Modular Guarding
ARK Automation supplies custom machine guarding panels for industrial equipment, robotic cells, automation systems, production areas, and other applications where standard rectangular guarding panels do not provide the required fit.
Custom panels can be configured in a variety of shapes and dimensions to help a modular machine guarding system fit around machinery, structural obstacles, openings, changes in elevation, and other layout constraints.
Industrial equipment does not always fit neatly inside a standard rectangular guarding enclosure. Machine frames, conveyors, building columns, ductwork, electrical equipment, platforms, piping, and other obstacles can make standard panel dimensions difficult to use throughout an entire guarding system.
A custom panel can help close these irregular sections while keeping the panel integrated with the surrounding modular guarding system.
Custom panels may be useful for applications such as:
Visit our machine guarding applications page for more examples of guarding used around different types of industrial machinery and automation equipment.
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ARK Automation offers multiple custom panel configurations designed to accommodate different shapes, clearances, and dimensional requirements. The diagrams available on this page show the measurements required for each panel type.
The primary dimensions used to specify a custom panel include:
The exact dimensions required depend on the selected custom panel configuration. Review the panel diagrams below before submitting measurements so each required dimension can be identified correctly.
ARK Automation’s Custom Panel Generator provides a simple way to submit the dimensions for a custom guarding panel.
Select the panel type that best matches the required shape, enter the corresponding dimensions, and provide any additional drawings, layouts, or project information. ARK Automation can then prepare a 3D STEP file of the panel based on the submitted specifications.
This can be particularly useful for engineers, machine builders, integrators, and project planners who need to verify how a custom panel will fit within a larger machine or guarding layout before ordering.
ARK Automation custom steel guarding panels use the same durable construction principles as the broader modular guarding system.
Current custom panel specifications include:
Panel materials are powder coated for industrial use. The standard formed-angle frame is powder coated yellow and the welded wire mesh is powder coated black. Custom colours are also available, while nuts, bolts, and clips are zinc plated.
ARK’s broader modular guarding system also offers options such as weld screen, Lexan, solid steel, and other specialized panel configurations. Contact ARK Automation to confirm the appropriate material and configuration for a specific custom panel application.
Custom panels and adjustable panels solve different layout challenges.
An adjustable panel is useful when the required panel remains generally rectangular but the opening does not match a standard panel width. A custom panel is better suited to applications that require a specialized shape or dimensional configuration to fit around machinery, obstacles, openings, or changes in the guarding layout.
In many larger systems, standard panels, adjustable panels, and custom panels can all be used together to create an enclosure that fits the equipment efficiently.
Accurate dimensions are especially important when specifying a custom panel. Before submitting a request, it is helpful to review both the panel itself and the surrounding machine guarding layout.
Useful project information can include:
Providing complete dimensions and layout information can help ensure the custom panel is configured correctly and fits into the surrounding guarding system as intended.
Custom panel shapes should still be planned around the hazards of the specific machine and the requirements of the complete safeguarding system. A custom opening or panel shape should not create unintended access to hazardous machinery simply to accommodate an equipment or facility constraint.
In Ontario, Ontario Regulation 851 for Industrial Establishments requires exposed moving parts and certain other machine hazards to be equipped with a guard or other device that prevents worker access to the hazard.
For facilities operating in the United States, OSHA’s machine guarding guidance identifies guards as physical barriers used to prevent access to danger areas and notes that fixed guards can be constructed to suit specific applications.
The appropriate panel shape, openings, positioning, and surrounding guarding should therefore be determined based on the machine, access requirements, hazard assessment, and applicable safety requirements. For additional planning information, see ARK Automation’s guide to machine guarding standards and ANSI considerations.
Custom panels can be combined with ARK Automation standard panels, posts, brackets, gates, hinge panels, and other components to complete a machine guarding enclosure around complex equipment.
Using custom components only where they are needed allows standard modular guarding to make up most of the enclosure while specialized panels handle irregular sections of the layout. This can help maintain the flexibility and reconfigurability of a modular system even when the machinery itself requires a unique guarding shape.
Learn more about custom machine guarding panels, available shapes and materials, panel dimensions, 3D STEP files, and what information is needed to plan a custom guarding configuration.
A custom machine guarding panel is a panel manufactured to specific dimensions or a specialized shape rather than a standard rectangular panel size. Custom panels can help a guarding system fit around machinery, structural obstacles, openings, changes in elevation, and other unusual layout conditions.
A custom panel may be appropriate when a standard machine guarding panel cannot properly fit the available space or equipment layout. This can include areas around machine frames, conveyors, columns, supports, openings, or other obstacles that require a specialized shape.
What is the difference between a custom panel and an adjustable panel?
An adjustable panel is generally used to accommodate a non-standard width while maintaining a more conventional rectangular panel shape. A custom panel can be configured with more specialized dimensions and shapes to fit around obstacles or irregular equipment layouts.
ARK Automation uses dimensions identified as A, B, C, D, E, and, where applicable, additional measurements depending on the panel configuration. The diagrams provided for each custom panel type show which measurements are required. Review the appropriate diagram carefully before submitting dimensions.
The A dimension represents the overall panel width measured from the centre of one post to the centre of the other post. B represents the overall panel height. C and E identify interior horizontal dimensions, while D identifies interior vertical dimensions used to define the custom panel shape. The exact combination of measurements depends on the selected panel type.
Yes. ARK Automation’s Custom Panel Generator allows you to submit a panel type and the required dimensions. ARK can then prepare a 3D STEP file of the custom panel based on those specifications.
ARK’s current custom steel panel specifications include a 38 mm x 38 mm formed-angle frame made from 3.1 mm steel and 4.0 mm welded wire mesh with 46.8 mm openings. The panel is assembled using specially designed corner brackets, and the mesh is secured with specialized clips.
Yes. ARK’s standard formed-angle frame is powder coated yellow and the welded wire mesh is powder coated black, but custom frame colours are also available. Contact ARK Automation if your project requires a specific finish or colour.
Yes. Custom panels are designed to form part of a larger modular machine guarding system and can be used alongside standard panels, posts, brackets, gates, hinge panels, and other guarding components.
Provide the custom panel type, all required panel dimensions, surrounding guarding dimensions, equipment layout, nearby obstacles, and any material or visibility requirements. Drawings, CAD files, sketches, photographs, and other project files are also helpful when reviewing a custom panel request.
Need a custom panel for an unusual machine layout, obstacle, opening, or guarding configuration? Contact ARK Automation to discuss your required dimensions, panel shape, equipment layout, material options, and related guarding requirements. You can also upload drawings, CAD files, sketches, layouts, or other project information using the form below.
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