MiniTec and machine safety – the art of simplicity
The Machinery Safety Directive EN ISO 13849-1 lays down many requirements for machine builders and operators.
These are designed to ensure that the means of production in any manufacturing enterprise are installed correctly and operated in a safe manner. The Directive places an obligation on both machinery designer and operator to ensure that equipment is fitted with adequate safeguards to protect machine operators, and any other staff working in the vicinity of such production machinery, from accidental injury.
Where are machine guards and cages required?
What sort of machinery and equipment may typically require the MiniTec system? Modern rotating machinery such as CNC lathes and machining centres will always be designed with a robust guard door to protect the operator from the rotating equipment.
Consider however robotic manufacturing equipment – large machines with arms wielding laser and welding equipment or production lines with automatic pick and place equipment.
The safety guards and cages serve to protect the operator from hazardous moving equipment and also act as “retainers” to protect product from flying off the equipment thus causing potential damage to both equipment and staff.
The heart of the MiniTec system
The flexibility and strength of the MiniTec modular aluminium profile system makes it a perfect solution for other equipment in the factory, transportation trolleys for example, to move heavy components between manufacturing operations, essential to protect staff from injury.
Working to the customer designs MiniTec can create the aluminium profile to fit the exact specification, with bespoke elements that suit the industrial environment.
At the heart of the MiniTec system is the unique Powerlock fastening method which requires no specific preparation, pre-machining or special tools and uses standard off the shelf fasteners. The only tool required to set up or dismantle a system is an Allen Key.
For more information on MiniTec products and services please contact:
Tel: 01256 365605
MiniTec are one of the leading manufacturers of modular aluminium profile systems, used widely throughout industry, retail and lifestyle applications. The MiniTec modular aluminium profile system lends itself particularly well to the construction of customised safety guards and safety cages to provide essential machine safety.
