Graduation Assignment: Fibre Rope Traction Winch

Royal IHC continuously develops equipment for safe, efficient and sustainable offshore operations. Are you looking for a multidisciplinary graduation project combining mechanical engineering and offshore equipment? If so, this assignment at Royal IHC is for you.

Internship Project Description

Royal IHC designs and delivers specialised offshore equipment. Fibre ropes offer advantages over steel wire rope, but require different handling solutions. Developing suitable fibre-rope winch technology is therefore relevant for future IHC systems.

A fibre-rope traction winch is used to transfer force to the fibre rope reliably and without unacceptable rope damage. Several operating principles may be feasible. Discussions with some clients have shown interest in compact solutions, but the study should remain open to alternatives.

The engineering department of IHC Offshore Equipment (OEC) is responsible for the delivery of the detailed design drawing package for the construction and delivery of vessel-based mission equipment such as winches, pipe tensioners and hydraulic installations. The engineers communicate with the workshop, classification societies and customers on a daily basis.

The Challenge

In this graduation project, you will identify and compare principles for an IHC fibre-rope traction winch and develop the preferred solution into a concept design to reliably transfer the required traction force while controlling rope wear within a compact space envelope. The concept selection should be completed efficiently, leaving most of the project available for developing and substantiating the selected design.

The concepts will be compared on technical performance, practicality, safety and cost.

Requirements and selection criteria will be based on research and input from IHC and its clients. The alternatives will be compared using a clear and structured selection method.

Upon completion, you will deliver a concept report substantiating the concept selection and describing your concept design. The report will address the technical and commercial advantages, disadvantages, risks, and development requirements. To achieve this, you will be involved in a wide range of tasks and have the following responsibilities:

• Establishing the design basis and requirements.
• Performing a functional analysis and concept selection.
• Selecting the preferred principle early in the project.
• Developing the selected concept through calculations, material selection and design iterations.
• Liaising with IHC OEC engineers and experts on their approach to these areas.
• Liaising with IHC OEC Sales and/or Product Management to ensure the design aligns as closely as possible with client requirements and preferences.
• Recording the design in drawings, specifications and a preliminary 3D model.
• Documenting the conclusions and recommended development activities.
• Assess the technology maturity of the selected concept and identify the critical uncertainties preventing further maturation.
• Define the recommended validation and development activities required to progress the concept towards an IHC product.

The objective of the project is not only to identify a preferred concept, but also to mature IHC's knowledge of fibre-rope traction technology and reduce the technical uncertainties that currently prevent further product development. The project shall therefore identify the remaining technology risks, define the validation activities required and propose a development roadmap towards a future IHC fibre-rope winch product.

In short, you are expected to make an important contribution to the development of a fibre-rope traction winch.

Your Profile

You are proactive and able to communicate your findings clearly. To be eligible for this position, you must have:

• Currently enrolled in an HBO or WO programme in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline;
• Knowledge and/or interest in mission equipment technology;
• An analytical mindset and a strong interest in concept studies, mechanical design and engineering calculations;
• A good command of the English language, both spoken and written;
• The ability to use feedback to improve the quality of your work;
• The ability to work independently and to be self-critical.

We offer

• An internship allowance of €450 gross per month based on a full-time work week.
• Travel allowance (public transport or mileage allowance).
• Flexible working hours.
• The opportunity to contribute to the future of the maritime industry.