Leading European finishing equipment manufacturer Guyson International has recently installed several new advanced robotic capabilities into its Skipton demonstration and engineering centre CAD/CAM design facility to assist its customers with their process evaluation and precision blast simulation. With this fully integrated working robotic cell adjacent to the manufacturing area of the factory, Guyson is able to demonstrate advanced blast nozzle manipulation techniques and the cost saving and efficiency benefits its automated blast customers will achieve.  

With the introduction of new industry proven CAD/CAM software technology, Guyson's engineers are now able to take a CAD STP (Step) file of the proposed customer component that requires precision blast finishing or peening and produce accurate 3D simulations of the blast treatment on the component, showing actual blast cone coverage of all critical areas. The programming software allows off-line programs to be developed in hours compared to days when using teach pendant programming tools which previously could delay production. The software also allows the optimum impact angles and stand off distances to be guaranteed which was impossible with teach pendant techniques.  The new Guyson technique speedily removes any customer concerns regarding achievement of part coverage by verifying the process before the machine is even built. Subsequent parts can be proved in the same way and added to the portfolio and menu selection, allowing rapid component switching and lower parts inventory.  

Guyson are recommending full adoption of this type of precision robotic blasting for clients who manufacture precision components with demanding surface engineering topography requirements and/or any subsequent validation issues, typically medical implants and aerospace turbine blades.  

Adoption of these sophisticated new precision robotic blasting techniques from Guyson will also deliver very real investment cost savings with the potential total purchase price of a fully automated robotic precision blast system coming under £75K. These cost savings, compared to many alternative systems, are coupled with real daily running cost savings in compressed air consumption. This is achieved by using far fewer blast guns but these being dedicated to deliver the precision blast coverage required, rather than adoption of a blanket coverage approach with more guns needed to ensure sufficient media will hit the target. The Guyson precision blast approach also delivers lower media costs through lower wastage and also less media breakdown and furthermore allows a smaller and cheaper dust collector to be specified, also with reduced waste disposal issues.  

Alongside all these process benefits Guyson's precision robot blasting systems offer a greatly reduced overall footprint to the machine cell, helping to realise six sigma processing principles. Adoption of this type of precise robot blaster can also eliminate completely operator Health & Safety issues relating to both RSI and vibration white finger problems.  

Richard Standing, Guyson's Business Development Manager, stated "We would like to demonstrate to clients the full benefits of moving their finishing production to the top of the 'automation ladder' with a fully automated precision robotic blast system. Guyson sees this move as vital for medical and aerospace customers to be able to deliver the required consistency of finish from the blast process, whilst meeting stringent quality standards.  It will also assist other high volume manufacturers to be better able to compete against low cost labour economies.   

This latest demonstration facility, coupled with Guyson's free component trials service, enables customers to visit just one company and prove that their intended robotic handling system is going to synchronise with their chosen automated finishing unit, thus minimise any concerns before they invest in the capital equipment."