Secondary steel refers to the elements that fit onto the main structure of wind turbines. It includes a wide range of subcomponents, from small-scale items such as brackets and doors, to large structures such as boat landings and work platforms.
Secondary steel components can vary in size and weight, with components ranging from under a meter to over 20 meters and weighing up to 50 tonnes. 
Secondary steel manufacture facilities require the typical equipment needed for steel fabrication:

• CAD and CNC software
• CNC cutters and machining equipment
• Press brakes
• Roll forming machines
• Lifting equipment
• Induction pipe bending machines
• Various drills, grinders and saws
• Surfacing equipment
• Welding equipment
• Coating equipment (if in-house coating is desired)

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Anchor and mooring systems are used to secure floating offshore wind turbines to the seafloor. Mooring systems connect the anchor to the turbine and consist of sections of chain and synthetic rope.

Anchor manufacture facilities require the typical equipment needed for steel fabrication:

• CAD and CNC software
• CNC cutters and machining equipment
• Press brakes
• Roll forming machines
• Lifting equipment
• Induction pipe bending machines
• Various drills, grinders and saws
• Surfacing equipment
• Welding equipment
• Coating equipment (if in-house coating is desired)

Mooring chain requires the above as well as heat treatment equipment. 

Slip forming, or concrete casting equipment is needed for gravity anchors.

Fibre rope manufacture requires:

• Extrusion machines
• Twisting or braiding equipment
• Tensioning and spooling equipment
• Cutting and splicing equipment
• Ovens for curing or heat setting

Mooring and anchor systems consist of very heavy components, suitable lifting and handling equipment will be required. 

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Cable protection systems (CPS) help protect cables against impact, abrasion, fatigue, and damaging movement such as over-bending at vulnerable locations. This is particularly important for floating wind turbines which use dynamic cables to enable movement. CPS are needed to reduce costs involved with maintaining, repairing or replacing cables.

Cable protection system manufacturing facilities require the following equipment:

• Polymer mixing and pouring equipment
• Aluminium moulds
• Curing ovens (often the size limiting factor)
• Cutting equipment to remove excess material
• Lifting and handling equipment
• Coating equipment (if in-house coating is desired)

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There are two types of cable used in offshore wind: array cables and export cables. Array cables connect the turbines in a farm and deliver the power generated to an offshore substation. Export cables connect the offshore substation to the onshore substation.

Cables are composed of a conductive metal core, surrounded by insulation and armouring material, and bound by a sheath or polymer rope. Fibre optic cables can be incorporated into the cable to facilitate communications and data transfer between the shore and the wind farm and cable condition monitoring. 

Cable accessories terminate the cable and provide mechanical support during installation and over the cable’s lifetime. These are made of a variety of materials, mainly fabricated metal and polymers.

Cable manufacture facilities require the following equipment:

• Plastic extruders
• Vertical layup machines
• Horizontal armouring machines
• Cable spooling equipment
• Type testing equipment
• Lifting and handling equipment

Cable accessory manufacture facilities require the following equipment:

• Plate steel cutting and welding equipment
• Type testing equipment
• Lifting and handling equipment

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Corrosion protection systems protect equipment above and below the water line from corrosion.

Corrosion protection mitigates against corrosion and methods include:

• Protective coatings
• Passive cathodic protection, which positively charges the structure, reducing corrosion risk
• Active cathodic protection, where the main structure is positively charged using an external power source causing reduction, therefore protecting it from corrosion

Passive cathodic protection manufacture facilities require:

• Metal casting equipment
• Furnaces
• Lifting and handling equipment, and
• Steel fabrication equipment

Active cathodic protection manufacture requires equipment typically found in an electrical workshop, as well as:

• Lifting and handling equipment
• Torque tools to tighten bolts
• Type testing equipment, and
• If in-house cable manufacture is desired, cable manufacture equipment

Protective coating manufacture requires typical chemical process equipment such as:

• Dispersing equipment and mixing vessels
• Pumps and filtration equipment
• Filling and packaging equipment
• Lifting and handling equipment, and
• If temperature must be controlled, heat exchangers.

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