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MULTI-MODE ROBOTIC BLAST SYSTEM

Published by Guyson on January 20, 2012

Guyson Corporation has designed and built a robotic pressure-blast machine that operates either as a seven-axis rotary table surface preparation system or as a horizontal roller blasting system for preparing inside and outside diameter surfaces of hollow shaft components. The multiple-mode concept makes a separate roller blast machine unnecessary.

Multi-tasking robotic blasting machine operates as rotary table or roller blast system

With roller drive assemby installed on servomotor-powered turntable, the multi-mode robotic blast machine includes a lance for grit-blasting ID of hollow-shafted components.

The multi-tasking robotic blast cabinet features a 12-foot-long track extension with a powered transfer cart on which a servomotor-driven turntable of 1,000 kilogram weight capacity is mounted.  The table is 84-inches in diameter and provided with T-slots and quick-change fixture locating hardware to enable processing of a wide variety of parts of different shapes and sizes. When the roller drive unit is needed for grit-blasting long cylindrical parts, it can be lowered into position by overhead crane and bolted to the table in less than thirty minutes.

For ID surface preparation in the roller blasting mode of operation, the component is rotated at controlled and adjustable speed, while a lance with an angled pressure-blast nozzle enters the bore of the part, advanced in programmed increments by a linear ball screw / ball nut actuator. The OD of the component can be simultaneously grit-blasted by the robotically manipulated blast nozzle.

Two blast pots, each feeding two pressure-blast nozzles, allow the operator to choose between two different blast media specified for separate surface preparation processes. The media reclamation system separates the recirculating grit by means of two vibratory screen classifiers that deliver only media of the specified size to each pressure pot. Dual media capability further extends the versatility of the multi-mode robotic blast system.

In the rotary table mode of operation, with the rollers removed and one of the interchangeable part-holding fixtures locked in place to positively locate and orient the component, the turntable is controlled as a seventh axis of coordinated robotic motion as the six-axis articulated robot arm executes the nozzle motion program. The correct blasting angle, nozzle stand-off distance and surface speed are precisely and constantly maintained throughout the surface preparation process, even as the robotic nozzle manipulator traces the contours of complex-shaped components.

If desired, control of other blasting process parameters, such as blast pressure or grit flow rate, can be included in the recipe for each component and automatically recalled whenever that part program is selected. The power and the tremendous flexibility of the robotic blasting system is demonstrated by its ability to store hundreds of pre-programmed blasting process recipes for different families of dissimilar components and consistently duplicate the surface finishing results any time each of those parts is blasted.

Prospective users of automated or robotic blasting equipment are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson’s factory in northeastern New York State.

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COMPACT ROBOTIC PRESSURE-BLAST SYSTEM

Published by Guyson on November 17, 2011

Guyson Corporation has extended its range of robotic surface treatment equipment to include a 7-axis direct pressure blast machine with a work envelope of 30 x 40 x 30 inches and a small overall footprint for lean, workcell-based component processing.

A 6-axis robot is securely mounted on a rigidly welded pedestal attached to the rear of the blasting cabinet, so that the range of motion of the articulated arm can be used for manipulation of the pressure-blast nozzle. A sturdy safety barrier with an interlocked access door surrounds the back of the machine to exclude workers from the vicinity of the moving robot. The 24-inch diameter turntable of the rotary blast machine is servomotor driven and controlled as an auxiliary axis of robotic motion.

To isolate the robot from the potentially abrasive environment of the blast chamber, the rear wall opening in the blast enclosure is sealed by a custom-tailored skirt made from coated and laminated fabric, with a snug-fitting collar at the end of the arm. Side-hinged swing doors with safety interlocks are provided on the side and front of the robotic blast machine for the loading of parts and to allow
inspection and maintenance access.

In operation, the precision robotic blast system is capable of constantly and accurately maintaining the correct blasting angle, stand-off distance and surface speed, even as it follows the contours of intricate-shaped components. This enables repeatable production of identical surface conditions from one area of the part to another and from part to part.

When a variety of different components are to be processed in the robotic blasting machine, part-holding fixtures can be quickly interchanged, positively located and locked in position by utilizing T-slots and guide pins in the rotary table. No other set-up or adjustment is normally required, because specific component orientation is included in the coordinated motion program for each different part, and other blasting process parameters, such as blast duration and pressure, can be stored and automatically recalled at will.

The size and elaboration of the media reclamation and delivery elements of the robotic blast system depend on the requirements of the impact treatment application. The smallest pressure-blast module is less than four feet in height and is hung on the blasting cabinet itself. For technical surface preparation, a 15-foot tall reclaim stack-up may be needed that includes a cyclone separator, a vibratory screen classifier and a pressure pot with the capacity to hold extra blast media.

To maintain negative pressure in the blasting enclosure and balance the air flow for media reclamation, the robotic pressure-blast system is completed by a reverse pulsing cartridge-type dust collector with an extraction capacity of 1,000 cubic feet of air per minute.

Prospective users of automated or robotic blasting equipment are encouraged to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at the Guyson design and manufacturing center in northeastern New York State.

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DUAL STATION SHOT BLASTING CABINET

Published by Guyson on October 26, 2011

Guyson Corporation has introduced a wide body industrial pressure-blast cabinet with two operator work stations, each having its own view window and independently adjustable blast nozzle. The customized dual station Model 7 shot blasting system allows a single user to change positions and conveniently reach all aspects of a five-foot-long component, or two people can blast simultaneously.

Direct pressure shot-blast system for one or two operators

The overall dimensions of the shot blast chamber are 36″ H x 60″ W x 36″ D. A full width side-hinged door allows frontal access, with a slam-shut 19 x 19-inch door on the right side of the cabinet. Additional height for loading tall components can be gained by raising the top-hinged upper section of the cabinet front. All doors have safety interlocks that prevent operation of the blast machine until securely closed. Two sets of padded armholes with shoulder-length attached gloves are provided . 

Stainless steel shot is collected at the base of the blast cabinet and pneumatically conveyed up to a cyclone media reclaimer that separates dust and fines before feeding reusable shot to the system’s 3.5 cubic foot capacity pressure vessel. The pressure pot automatically recharges with fresh shot whenever both foot pedals are released. Two metering valves are located at the bottom of the pressure vessel to enable control of the shot flow to each pressure-blast nozzle. The blasting pressure of each nozzle is also individually regulated.

The shot-blast system is completed by a dust collector with an extraction capacity of 1,000 to 2,000 cubic feet of air per minute, which maintains negative pressure in the blast cabinet and balances the flow of air to the media reclaimer. The optional wet dust collector illustrated is suitable for collection of potentially flammable dusts that may be generated when processing components made of titanium, magnesium or other reactive metals and their alloys. 

Abrasion protection features supplied to resist the harsh mechanical forces of shot blasting include bonded rubber lining of the blast enclosure,  cast urethane ducting to the reclaimer, lining of the cyclone inlet elbow, body and cone, as well as boron carbide lined blast nozzles.

Prospective users of industrial cabinet-blast equipment are encouraged to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson’s factory in northeastern New York State.

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CONVEYOR BLAST MACHINE WITH GUN OSCILLATION

Published by Guyson on September 23, 2011

Guyson Corporation now offers its Model TR-900 through-belt conveyor blast systems with an oscillator to provide reciprocating motion of the blast guns, reduce the number of nozzles required for uniform coverage and lower the blasting machine’s 
compressed air requirements.

through-belt blast machine with oscillating guns

In the pass-through TR-900 finishing system, components are conveyed in and out of the blast chamber by a rubber or steel mesh belt, which may be fitted with guide rails to ensure the parts are properly aligned for single or multiple lane media-blast treatment. The belt can also be made with cleats or part-holding fixtures attached to orient the components. Conveyor belt speed is adjustable
from zero to approximately twenty feet per minute. The stroke length and speed of the gearmotor-driven oscillation mechanism can be adjusted and synchronized with the belt feed rate.

Up to 14 blast guns are rigidly mounted on multi-adjustable brackets at the correct angles and distances to direct their blast stream onto targeted component surfaces. After impinging on the processed parts, blast media particles are collected in a hopper at the base of the finishing enclosure, fed into return ducts and pneumatically conveyed to the inlet of the system’s cyclone separator and media reclaimer, where dust and fines are removed from circulation and effective-sized media are channeled back to the blasting guns. The track extensions on the in- and out-feed ends of the machine are fitted with vacuum return catch trays to reclaim media carried out of the blast chamber. A full width side-hinged door provides access for gun inspection, adjustment and maintenance.

The TR-900 conveyor blast system may be used with a wide variety of blast media, so it is suitable for many different in-line impact treatment applications, including deburring, deflashing, surface preparation and cosmetic finishing. When components must be finished on all sides in a single pass, the machine can be configured with an alternate routing of the conveyor belt to permit positioning of fixed or oscillating blast guns under the component, however, only parts of a certain minimum length can be processed in the “S-belt” version of the machine.

An energy-saving option for the TR-900 is the addition of an electronic sensor to detect the presence of components on the in-feed conveyor and signal the programmable logic controller (PLC) to activate the blast guns. When the feeding of parts is interrupted, the blast guns can be turned off automatically. Another popular option for continuous production with the through-belt conveyor
blasting machine is media level sensing with automatic blast media replenishment.

All settings and control functions are accessed using via a compact touch-screen interface that is normally mounted on a freestanding console electrical enclosure. The touch-screen panel also displays data on monitored blast process parameters and system status indicators, including faults such as a full dust drum or low air supply pressure.

Prospective users of automated or conveyorized blasting equipment are encouraged to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson Corporation’s 80,000 square foot factory in northeastern New York State.

For information on other styles of conveyor blasting equipment designed and manufactured by Guyson Corporation visit http://www.guyson.com/blast/airblast/conveyor.php send a brief note about your requirements to info@guyson.com .

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ROBOT TENDED SPINDLE-BLAST MACHINE

Published by Guyson on September 6, 2011

Guyson Corporation has integrated a machine-tending robot to automatically load and unload its RXS-900 rotary spindle blast system in an unmanned or lightly-attended blast finishing work cell. The component-manipulating robot and automated spindle-blast system are capable of supporting a faster pace of blast treatment and higher production volume than a human operator could handle.

Fanuc M-10iA robot loading a Guyson automated blast machine

Based on the size and weight of the components to be processed, the end-of-arm gripper tooling and the range of motion required by the tended machine and the layout of the cell’s external material conveying equipment, a Fanuc Robotics Model M-10iA robot with six axes of motion was selected for the application.

 To enable 360-degree blasting of both the top and bottom aspects of the cylindrical components, custom component-holding fixtures were designed to positively locate and securely cradle the parts in either face-up or face-down orientation. A three-jaw gripper was chosen for the robot end effector that can grasp the work piece by the inside or outside diameter of the part, and an auxiliary rotary actuator with a pneumatic O.D. gripper was mounted on the front of the blast machine, acting as a precise, high-speed “flipper” to invert the component between finishing of the first and second sides.

The six rotary spindles of the RXS-900 are exactly located around the perimeter of its 42-inch diameter  turntable, which is rotated between blast cycles in precise 60-degree steps by a robust cam indexer that offers positional accuracy of +/- 39 arc seconds. Guyson design engineers advise that this level of indexing precision is a critical requirement for robot tended blasting machinery.

Inside the finishing enclosure, components are exposed to the timed media blast from a pre-arranged group of suction guns or pressure-blast nozzles at two blasting stations as the satellite spindles are rotated at controlled and adjustable speed. The blast cabinet is provided with a separate chamber for blow-off of residual media and dust before the finished part is delivered to the front unload position.

The zone around the front of the automated blast machine that is occupied by the robot loader is completely surrounded by a sturdy wire mesh barrier with safety interlocks on all doors, windows or access points. Other robot guarding options compliant with ANSI/RIA R15.06 and international robotic safety standards are available at the preference of the individual customer.

Prospective users of automated or robotic blasting equipment are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson Corporation’s Saratoga Springs factory in northeastern New York State.

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TWIN WHEEL BLAST MACHINE FOR LOW-PROFILE WORK

Published by Guyson on August 26, 2011

Guyson Corporation now offers a rotary table wheel-blast system with one blast wheel over each half of a 4,000 pound capacity, 70-inch-diameter turntable. The Model GWB-702T, with this blastwheel configuration, is especially suitable for batch processing of molds, dies or work pieces that are essentially flat or have limited vertical surfaces.

The GWB-702T was one of the first wheelblast machine models to be fitted with optional fire suppression features to detect and extinguish combustion in the blast machine or the dust collector.

Each blast wheel is directly driven at a speed of 3,000 RPM by a 10 HP motor and is capable of throwing approximately 220 pounds of metallic media per minute in an extended blast pattern up to 36 inches long. The blast pattern of the individual blast  wheels is adjustable, so the twin wheels are aimed to provide rapid and through coverage of components on the entire surface of the turntable.

The table of the wheel blast machine is heavily armored with abrasion-resistant cast iron alloy plates, and protective armor of the same material is hung on the interior ceiling and walls of the blast chamber to cover all areas directly in line with the blast wheels. The entire inside of the blasting enclosure is lined with thick rubber sheeting for abrasion protection, which offers the side-benefit of reduced sound levels during operation of the blast machine.

GWB-702T wheelblast machines come standard-equipped with an enhanced shot reclamation system that includes a tunable cascade airwash separator to remove dust from the working media mix, as well as an independently adjustable cyclone separator to capture and reuse good shot or grit that would otherwise be carried over to the dust collector. The sensitive multi-stage reclaim enables the use of microscopic shot media for nondestructive cleaning or satin finishing applications.

To maintain negative pressure in the blast machine and balance the air flow through the media reclamation system, the wheel blast machine is supplied with a freestanding Guyson Model D2000 cartridge-type dust collector that has an extraction capacity of two thousand cubic feet of air per minute.  The efficiency of the D2000’s filter cartridges is maintained by automatic reverse pulsing.

A new option has been engineered for Guyson’s wheel-blast machinery to assist customers who are concerned about compliance with NFPA 654 standards on combustible dusts or the potential for a fire in the blasting machine or dust collector. The available fire suppression package is designed to quickly sense and automatically extinguish a fire by flooding the entire system with carbon dioxide.

The GWB-702T now features a streamlined human-machine interface (HMI) that replaces an array of separate switches, push buttons and indicators with a sleek touch-screen panel that displays data on the status of all system functions and simplifies use of the controls. The compact HMI graphically represents touch-and-select control functions, includes prompts or text instructions related to fault indications and allows convenient direct entry of process parameters, such as blast cycle time or air wash blow-off cycle time, to the system’s programmable logic controller.

Prospective users of air-blast or wheel-blast equipment are encouraged to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson’s Saratoga Springs factory in northeastern New York State.

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ROBOTIC GRIT-BLASTING SYSTEM STOPS FINISH VARIATION

Published by Guyson on June 13, 2011

Guyson Corporation has introduced a mid-size robotic gritblasting machine for precision surface preparation in coatings work cells. The seven-axis blast unit is capable of accurately and efficiently producing a specified surface roughness with a consistency not possible using manual or multiple-gun blasting methods.

Guyson 7-axis robotic grit-blasting system

Robotic surface preparation enables Six Sigma quality in precision roughening.

A six-axis robot arm, serving as a blast gun manipulator, is attached to a 52 x 32-inch rotary blasting cabinet with a servomotor-driven 24-inch turntable controlled as a seventh axis of coordinated robotic motion. A part-holding fixture securely attached to the table positively locates the component, which can be oriented or rotated at controlled speed during the programmed process routine.

For grit-blast preparation of components with through-holes, vents or internal passageways, where media could collect during processing, the spindle or turntable is designed with core air supplied to allow a positive and adjustable flow of purge air through the component during blasting. If exacting table run-out tolerances apply, Guyson can do the machining in place using custom robot end-of-arm spindle tooling.

 Key to the elimination of over-blasted and under-blasted component surfaces is the robotic blast system’s ability to constantly maintain the exact blasting angle, nozzle-to-surface distance and surface speed while precisely following the contours of complex-shaped parts. The robotic blasting machine with a single blast gun executes the motion program identically each time, and the system can store and recall process recipes for over one hundred different components. Significant productivity gains can be realized by making set-up for different parts unnecessary, since the operator only needs to install the interchangeable fixture and identify the correct program to prepare for grit-blasting a new component.

 Beyond accurate and repeatable motion of the nozzle and component, precision roughening requires advanced blast media delivery and reclamation to ensure that the miniature grit projectiles that actually do the work of surface modification are fully controlled. Features such as automatic regulation of the blast pressure, media flow sensing, media level sensing, automatic media replenishment and screen classification of the blasting grit are available to enhance the consistency of the surface finishing results.

 When the quality of surface preparation is considered critical and validation or documentation of process control is required, Guyson Corporation offers a SCADA controls package that can display, capture and record data on all blasting parameters throughout each blast cycle, providing an audit trail to verify conformity to specifications or process work instructions.

Prospective users of robotic grit-blasting or surface preparation systems are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guysons factory in northeastern New York State.

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ROBOTIC SHOT PEENER FOR TURBINE BLADE ROOTS

Published by Guyson on December 22, 2010

Guyson Corporation has engineered and built a 7-axis robotic blasting machine that is specially adapted for metallurgical shot peening of the root section of turbine blades. The Model RB-9 shot peener accommodates industrial gas turbine blades up to 36 inches in length and in excess of 100 pounds in weight.

RB-9 pressure-blast shot peening machine for turbine blade roots

A Guyson RB-9 robotic shot peening system with special adaptations for controlled metallurgical surface enhancement of turbine blade roots.

The 48 x 48 x 48-inch process enclosure of the RB-9 is sturdily fabricated in ¼ or ½-inch steel plate and is fully lined with bonded rubber sheeting for noise abatement and protection from the potential warping effects of continuous exposure to the high-velocity impact of the peening shot. An electrically operated jib hoist is mounted on the roof of the cabinet to facilitate safe and convenient loading and unloading of heavy components.

One wall of the blasting cabinet is made with a generous opening for installation of an industrial robot, such as a Fanuc M10iA, as a 6-axis peening nozzle manipulator. A custom-tailored laminated fabric “skirt” seals the chamber wall and isolates the arm from the harsh shot-blast environment. To precisely orient the turbine blade throughout the controlled impact treatment process, a powered turntable up to 42 inches in diameter is servomotor driven and synchronized as a seventh axis of coordinated robotic motion.

The shot delivery and reclamation systems of the RB-9 peening machine include special features to ensure a controlled and repeatable surface enhancement process. In addition to cyclone separation of dust or fine particles and vibratory screen classification to remove shot that is larger or smaller than the specified size, the engineered reclaim stack-up has a spiral separator to take non-spherical media out of circulation. Shot supply level sensors and automatic media replenishment are also provided.

An automatically recharged 6.5 cubic foot capacity pressure vessel is fitted with an electronic shot flow monitor and controller that continuously displays the calibrated, real-time shot flow rate in pounds or kilograms per minute at the human-machine interface (HMI), and if required, includes closed-loop controls to maintain the blast air pressure and shot flow at the specified levels. A package of SCADA controls is available to acquire and log data verifying all critical shot peening process parameters to comply with documentation requirements.

 Prospective users of robotic shot peening, blast finishing or surface preparation systems are encouraged to submit sample components for laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson’s manufacturing and design center in northeastern New York State.

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ROBOTIC SHOT PEENING SYSTEM

Published by Guyson on July 30, 2010

Guyson Corporation has introduced a 7-axis robotic pressure-blast shot peening system that is designed to support compliance with the most demanding process specifications and to enable automated peening of a wide variety of dissimilar components. The Model RB-10 was developed for technical surface treatment of gears and aerospace components.

7-axis robotic shot peening system for gears and aerospace components

The Guyson RB-10 Shot Peening System introduces a new dimension of flexibility in precision surface treatment to NADCAP quality standards.

The 60 x 60 x 60-inch blast cabinet is mated with a 6-axis robot, such as the Fanuc M10iA,
as a blast nozzle manipulator. The shot peening machine’s rotary table has a diameter of up
to 52 inches and is servomotor driven to be controlled as a seventh axis of robotic motion.
Locating hardware is provided to allow interchangeable component-holding fixtures to be
positively and repeatably positioned on the turntable.

During the shot peening cycle, the orientation of the component and the motion of the robotic
nozzle manipulator are synchronized to precisely replicate the programmed tool path,
following the contours of complex-shaped parts, yet constantly and accurately maintaining
the required angle of shot impingement, the correct offset of the peening nozzle from the
target surface and the right dwell or surface speed to control the cold working process.

The peening media delivery system includes an A.S.M.E.-certified pressure vessel of 3.5
cubic foot capacity fitted with high and low shot level sensors, a 3 cubic foot media storage
hopper that automatically adds shot when a low level is detected and, if required, an
electronic shot flow controller to continuously maintain the correct blast pressure and shot
flow rate specified for the shot peening process.

In addition to a cyclone separator for dust extraction, the shot reclamation system includes a
vibratory screen classifier to deliver only shot of the specified size, as well as a spiral
separator to remove any peening shot that is not perfectly spherical.

For metallurgical shot peening applications in accordance with S.A.E. aerospace peening
specification AMS 2432, Guyson offers a SCADA controls package combined with a custom-
designed touch screen human-machine interface (HMI) to enable data verifying all critical
process parameters throughout the shot peening procedure to be captured and logged for
documentation purposes.

Prospective users of robotic shot peening equipment are encouraged to submit sample components for
evaluation in the application engineering laboratory at Guyson’s design and manufacturing center in
northeastern New York State.

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ROBOTIC BLAST MACHINE HAS TRANSFER CART

Published by Guyson on May 10, 2010

Guyson Corporation has introduced a robotic blasting system that incorporates a component-manipulating 6-axis robot and a shuttle transfer cart to fully automate processing of tray-loads of components. The new Model RB-TRR-900 is designed for precise surface preparation, shot peening and cosmetic finishing operations.

RB-TRR-900 blast machine processes a tray-load of components automatically

Guyson RB-TRR-900 has a shuttle cart to transfer a tray of components in and out of the blast chamber, combining the precision and repeatability of robotic blasting with the efficiency of batch treatment.

The robotic blast machine is provided with a single suction-blast gun or pressure-blast nozzle that is rigidly bracketed in a fixed position inside the 42 x 42 x 42-inch blast chamber. Guide rails form a track extension into an antechamber on one side of the blast cabinet. Rolling on the track, the transfer cart bearing a tray full of components is moved in and out of the blast enclosure by a precision linear actuator, and a pneumatically actuated vertical sliding door closes to isolate the load/unload station from the blasting zone.

A Fanuc M-10iA robot with a custom-engineered pneumatic gripper serves as a component handler in the automated blasting system, grasping and removing a part from the tray, presenting the component to the blast, then replacing the finished work piece. A tailored skirt seals the cabinet wall and protects the robot from the potentially abrasive environment of the blast chamber. Fanuc Robotics offers larger and smaller 6-axis robots that can be integrated in the RB-TRR-900, should a different payload or reach be required.

To blast a production lot of parts, a tray of oriented components, typically 6 to 24 in number, is placed on the transfer cart, the sliding load door is closed and a part identification number is entered or selected at the touch-screen control panel. Alternatively, component recognition features are available, including a bar code reader, to positively identify the work and prompt the recall of the correct motion program and blasting process recipe, with automatically controlled parameters such as blast pressure, media flow rate and the duration of the blast and blow-off cycles. While the robotic blast system methodically and identically repeats the surface treatment on each of the components in the batch, the human operator is freed for an extended period to perform other work.

The robotic component manipulator constantly and accurately maintains the specified blast angle, nozzle offset and surface speed, even when following the contours of complex-shaped aerospace or medical parts, which makes it possible to produce extremely consistent surface conditions and eliminate non-conformities in finish quality.

Prospective users of automated and robotic blasting systems are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at Guyson’s factory in northeastern New York State.

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