Performance exhaust manufacturer selects Unison tube bender for the Nürburgring

Derbyshire-based Milltek invested in its first Unison Breeze machine, a 76mm (maximum tube diameter) capability single-stack model, almost ten years ago in order to achieve the high levels of accuracy, repeatability, control and reliability that Unison’s all-electric CNC machines are renowned for. A second Breeze machine, an 80mm multi-stack tube bender, then followed in 2017.

This latest Unison Breeze machine to be purchased by Milltek – an 80mm single-stack model – will be located at Milltek Sport GmbH, the company’s recently opened €1.5 million development and testing centre in Nürburg. It will be used for exhaust system research and development, small production runs for some of the world’s leading high-performance cars, and custom tube manipulation work for several race teams.

With its roots embedded in the demands of the aerospace sector, the 80mm Breeze offers rapid set-up, fast tooling changes, high power, rigid mechanical design, and all-electric control for right-first-time repeatability. These are all attributes that Unison believes make the 80mm Breeze the ideal tube-manipulation machine for businesses specialising in small batch production runs.

As Milltek only uses highly robust T304L stainless steel for its exhaust products, the all-electric Breeze’s ability to successfully complete tight bends in thin wall tube down to 1D radius, as required for many of today’s high performance exhaust systems, was also a key factor in the decision to purchase.

“Investing in this machine will allow us to further expand the capabilities we have on site in Germany, as well as better cater to the growing demand for 80mm diameter performance exhaust products,” comments Milltek Sport’s managing director, Steve Pound.

“Whereas up to now, we have sent CAD designs from our German facility to our HQ in Derbyshire for prototyping, we will soon be able to design, prototype, trial and then complete batch and small production runs on site at the Nürburgring.

“This will not only help us to be even more responsive, but also will free-up capacity at our UK headquarters for our domestic and worldwide customer base. Going forward, having the ability to prototype on site in Germany will further underpin our status as manufacturers of one of the widest ranges of EC-approved performance exhaust systems on the market.”

He adds: “We looked at a number of competitor machines before placing the order with Unison, however it was a fairly straightforward decision. Our existing Unison machines have more than proved themselves since they were installed in terms of reliability, accuracy, repeatability and capability.

“Added to that, Unison’s Unibend tube manipulation software is both exceptionally user-friendly and also well-understood by our team in the UK. That alone will prove a real advantage when helping ensure our people in Germany are able to quickly achieve the most from their new machine. The level of support we have received from Unison over the years has been outstanding. It’s also reassuring to know that Unison has a Europe-wide service and support infrastructure in place, should we need to call on them for support, guidance or advice.”

“We are delighted that Milltek Sport has decided to purchase a third Unison Breeze tube bending machine,” comments Unison key account manager, Steve Haddrell. “With exceptional power, rapid tooling changes and all-electric control for accurate, effortless repeatability, we are convinced that Milltek’s latest investment will quickly assist both their R&D work and manufacturing strategies.”

Unison www.unisonltd.com

Milltek Sport www.millteksport.com