But with the cooperation of customers and usage of the latest video conferencing software and hardware, the pass-off trials were successfully accomplished on time. This was achieved via a combination of: Microsoft Teams running on laptop computers, allowing constant dialogue with the customers; fixed cameras in the factory build area, to show the overall machine build; and hand-held mobile phones relaying detailed video footage of the actual machines working.
These ‘virtual machine pass offs’ have all gone very smoothly and with overseas travel restrictions are foreseen for a good while yet, says the company, adding that 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 site, as it was replacing an existing machine that was being run in a production situation right up until its replacement arriving. 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 customers 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 to enable 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 machines, Guyson has been 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.
