Metallisation Equipment – Really Does Stand The Test Of Time
For many years we have known that our metal spraying equipment is robust, sturdy and long-lasting, but as the saying goes – the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So we are thrilled to update you on our latest story …
One of our customers returned an old MK40 pistol to us and, after some very minor maintenance, it is fully operational! The photo here shows us applying Al/Bronze with the antique pistol during a test run.
So, what did we do? We simply changed some soft seals, o-rings and gaskets, put a new nozzle and air cap in and connected it to our current flowmeters/air filtration setup and it fired up straight away.
It’s incredible to think that this pistol must be over 40 years old.
It all started when the customer contacted us to see if we could get the old pistol working again. He has a job to prove out, spraying steel wires, which will hopefully lead to a much bigger contract. So yes we have got it working again and he is going to use it on the prove-out job. The fact that we have managed to reinstate this system to its original state, after so many years, is a testament to the quality of our equipment – something we are really proud of.
To add to the story, on chatting to our Chairman, Dr Terry Lester, he told us that when he started, in 1977, there was an induction program where new employees worked in each department for a period of time. Part of his induction in the assembly department was to build ten of these MK40 pistols. At that time, several of the components were hand-lapped to make sure their fit was gas-tight – maybe he did a great job on this exact pistol 40 years ago!
The promotional leaflet detailing the launch of the MK40, which is dated 1963, states “You can rely on the MK40”. Well, I think we can truly say that Metallisation equipment really does deliver on its promises.
