Brooks Forgings Ltd, a leading UK manufacturer of forged, machined and fabricated components, has announced a major £170,000 capital investment centred on the installation of a state-of-the-art 75,000 Nm high-torque geared-drive pre-stressing and scragging system at its West Midlands manufacturing facility.

As the only high-capacity machine of its kind in the UK and Western Europe, the installation restores an important sovereign manufacturing capability.

The specialist pre-setting process has historically represented a gap in the UK supply chain for certain heavy-duty torsion bar applications, requiring components to be processed through fragmented or overseas routes.

Brooks Forgings’ new capability brings this critical stage back into a controlled UK manufacturing process.

The investment marks a significant milestone for the company’s heavy engineering division.

By bringing this specialist process in-house, Brooks Forgings has streamlined its production routes and strengthened its ability to provide commercial and industrial customers with an integrated UK manufacturing solution for high-stress components.

New torsion bar pre-setting capability

The new system provides a maximum applied torque of 75,000 Nm and can accommodate components up to 80 mm in diameter and 3 metres in length.

It uses a high-torque geared drive and programmable multi-stage cycle control.

The system records torque, angle, dwell time and permanent set, and is aimed at sectors including defence, rail, off-highway and specialist vehicles.

The missing link in heavy component production

Heavy-duty torsion bars are subjected to extreme operational loads and fatigue.

To establish the required permanent set and help ensure dimensional stability during operation, these components undergo a controlled pre-setting process, commonly known as scragging.

During this process, the component is subjected to a controlled torsional load beyond its initial elastic range.

This establishes the required permanent set and creates a beneficial residual-stress condition within the material.

Live screen readouts display critical information including the current cycle stage, remaining dwell time, twist angle and applied load.

The permanent set angle is also displayed once the sequence is complete.

Live charts show the applied torque and angle for each cycle, providing a visual indication of how the bar responds as it progresses through the pre-setting process and reaches its final permanent-set condition.

The new £170,000 machine enables Brooks Forgings to carry out this critical final production stage in-house.

Combined with the company’s upset forging capability, precision CNC machining, advanced heat treatment, spline grinding, shot peening and non-destructive testing, the new system enables Brooks Forgings to provide a fully managed and traceable manufacturing route for heavy torsion bars up to 80 mm in diameter and 3 metres in length.

Defence supply chain capability

The investment further strengthens Brooks Forgings’ position within the UK defence supply chain.

It supports the manufacture and replacement of critical torsion bar components for tracked and specialist vehicle platforms.

Combined with established quality systems, component traceability and specialist heavy-engineering capabilities, the new pre-setting and scragging facility provides customers with a resilient UK manufacturing route for critical components.

It also supports the long-term availability of parts for legacy vehicle platforms.

Precision automation and full traceability

To provide consistent and verifiable quality control, the new system is fully programmable.

It can carry out multiple test phases, varying twist angles and velocities, as well as complete duty-cycle sessions.

Operational data for every individual torsion bar is automatically captured and stored against the unique identification marking stamped onto each component.

This provides a complete digital record of the pre-setting cycle.

A dedicated micro-percussion marking system is positioned alongside the pre-setting machine, helping to provide a seamless production route with full traceability.

Every torsion bar produced at Brooks Forgings is uniquely marked to provide complete traceability.

The micro-percussion marking system is digitally controlled and configured to meet individual customer requirements.

Completed torsion bars are then prepared for final packing and shipment.

For tracked fighting vehicle applications, torsion bars are packed in custom-made wooden crates designed to protect them during transportation and make them suitable for long-term storage.

Streamlining the supply chain

With global supply chains continuing to face logistical challenges, the ability to source critical heavy-engineering components through an integrated domestic route has become an important priority for industrial sectors.

Richard Lee, Marketing Manager at Brooks Forgings Ltd, said:

“For too long, heavy engineering projects have had to rely on fragmented supply chains to source fully processed, high-strength torsion bars.

“This £170,000 investment significantly changes what we can offer customers. We have closed the loop.

“From the initial raw material forging through to the final permanent set, we are providing a highly resilient, faster and fully traceable manufacturing alternative.

“We are not simply increasing capacity. We are expanding our technical capabilities to meet the most demanding industrial requirements.”

As a company committed to high standards of quality and manufacturing excellence, Brooks Forgings remains aligned with modern industrial strategies focused on security of supply, component quality and localised precision engineering.

For technical enquiries relating to new or replacement torsion bars, pre-setting and scragging requirements, or the manufacture of other high-strength forged components, contact the Brooks Forgings engineering team on +44 (0)1384 563356 or submit an enquiry through the company’s contact page.