Draftec, a leading independent engineering and manufacturing company based in the Netherlands, today announced the successful development of a new, advanced winch system for the recovery and removal of subsea cables. The project was completed in close collaboration with ABB’s Motion OEM Hubs in Northern and Central Europe.
The winch system plays a key role in subsea cable recovery operations. In addition, the system includes a spooler with a 1.5 kW motor and a specially designed guiding arm to ensure precise cable winding onto the drum.
The project was a collaboration between OEM Hub NEU in Finland and OEM Hub CEU in Germany. Netherlands is part of the regional responsibility of OEM Hub CEU, and OEM Hub NEU provided additional support. The two hubs refined and customised the software to match Draftec’s needs and supported commissioning on site. Martijn Aangeenbrug from LSU ABB Netherlands, Sebastian Ding from OEM Hub CEU and Asko Salminen from OEM Hub NEU played key roles in this project, collaborating and sharing knowledge between hubs.
Draftec had a set of specific requirements for the winch system. The drum had to be powered by two motors in a master/follower configuration, supported by a separate spooler drive. The system also needed Profinet communication, load cell integration, and three defined control modes. These modes included a standard speed mode, a speed mode with load protection, where the drive adjusts if tension deviates more than ±10% from a setpoint between 2 and 15 tons, and a constant tension mode with load sensor functionality.
To achieve these demanding specifications, Draftec partnered with ABB’s Motion OEM Hubs for their proven experience in winch control applications. After aligning with OEM Hub CEU and OEM Hub NEU, ABB decided to use Constant Tension winch control +N6200 as a base. This alongside the existing solutions, the newly developed software includes a dedicated Constant Tension software package, with or without load cell feedback, and support for multi-drum/layer calculations.
In collaboration with OEM teams in Mannheim, Germany and Helsinki, Finland, the first implementation of this new Constant Tension software was successfully completed and tested at Draftec’s facility in the Netherlands. Testing at Draftec’s facility verified that the application met all performance and reliability requirements.
“This case demonstrates both the available flexibility in our products and software and the strength of local ABB support in the Netherlands, combined with regional OEM Hub expertise in CEU Hub and knowledge sharing from the NEU Hub”, says Mikael Holmberg, Segment Sales Manager Crane & Marine Winches and Global Coordinator for all eight OEM Hubs.
For Draftec, the built-in drive functionality provided a ready-made constant tension solution that was fully supported by ABB’s Motion CEU and NEU OEM Hubs. This reduced programming time and simplified integration. ABB’s expertise allowed the software to be further adapted, making it transferable to other customers with similar needs.
“The application works reliably; the customer is satisfied with the outcome. We’ve benefited from the drive’s built-in Constant Tension control, a ready-made solution fully supported by ABB’s Motion OEM Hubs, which made implementation straightforward and efficient”, says Martijn Aangeenbrug.
As a result, the project not only met Draftec’s requirements but also strengthened ABB’s domain expertise in Constant Tension applications. The solution now adds long-term value, extending the benefits of this development to future customers. The collaboration showcases ABB’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and partnership, driving sustainable progress in marine and offshore industries.
