Sharpe Products, one of North America’s leading specialists in custom tube and pipe bending, has purchased its eighth Unison Breeze all-electric CNC tube bender.

The machine, an 80mm single-stack model, will be installed at Sharpe Products’ Wisconsin-based manufacturing centre, where it will be used to further expand the company’s production capability for its increasingly diverse customer base.

Sharpe Products and North Yorkshire-based Unison Ltd have worked together for many years. Sharpe’s president and CEO, Paul Krickeberg, bought into the concept of all-electric tube bending when it was still a relatively new technology.

He said: “Our new Unison Breeze tube bending machine will help further support our capacity to offer short lead times and consistent accuracy – attributes that are essential to our customers.

“We have always been pleased with the work that we produce on our tube bending machines and Unison Ltd is our vendor of choice. We have worked with them company for nearly 20 years and appreciate the quality of the equipment along with Unison’s service and support.”

Alan Pickering, Unison’s managing director, said: “We are delighted that Sharpe Products, one of our longest-standing customers, has chosen to invest in yet another Unison Breeze tube bending machine.

“Following the purchase of this latest Unison Breeze model, Sharpe Products will have one of the most comprehensive line-ups of Unison’s infinitely controllable all-electric machines in North America.”

“All-electric tube bending technology, with all the advantages of automatic setup, has equipped Sharpe Products with the ability to take on all manner of tube manipulation challenges, including projects involving traditionally difficult to bend alloys.”

Accuracy and reliability
The latest acquisition, an 80mm single-stack Unison Breeze machine was chosen for its ability to deliver the accuracy and reliability necessary to meet the strict tolerances required by the company’s customers in industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical device.

It is equipped with Unison’s recently upgraded Unibend software, which offers cycle time speed improvements in the region of 25% compared to earlier versions and incorporates new teach routine and simulation features.

Like all Unison Breeze tube bending machines, the 80mm (maximum tube diameter) Breeze offers rapid setup, fast tooling changes, exceptional power, rigid mechanical design, and all-electric control for right-first-time repeat sub-contract work, or immediately after producing a single trial part.

These are all attributes that Unison Ltd believes make its Breeze models the ultimate tube manipulation machines for businesses specialising in small batch production runs. Other Unison Breeze machines operated by Sharpe Products include a 50mm Unison Breeze-Revolution tube bender – a machine equipped with a novel rotating head, enabling it to make left-hand and right-hand bends in one continuous manufacturing cycle.

The company also has 76, 80 and 130mm multi-stack Breeze machines - machines able to accommodate several tools for rapid changeover in between bending cycles - and a 100mm single-stack model.

Established in 1973, Unison Ltd is the UK’s leading manufacturer of tube and pipe bending machines, offering the largest range of all-electric benders for diameters from 4 to 275mm.

The company manufactured the world’s first all-electric tube bender in 1994, followed by the world’s first all-electric multi-stack tube bender, then the world’s largest all-electric tube bender for the shipbuilding industry. Available in single-stack, multi-stack and right/left variations, Unison machines are delivered to more than 20 countries globally.

In addition, the company’s tube bending software is recognised as the most user-friendly control system for tube bending machines. The software is written and supported by Unison, ensuring complete control of its evolution, with no need for third party support.