Machine Guarding

Well, you don't have the actual point-of-operation guarded at this point, either.
 
Well, you don't have the actual point-of-operation guarded at this point, either.


That is true, just because it hasn't been built yet. It will be before the machine ships.
 
This may be a stretch, but is the screw pattern in the guard a square? If so, could that lead to the guard being installed incorrectly on the horizontal as opposed to the vertical orientation?

-frank
 
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This may be a stretch, but is the screw pattern in the guard a square? If so, could the guard be installed incorrectly on the horizontal as opposed to the vertical orientation?

-frank

Perhaps a small dowel pin pressed into the back of the lexan guard that has a corresponding hole on the stiffener plate so that it could only be installed one way.

Does the wrist pin rub on the guard?
 
Perhaps a small dowel pin pressed into the back of the lexan guard that has a corresponding hole on the stiffener plate so that it could only be installed one way.

Does the wrist pin rub on the guard?


You're close, it really needs a shoulder screw permanently installed and locktited in place in the top so it can swing closed by gravity. But there is still the problem that the machine will run with the guard removed. Overall just a bad design and not foolproof or failsafe. No, the bolt head clears the guard by about 0.025 or so.
 
Guys, thanks for commenting.

I have been designing machine safety systems for years, and one of my thought processes is to be the most pessimistic SOB on the planet. If anything can go wrong, it will do so worse than you ever imagined. :cautious: That little guard looked cool, but it is no good. The human factors are that someone will remove the guard while maintaining the die. Then they will lose it, lose the screws, or for some other reason the guard won't get put back on. Now you're going to say that nobody would stick their finger in there, but you would be amazed at the stupid stuff that people do.:rolleyes:

The guard over the slot will be incorporated in to the main guard over the die area, which will open the E-stop circuit when removed. All I have to do is extend the guard up a bit to cover the slot.

I added some clearance to the slot, now the die can close to the absolute minimum height.
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There is quite a bit of finger clearance, the die is about 1/8'' above minimum in this pic, and the punches will never come out of the punch guide plate. But....It is still going to get a guard.
1538454546846.png
 
Is there room for a taper on the front and sides of the top die plate? If guards are removed / interlocks bypassed by a large thumbed, unthinking but high initiative operator, risk might be reduced even further.
 
actually you need to look at the osha regs on presses (especially mechanical), mute height is limited to 6mm, 2 hand controls are sufficient guarding for the operator, but you need to consider limiting other into the area and a way to prevent debris if the tool breaks from hitting anyone. I have to deal with them at work. You also need to consider stop time and stop distance and the measured distance from the operator.
 
Our punch presses at work use a bolster plate that we can bolt up a "BT" die, you bring the upper down to match the lower, tighten up the bolts and then set your snap through height with a piece of paper. Carr Lane sells the punches and you can use a surface grinder to sharpen the whole punch and die assy. WAY more easier that building a whole machine. and reinventing the wheel.
 
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