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Sheffield based Tinsley Bridge Group has been working with the MOD’s prime contractor BAE Systems over an 18 month period to upgrade the Warrior armoured vehicles for use in Afghanistan, improving it's cross-country mobility, ride and handling in the challenging Afghan terrain.

BAE Systems approached Tinsley Bridge to see if there was a way to improve the ride height of the vehicle at its increased protection weight, with minimal component changes and within a very tight timescale. The extra height also improves crew protection from mine blast.

A project between the two companies resulted in the development of a new high strength steel, Extralite™, to replace the standard steel suspension torsion bar. Extralite™ steel had been previously developed by Tinsley Bridge for use in high strength leaf springs where the steel was used mainly in “tension”. Extralite™ steel had never been used in a torsional application before and is now part of a patent application.

Development and testing of the torsion bars was completed in less than five months. This included extensive field trials conducted by the Army. The timescale was dictated by the urgent requirement to improve the mobility of the Warrior vehicles being operated in Afghanistan.

These parts are now installed on vehicles operating in Afghanistan where the benefits of the extra ride height are allowing significantly increased cross country mobility resulting in greater security for the troops in the vehicles. 

Warrior is the only tracked infantry vehicle in theatre and so can get to places that wheeled vehicles cannot, enabling the infantry to engage the enemy more effectively in difficult terrain. 

Mark Webber, Managing Director of Tinsley Bridge Group said: “This has been a very demanding project, both technically and due to the short timescales. However, it makes everyone at Tinsley Bridge very proud to be so involved in a critical project improving the safety of our forces in Afghanistan.”

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Peter Luff, said: “Warrior vehicles are doing a tremendous job in Afghanistan and these numerous improvements are already proving their worth in theatre. This vehicle is extremely versatile, packing a punch with firepower, offering good mobility and high levels of protection for its crew. It also allows troops to get out into communities safely, maintain areas and provide reassurance to the local population.”

The improvements to the Warrior vehicle have already protected troops in a recent IED strike.

 

Tyzack and Deepwater Horizon

Precision products from Tinsley Bridge Group company Tyzack Machine Knives were used to help provide a solution after the explosion on the DeepWater Horizon drilling rig.

After the explosion in April 2010 the riser pipe connecting the rig to the seabed wellhead remained attached, and in order to cap off the well the riser pipe needed to be removed.

Given that the steel pipe was 350mm in diameter, and 1 mile below the surface it required the world’s most powerful shear cutter, the Genesis XP to complete the job.

The Genesis shear, complete with heat treated precision ground Tyzack blades, and full hydraulic power pack was lowered down into the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. The Tyzack blades cut through the riser pipe and enabled the capping off process to proceed.

“Tyzack has a long standing global reputation for quality, manufacturing capability and product performance. We are proud Tyzack products were part of the solution to such a major engineering challenge” said Mark Webber, Tinsley Bridge Managing Director.

For more information on the Tinsley Bridge Group click here.
 

 

 

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