cargotec Corporation, the world's leading provider of cargo handling solutions used in local transportation, terminals, ports, distribution centres, and ships.
“MacGREGOR aims to provide alternative solutions for our clients and their needs,” says Chai Chon Kim, executive director, MacGREGOR Plimsoll. “The new winch range came about from a need to develop units that could handle heavier equipment at even deeper depths. Therefore we embarked on a project to match these increases in size with winch pulling capabilities.”
“Requests were made from some vessel owners regarding the possibility of using electric-drive winch packages, as they believed that these would deliver better performance and be a significantly more effective technical solution than a hydraulic-drive. Additionally, the electric-drive solution is also the most environment-friendly,” explains Chai Chon Kim. “With these requests, as well as the advances in electric-drive technology, we decided to look at further developments in the industry for electrically-driven 300-tonne to 600-tonne AHTW packages.
“The conceptual design of the electrically-driven AHTW started around November 2008, after the first 300-tonne hydraulic design was completed. After almost six months of development, we produced a design that incorporates the majority of mechanical components used in the hydraulic-drive winch. The design concept allows MacGREGOR to build up the winch, including drums, shafts bearings and frames, for either type of drive, and simply add on the hydraulic or electric drive package. This concept allows for the standardisation of components, which translates to savings in both the overall design and manufacturing costs.”
The electric-drive versions have available many of the same features as the hydraulic ranges, with four speed ranges, dynamic braking, hydraulic spooling devices, electro-hydraulic power packs and pilot systems for the operation of clutch and brake cylinders and spooling systems.
Chai Chon Kim adds: “As a global enterprise MacGREGOR designs, develops, manufactures, and delivers total solutions so that our clients can perform in the offshore market. With the global network of MacGREGOR and Cargotec combined, we can also provide unrivalled worldwide support and after sales services, wherever the vessel is.”
In 2007, MacGREGOR acquired Singapore-based offshore equipment specialist Plimsoll and since then has absorbed its expertise into the company’s Offshore division. Established in 1974, Plimsoll has provided engineering and equipment installation services to the marine industry. MacGREGOR’s key Plimsoll products are winches and cranes for offshore and marine applications.
Prior to its purchase, over the past 10 years, the 150-tonne AHTW package from Plimsoll became the company’s biggest seller in its winch range, with over 200 ship sets supplied worldwide. Plimsoll continued its natural expansion of the range with the development of the 200-tonne and 250-tonne models, with more than 30 ship sets being supplied to date.
With the larger winches, the sophistication of the winches also began to change, so continual development was introduced. Special applications such as dynamic braking, which allows the load to be paid out at an increased speed, whilst maintaining the same input power was requested to be incorporated into the hydraulic system. Almost twelve months was spent on the development of this system – together with a world-class hydraulic motor drive supplier – which, at the time, meant apart from other main low pressure hydraulic competitors, none of the other medium pressure hydraulic winch manufacturers were offering such a system. The system is now fully operational on a number of vessels, and is offered on all MacGREGOR winch ranges from 150-tonnes upwards.
MacGREGOR