Our field of expertise
Motorized Wire Guide for Efficient and Even Spooling
One of our customers was looking for a smart and innovative way to improve their wire spooling process.
To spool wires from the reel to the winch, they are placed on opposite sides of a frame. The wire on the reel is connected to the winch, and the winch starts to reel in. This way, the wire is being transferred.
But the wire must be guided to prevent it from piling up on one single side. Instead of doing this manually, they asked Saltwater to design a motorized wire guide that helps to automatically wind the wire evenly.
A more efficient way to spool wire
As the wire is transferred from reel to winch, an operator controls the motorized wire guide using a simple push button control. The guide moves vertically and transversely, ensuring the wire is evenly distributed across the winch during spooling.
This assisted spooling process gives operators greater control while reducing physical strain and the risk of uneven winding, damage, or downtime. The result is a safer, more efficient, and more reliable spooling operation.
Design challenges in the wire guide system
The biggest challenge was to keep the design simple, while still meeting all requirements. For example, the wire guide had to be able to move in multiple directions. The goal was also to use only a single winch for horizontal shifting of the wire guide.
Although installed on land, the system supports offshore operations, reflecting our ability to design equipment around the full operational chain. This project is a good example of how Saltwater Engineering combines mechanical design and practical field experience to create smart, robust solutions.
From concept development to detailed engineering and realization, we translate operational challenges into reliable, tailor-made systems that improve performance and reduce risk.
Lennart Karsijns
Structural Engineer
Specific project data
Project information
Scope of work:
- Frame design
- Construction drawings
- Investigating design solutions