Due to the Covid pandemic and the inability of customers to travel; Guyson International, the UK’s foremost industrial finishing equipment manufacturer, has had to remotely pass off a number of machines destined for export markets. But with the cooperation of their customers and usage of the latest video conferencing software and hardware, the pass off trials were still able to successfully take place on time.

Photo caption: Guyson Twin Robot, Rotary Indexing Table Blast System

So, through a combination of Microsoft Teams running on laptop computers – allowing a constant dialogue with the customers, fixed cameras in the factory build area – to show the overall machine build, and handheld mobile phones, to walk around the machine; relaying detailed video footage of the actual machines working, Guyson and its European clients were able to go through the rigorous Factory Acceptance Trial (FAT) procedural checklists and pass off the machines.

These "virtual machine pass offs" in fact have all gone very smoothly and with overseas travel restrictions foreseen for a good while yet, this usage of modern technology will no doubt become the 'new normal' for manufacturers such as Guyson; which generates much of its business through export sales.

This is borne out by the figures, as in the first half of the month of August alone, Guyson shipped well over £1 million pounds worth of export equipment. This includes two very large rotary indexing turntable blast machines; each equipped with twin robotically controlled blasting for a Scandinavian automotive company. And also a Guyson Multiblast® TR (Through Belt Conveyorised Blast Machine) - fitted with eight blast guns; for blast cleaning thread rolling dies.

The Multiblast TR conveyorised blast machine, in particular, was up against an especially tight delivery schedule to deliver to the site, as it was replacing an existing machine that was being run in a production situation right up until its replacement arrives. The new Multiblast TR machine was passed off, on a Wednesday in the Skipton factory, with the client in a European country via video link technology. The machine was then stripped down on Thursday and Friday morning and packed and dispatched, via lorry, late Friday, arriving at the customer's site on the following Tuesday morning; where a Guyson installation engineer was ready to install and begin commissioning the machine.

Getting to grips with the latest video-conferencing technology and finding acceptable working practices for safely engaging with its customers and enabling the business to seamlessly continue are just some of the challenges that Guyson has quickly adapted to during the current crisis.

In fact, equipment manufacturing has continued, whilst adhering to full social distancing guidelines, throughout the pandemic and alongside these aforementioned machines, Guyson has been very busy fulfilling critical orders for several of its 'Kerry' branded Microsolve 250 ultrasonic precision cleaning machines for the VentilatorChallengeUK Consortium, the last one for them being shipped to Rolls-Royce Filton in Bristol in May and others still being manufactured at present for more overseas clients.

Whatever your finishing equipment requirements are, Guyson will have the answer and whether you are based in Southampton or Singapore, Guyson can provide you with a first-class service and product. In the first instance contact Guyson’s customer service department now to arrange free blast, ultrasonic or wash trials on your components, prove the process and make recommendations on the most suitable equipment for you – call 01756 799911 or email info@guyson.co.uk