Brooks Forgings Ltd has announced a strategic £170,000 capital investment focused on the installation of a state-of-the-art 75,000 Nm high-torque geared-drive pre-stressing and scragging system at their West Midlands manufacturing facility.
As the only high-capacity machine of its kind in the UK and Western Europe, this development successfully restores a vital lost sovereign capability for advanced torsion bar production.
Historically, the specialist pre-setting process represented a gap in the UK supply chain for heavy-duty torsion bar applications, forcing companies to rely on fragmented or overseas routes. By bringing this critical stage on-site, Brooks Forgings has streamlined production and established a fully controlled, integrated domestic route for industries requiring high-stress suspension and automotive components.
New Torsion Bar Pre-Setting Specifications:
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Maximum applied torque: 75,000 Nm
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Maximum component diameter: Up to 80mm
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Maximum component length: Up to 3 metres
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Target sectors: Defence, rail, off-highway, and specialist vehicles
Heavy-duty torsion bars face extreme operational loads and fatigue, requiring a controlled "scragging" process to establish a permanent set and beneficial residual stress. The new machinery allows Brooks Forgings to combine this final stage with their existing capabilities, including upset forging and precision CNC machining, to deliver a fully managed and traceable manufacturing process.
The investment significantly strengthens the UK defence supply chain by supporting the manufacture and replacement of legacy vehicle platform components. Furthermore, the system provides programmable multi-stage sequences and automatic digital data logging for torque, angle, dwell, and permanent set, which is recorded against a unique micro-percussion identification mark on every component for complete traceability.
To read the official announcement, view technical specifications, or get in touch with their engineering team, visit the full Brooks Forgings News Article: Brooks Forgings Invests £170,000 to Revive UK Torsion Bar Manufacturing