Revolutionising Motorcycle Parts Manufacturing with hyperMILL

For Evotech Performance, the motorcycle aftermarket specialist spin-off from Drury Precision Engineering in Alford, the decision to adopt OPEN MIND Technologies' hyperMILL CAM software has transformed their manufacturing capabilities and competitive positioning. After 15 years with their previous CAM system, the company made the strategic leap to hyperMILL to support their investment in advanced 5-axis machining and meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated product portfolio.

Nick Cooper, with the Lincolnshire company since 1999, recalls: "Rob Drury, the original director, accepted me on work experience, and in 2005, Evotech Performance started." Evotech has secured a significant position in the global motorcycle aftermarket, manufacturing precision components like tail tidies, radiator guards, crash protection, mirrors, and indicators. The company evolved from simple fabrication to complex 5-axis machining, reflecting the growing sophistication needed by modern motorcycle manufacturers and enthusiasts.

"It started by making tail tidies because one of our directors wanted a tail tidy for his own motorcycle," explains Cooper. "We also make radiator guards. We make crash protection. But recently, we've taken on more designers, and we're trying to open up our portfolio of parts that we do."

The driving force behind their CAM software transition to OPEN MIND Technologies' hyperMILL was twofold. There was a need to manufacture increasingly complex parts to stay ahead of competitors attempting to copy their designs. "With people trying to copy our parts, the more complex our part and design, the better. We also needed to make more sophisticated parts and make them look better," Cooper notes.

This strategic imperative led to the purchase of a DMG MORI DMP 70 5-axis simultaneous machine, which in turn necessitated advanced CAM software capable of fully exploiting the machine's capabilities. "That was the reason why we actually bought hyperMILL. It can actually drive the parts, make the parts better and make those machining timers quicker."

The Solution: Comprehensive 5-Axis Capabilities
For Evotech Performance, hyperMILL's 5-axis capabilities and integrated CAD/CAM approach were key. Unlike traditional systems needing a separate CAD suite, hyperMILL includes hyperCAD-S, enabling direct geometry modification within the CAM environment, streamlining programming.

Cooper emphasises the unexpected benefits of this integration: "hyperMILL has actually brought a new element that we didn't even anticipate. With the simple use CAD suite built into hyperMILL, we can actually design our own fixturing. This has moved us on another level from where we thought we would actually be."

Advanced Fixturing and Automation Integration
The hyperCAD-S capabilities within hyperMILL enabled Evotech to develop sophisticated fixturing solutions that maximise their machine utilisation. This capability proved crucial for their large pallet machine operations, where efficient workholding directly impacts productivity and part accuracy.

"With hyperCAD-S, we can design our own fixturing for our large pallet machine, and then machine multiple parts around the fixturing, and that's all done within hyperCAD-S," explains Cooper. "We put the parts in there, run those parts off, and they are proven out the first time, and our prototypes are always correct."

This capability advances traditional CAM systems by integrating fixturing design within hyperMILL, enabling EvoTech to validate part geometry and fixturing simultaneously. This reduces development time and costly errors.

Skill Development and Training Success
One of the biggest challenges for precision manufacturing firms is skills shortages. Traditional 5-axis programming demands extensive expertise, limiting scalability. hyperMILL's user-friendly interface and automation help Evotech overcome this. "The hyperCAD-S and hyperMILL training has worked so well, we've actually trained two more operators from the shop floor, and straight away, they are making 5-axis simultaneous parts," reports Cooper.

hyperMILL provides predefined workflow steps that automatically identify potential programming errors, and this plays a crucial role in enabling less experienced programmers to achieve professional results and reducing the learning curve.

Simulation and Verification Excellence
For prototype development, the ability to verify programs before production is crucial. "The jobs programmed in hyperMILL simulate really nicely. This gives the operator complete confidence to put the program on the machine and start cutting material, knowing the post they've put out is going to be correct," explains Cooper.

This confidence stems from hyperMILL's VIRTUAL Machining technology, which simulates the actual generated NC code rather than just the CAM toolpaths. This provides unprecedented accuracy in virtual validation, accounting for machine kinematics, post-processor effects, and actual cutting conditions.

"We design parts on site and run prototypes daily, so the program going through the machine has to be correct, and we need complete confidence – hyperMILL gives us this confidence."

Measurable Performance Improvements
The transition to hyperMILL has delivered quantifiable benefits across Evotech's operations. The combination of advanced toolpath algorithms, optimised cutting strategies, and integrated workflow has resulted in significant improvements.

"hyperMILL has managed to reduce our material stock because we're now able to move the parts around within the stock much better. This has also managed to reduce our cycle times. We also have more design freedom, as we can actually machine parts easier with hyperMILL. It means we can make more products and faster than we have ever done before," summarises Cooper.

The stock reduction capability is particularly significant for companies managing tight margins. hyperMILL's dynamic stock management and advanced 5-axis positioning capabilities enable more efficient material utilisation, reducing waste and lowering material costs.

Market Expansion and Competitive Advantage
The enhanced capabilities enabled by hyperMILL have positioned Evotech Performance for continued market expansion. The ability to manufacture more complex parts with shorter development cycles enables the company to respond rapidly to market opportunities and stay ahead of competitors.
"We have so many new products coming out all the time, and we're trying to make them sophisticated. Getting those products onto the machine and cutting them very quickly is obviously a huge benefit to us, as we can get to market very quickly," notes Cooper. "Now, we can actually get the product from design, through the machine and onto bikes, and actually tested within a week," explains Cooper.

Future-Proofing Manufacturing Capabilities
The confidence gained from hyperMILL's performance has enabled Evotech to commit to further expansion, adding more machine tools. "It's given us the confidence to purchase more machines and we know we can do the programs and get them straight into our machine cells," reveals Cooper.

This confidence reflects the hyperMILL's scalability and comprehensive post-processor support, which enables seamless integration with diverse machine tools. The ability to standardise on a single CAM platform across multiple machines simplifies training, reduces programming complexity, and ensures consistent quality standards. The decision to switch didn’t come lightly.

"It was a daunting task to move from the CAM supplier we used for 15 years," admits Cooper. However, the transition proved smoother than anticipated. "It's been quite a breeze, a lot easier than what I'd have thought."

Industry Leadership Through Innovation
The integration of design, programming, and manufacturing within a single software environment has enabled Evotech to compress development cycles, improve part complexity, and maintain the quality standards essential for success in demanding applications. From prototype development to production manufacturing, hyperMILL provides the comprehensive capabilities required for continued growth in the competitive motorcycle aftermarket.

As Cooper concludes: "With hyperMILL, we can design and make more complex parts on site. It is working so intrinsically with the parts, we can actually make much better parts with hyperMILL."