Writingthebookonnon-frictionThestorybeginsin1957whentwomeninGrandRapids,Mich.,designed,patentedandmarketedthefirstLVLP(low-volume,low-pressure)spraysystem. Theynamedtheircompanyaftertheirproduct,uni-MIST.Thisrevolutionarylubricationsystemwouldavoidtheneedtofloodfluidonmachiningandcuttinghotspots.Muchtomanufacturers satisfaction,thesystemnotonlyreducedhowmuchmoneytheyneededforlubricantpurchases,butalsoreducedthedownstreamcostsofcleaningitup,treatinganddisposingofit.In1968uni-Mist,Inc.wassoldtoWallyBoelkins,amechanicalproductandtooldesignengineer.Boelkinsrentedthe9x12-footofficeandthen,asthecompany sonlyemployee,beganwritinganewchapterofgrowthandinnovationinnon-frictionproducts.Fromthelate1960stothemid1980s,thelubricationexpertsatUni-Mist,Inc.focusedtheirinnovativeenergiesondevelopingtheuni-MAXseries.Theirlubricant-reducingideasledtothefirst:Co-axialcouplingforeaseofattachmentandremovalofco-axialfluidandairlinesusedtomoreefficientlylubricateairtoolmotors.Intermittentpositivedisplacementlubricationsystemforaccuratespraylubricationoftool/workinterfaces.Double2-waysolenoidandairpilotvalvesforautomaticoperationofpneumaticatomizingspraysystems.Continuousoperating,multi-outputpositivedisplacementspraysystemtoensureaconsistent,thinfilmonmultipletool/workinterfaces.Lighterweightpolyurethanehosestoimproveflexibilityofairtooloperation.Intheearly1990s,Uni-Mist,Inc.tackledexcessivelubricantusageinthemetalformingindustries.Atthetimetherewasnoenvironmentallyresponsiblewaytoapplylubricantstocoilstock.Theintroductionoftheuni-Rollerapplicationsystemin1993wasaninstantsuccess.Metalformingmanufacturerssearchingforwaystocomplywithmorestringentenvironmentalregulationsandreducetheirlubricantexpensesfoundtheuni-Rollerwastheiranswer.Inadditiontosavinglubricantcosts,companiesrealizedtheycouldreducewastedisposalcostsandcreateacleanerworkenvironment,too.Itwasnotlongbeforewordspreadaroundtheworldaboutuni-Rollerbenefits.Asourproductlineandmarketsexpandedbeyondspraysystems,wechangedthecompany snamefromUni-Mist,Inc.toUNIST,Inc.in1996. Thenameunifiesoureffortstoimproveallmanufacturingandassemblyprocessesthroughouttheworld.In1999,UNISTrolledoutthefirstSPR-2000ProgrammableFluidController.Thisgreatlyenhancedtherangeofoperationssuitablefortheuni-Rollersystems.Morecustomersinmoremarketsbecamepartofournon-frictionsuccessstory.Thenin2000wedevelopedthecentralCoolubeSupplyStationtoprovideaconsistentsupplyofpressurizedfluidtoyourapplicationsandminimizedowntime.Thatsameyearwecreatedtheco-axialrotaryfittingforcoolantfedspindles.TodayUNISTproductionfacilitiesencompassa40,000-square-footplant(abigchangefromWally soriginal9x12-footoffice!).TheplantislocatedonfiveacreswithinfiveminutesoftheGeraldR.FordInternationalAirportinGrandRapids.Eachoneofouremployeesiscommittedtoreducingtheamountoffluidsusedtokeepproductionequipmentoperatingefficiently,savingourcustomersmoneyandprotectingtheenvironment.It sanon-frictionstoryweplantowritefordecades