Having a safe work environment is extremely important today. Machines have always posed a hazard to the workers due to fast moving parts and possible pinch/crush points.
80/20 Aluminum Extrusion is the Solution
80/20's t-slotted aluminum extrusions combined with either polycarbonate panels or wire mesh will create a safe work environment when properly applied. We are going to walk through the design process for creating a safety enclosure.
Automated Assembly Machine
- Machine is fixed to a table. The table is 36" by 36" (W x D) and roughly 36" off the ground. The key dimension in the process is the size of the tabletop.
- Machine work envelope is roughly (H x W x D) 30" by 24" by 30"
- An access door is need on sides A & C.
- Machine input on B
- Machine output on D
- It is a high speed automation machine and will need polycarbonate panels due to the fast speed of parts in motion.
Time to Begin the Guard Design Part 1
Due to the simplicity of the machine work envelope, we will create a 36" by 36" by 36" cube to enclose the machine. The best extrusion choice is 1515-Lite. Has the structure integretity for the simple guard and is more cost-effective when compared to competitors and heavier series.
- First step is to design the overall structure of the frame. Both doors and the panels will be fixed to the main structure. It will consist of 4 verticals at 36" and 8 horizontals at 33" with Anchor Fasteners to connect at the corners. See page pg 242 in the catalog for the anchor fastener assembly steps.
- Notes: All the Anchor Fasteners are pointing up. This is important because it will affect the machining required for the panels on side "B" and "D".
That concludes the first part of "Designing an 80/20 Aluminum Extrusion Guard". In part two, we will step through adding the doors and any additional hardware that may be needed. If you have any questions, comments or would like more detail, please let us know.