Engineering selection guide
A useful guarding layout starts with the space the machine needs to operate and be maintained. Dividing a perimeter into the fewest possible panels comes later. A width that looks economical in a spreadsheet can put a post in front of a service cover, leave an awkward end gap or complicate panel removal.
Establish the boundary before choosing modules
Mark the machine envelope, moving tooling, conveyed workpieces, loading areas and maintenance positions on the layout. Identify the hazards and the access people need during each task. ISO 12100 provides the machinery risk-assessment framework; the position of a guard should follow that assessment. ISO 12100:2010 overview.
Keep three dimensions separate: the physical panel width, the distance between its supporting posts and the total installed bay length. Brackets, offsets, posts, corners and end conditions can make these different. Use the installation geometry for the full run; do not assume that a 1000 mm panel creates exactly 1000 mm of installed enclosure.
Compare practical module combinations
| Layout condition | Selection question |
|---|---|
| Long unobstructed run | Can wider modules reduce the number of interfaces without making removal or handling difficult? |
| Service cover or machine corner | Would a narrower module keep a post clear of the access envelope? |
| Repeated machine stations | Can the same module pattern be repeated to simplify the drawing and replacement reference? |
| Material transfer opening | What separate guarding measure is needed at the opening? |
For a nominal 2000 mm sum of panel widths, two 1000 mm panels and a 1200 mm plus 800 mm combination are both possible arithmetic options. They put the intermediate supports in different places. Neither option establishes an installed 2000 mm run until the connections and end conditions are included.
Use the current MG20 scope correctly
The current MG20 trial catalogue models 1900 mm-high panels in 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and 1500 mm widths. Select either a panel or an independent standalone bay kit. The provisional bay BOM lists one panel, two posts with bases and four brackets. Anchors are excluded from the priced scope and need an application-specific specification. Three independent bays therefore mean three panels, six posts and twelve brackets; the current selector does not calculate a shared-post fence line.
Doors, interlocks, corner assemblies and connected enclosure layouts need a separate project review. A panel selected for periodic removal is not automatically a suitable access door. UK HSE guidance distinguishes fixed guarding from applications where routine access may require interlocked guards. HSE machinery guarding guidance.
Check the layout before sending the RFQ
- Show each panel width and the overall installed run, with corner and end details.
- Check access to machine feet, service panels, cable routes and anchor positions.
- Check panel removal space, handling arrangements and visibility of the process.
- Keep the hazard separation, guard height and all openings in the safety review.
- Record panel and support finishes alongside the order code and quantity.
Configure an MG20 panel or standalone bay, inspect the trial geometry and request the matching STEP or dimensional PDF. Current files support concept evaluation while the production models are being developed; installation and manufacturing details require release review.