TWISTER seeks a step change in cost reduction of titanium wire for springs by demonstrating an innovative continuous direct manufacturing process applied to both engine valve springs and suspension springs. The UK invented process consolidates low cost particulates directly to wire. Titanium springs are more efficient and less dense than steel springs leading to more efficient combustion engines and lower CO2 emissions. In addition the energy input and CO2 emissions liberated from the novel consolidation process are significantly lower than the current , >30 batch processes, including energy intensive vacuum melting and multiple forging. By more than halving the cost of titanium wire through leading edge technology, TWISTER will allow its strength and weight properties to be utilised at an economically viable cost, creating major benefits for spring making. New products generated from TWISTER will be affordable and increase the attractiveness to higher volume production vehicles.

Compression springs are used in a wide variety of industries and particularly in transportation products. The requirement for high quality springs has increased significantly due to the greater demand of improving energy efficiency. Currently, spring chamfering is a bottleneck in the production process as it is a manual process which is slow and costly and quality is difficult to guarantee. This feasibility study seeks to address this problem by investigating the potential for a fully automated spring grinding system, with online quality checks and adaptive control mechanisms. The ambition is to ultimately increase productivity 6-fold whilst improving quality assurance significantly increasing production capacity to meet market demands. This innovation will allow new markets to be opened up as well as securing existing markets providing economic growth in this sector and will enhance the UK's capability in spring manufacture.