Innovation, collaboration and partnership
Innovation is at the heart of our culture and our reputation for designing and manufacturing innovative engineering solutions, dates as far back as the 1850’s. We are also credited with the introduction of parabolic leaf spring technology to automotive suspensions. Today our R&D facility continues to develop new materials and processes to create safety critical products and components for a range of industries.
Our in-house engineering design, test, metallurgy and development capabilities are significantly enhanced by strategic collaborations with respected universities, research institutes and government partners that allow us to access high calibre people, advanced thinking, additional resources and cutting edge test facilities.
By working in partnership with forward-thinking organisations, we are able to push the frontiers of knowledge and innovation to provide real-world solutions that result in successful business applications and drive economic growth.
The University of Sheffield and The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing
The AMRC with Boeing is a world-class centre for advanced machining and materials research for aerospace and other high-value manufacturing sectors. It is a partnership between industry and academia, which has become a model for research centres worldwide.
The AMRC with Boeing is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, designed to help SMEs such as Tinsley Bridge drive innovation, growth in manufacturing and develop new technologies.
AMRC’s resident engineers at Tinsley Bridge have helped to integrate new technology that has enhanced our in-house research and development capability.
We have had a close working relationship with the AMRC for over 30 years, but more recent projects we have collaborated on have involved virtual reality modelling, materials testing, advanced machining, computer simulation of manufacturing processes and NDT.
We are currently working with AMRC in the manufacture of an innovative high performance MCH composite stabiliser bar for heavy commercial vehicles with less than half the weight of current products on the market.
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Sheffield Hallam University – Materials Engineering Research Institute (MERI)
From materials analysis to infrastructure management, the Sheffield Hallam University MERI utilises its diverse, experienced personnel along with leading research facilities to deliver innovative solutions that generate real-world competitive advantages for industry.
A highly successful track record of applying cutting edge research to industrial applications attracted the Tinsley Bridge Group to work with MERI to develop creative new products through the application of fundamental science and engineering.
The collaboration accelerates the pace of innovation by decreasing the time that the next generation of products can be made market-ready.
Our engineers and MERI’s technical team, led by Dr Quanshun Lou, are developing a novel heat treatment strengthening process. Supported by the University’s own Innovation Futures programme, funding from the Technology Strategy Board, and a Knowledge Transfer Partnership based in labs at Sheffield Hallam University, we are developing a radical new approach to steel materials and manufacturing technology to create ultra high-strength spring steels and new advances in high performance machine knife materials.
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Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. Innovate UK works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy - delivering productivity, new jobs and exports. The aim of Innovate UK is to keep the UK globally competitive in the race for future prosperity.
Innovate UK has actively supported Tinsley Bridge Group’s development of technically innovative suspension components for the automotive, rail and defence industries such as:
“The speed that Tinsley Bridge was able to develop new technology from an unproven laboratory concept into a fully implemented manufacturing solution is a great example of our aim to stimulate innovation, drive business growth and in this case provide the British Army with a technical answer to a major problem”.
Iain Gray, CEO of Innovate UK
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Cambridge Vehicle Dynamics Consortium (CVDC)
The CVDC is a collaboration between the heavy-duty truck industry’s leading companies and engineers from Cambridge University to develop better heavy goods vehicles.
The main aim of the Consortium’s research is to develop improved suspensions that maximise truck safety, minimise road damage and improve ride, productivity and fuel consumption. The research focuses on optimising existing suspension components and investigating advanced concept suspensions with computer-controlled ‘active’ and ‘semi-active’ elements through computer modeling, laboratory testing of prototype hardware and field trials of instrumented vehicles.
By having just one company from each specific sector, the members can work together in a non-competitive, co-operative environment. Tinsley Bridge, a founder member of the consortium, has worked with industry leading manufacturers and suppliers such as Goodyear, Haldex SIMPACK, Mektronika Systems, MIRA, Poclain Hydraulics, SDC Trailers, Tridec BV, Volvo Trucks and Wincanton to develop vehicle dynamics and suspension design. Activities within CVDC are a major catalyst to the company’s R&D programme and our continued membership allows us to access state-of-the-art development facilities and a purpose-built test track.
Our involvement in the consortium’s research projects has led to the manufacture of the world’s largest tubular stabiliser bar now in use in a fleet of test vehicles. Other development projects include a truck and trailer fitted with fully active suspension, active steering of articulated and long combination vehicles, computer stability control of vehicle roll-over, and road friendly suspension to reduce road damage.
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Performance Engineered Solutions (PES)
PES is based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Sheffield alongside some of the world’s most advanced organisations in the research and development of advanced manufacturing technology.
PES’s business focuses on optimisation and the cross pollination of technologies into new sectors and the development of concepts to optimise the design and performance of innovative products.
The team at PES has developed their skill in high performance engineering environments and therefore have the broad spectrum of engineering and manufacturing knowledge giving the ability to problem solve at all levels and cross-pollinate technologies from other sectors.
Tinsley Bridge has joined forces with PES and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to develop a revolutionary high performance composite metal hybrid stabiliser bar for trucks and trains.
The project has backing from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to develop the unique system to cut transport emissions and costs while boosting reliability and durability.
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The Mercury Centre
The Mercury Centre, based within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The University of Sheffield, was created in response to the global developments in advanced manufacturing. By providing industry with access to the latest knowledge and technology in advanced manufacturing, the centre reduces risk and accelerates the potential for industry partners and SMEs to exploit these new manufacturing technologies.
The Tinsley Bridge Group is working with the Mercury Centre to help develop the next generation of stabiliser bars. Using the Mercury Centre’s modelling capabilities the firm was able to assess the component prototype against a range of variables. The modelling capabilities of the Mercury Centre were used to assess and enhance component safety, weight, load, tolerance and fatigue levels.
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Sorby Nano Investigation Centre
Supported by the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and the European Regional Development Fund, the Sorby Nano investigation Centre offers SMEs an expert and cost-effective analytical micro and nano scale investigation service, providing businesses with a capability traditionally beyond their grasp.
Sorby Nano scientists, under the directorship of Professor Mark Rainforth, an international expert in material science and engineering, use the latest microscopy techniques capable of analysing the most demanding samples of advanced materials, from a single test to a complex development.
The specialist equipment available, includes Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
Our relationship with the micro and nano scale investigation centre at Sheffield University is used to support the development and refinement of innovative materials used across various activities in the Tinsley Bridge Group.
This input of leading experts in the materials and sample analysis field has enabled us to improve the performance characteristics of our products by increasing their durability, wear resistance, ductility and resistance to impact loading.
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