This section provides an overview for safety guards as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 15 safety guard manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked safety guard companies as of November, 2024: 1.Bluff Manufacturing, 2.SafetySkills, 3.Rite-Hite.
Table of Contents
A safety guard is a piece of safety equipment that restricts entry into a dangerous area. It is a fence that prevents workers from entering the vicinity of processing machines, assembly machines, and rotating equipment that can cause serious accidents if contacted.
In addition to preventing entry into hazardous areas, a safety guard can also serve to contain the dispersion of dust produced during the process and manage the noise generated throughout the processing.
In many cases, safety guards consist of a fence and a door for entry and exit. The base is made of aluminum or iron, and the surrounding area is covered with a mesh or transparent resin such as polycarbonate so that the inside can be seen.
Safety guards are used to ensure safety from factory automation (FA) equipment. In the case of specialized machines that greatly improve production efficiency, safety devices are often built into the equipment, and safety guards are not often used. However, in the case of industrial robots, which have been on the increase recently, safety guards are often installed in accordance with the actual environment in which the robot is used and the robot's movements.
Even in FA systems using cooperative robots, where safety guards are not required, there are cases where safety guards are used to ensure safety because of the danger of end effectors (also called hands) and workpieces coming into contact with people.
Safety guards consist of a fence, a door through which people enter and exit, and a safety sensor that checks whether the door is open or closed. Similar to safety guards, there are also sensors called area sensors, which are used to prevent people from entering dangerous areas. Area sensors include area curtains and laser scanners. When a person or object enters a set area, the sensor detects it and activates the safety device.
One aspect that differentiates the use of safety guards and area sensors is visibility. Area sensors rely on infrared light, making it challenging to visually confirm the sensing area. In contrast, a safety guard can prevent accidental entry because the fence itself is visible and the boundary with the danger area can be visually confirmed.
Area sensors have the advantage of being easy to install and inexpensive, but they also have the disadvantage of increasing the risk of unintentional equipment shutdown. Safety guards are used when unexpected equipment stoppage is to be avoided as much as possible.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. was founded in Mannheim, Germany in 1945 developing the forerunner of the proximity switch. Pepperl+Fuchs continues to develop proximity sensors as well as other industrial sensors including ultrasonic sensors, rotary encoders, positioning systems, display and signal processing, vibration monitoring, industrial communication, and signal processing as well as related accessories and software. Explosive protection products include safety barriers, surge protection, wireless solutions, HMI systems, power supplies, electrical explosion protection equipment, level measurement, and related software.
Hennig Inc. is a manufacturer and service provider specializing in facility and machine safety products that was established in Illinois, USA, in 1950. The company mainly produces chip and coolant management, facility control, and machine protection solutions. These products include chip conveyors and filtration equipment for increasing machining accuracy, cable carriers to guide and protect lines on machinery, and protection systems such as auto-shutoff operators. The company’s products are commonly used in manufacturing facilities, standby power systems, and public maintenance facilities.
Bluff Manufacturing, located in Burleson, Texas, has been a manufacturer of dock, warehouse, and safety equipment since 1968. The company originally sold ramps in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and later expanded to serve the Southwest U.S. region. Some of the products offered by the company include dock boards, dock plates, yard ramps, wheel risers, mezzanines, as well as stairways and safety barriers. These products are designed to improve the safety and productivity of loading docks and warehouses.
Rite-Hite, headquartered in Wisconsin, U.S., is a manufacturer and global supplier specializing in loading dock equipment, industrial doors, safety barriers, and more. The company’s product portfolio includes vehicle restraints, loading dock levelers, industrial doors, dock seals and shelters, barrier safety systems, and more. These products are designed to enhance safety, security, energy efficiency, and environmental control across various industries. The company also offers product service, repair and maintenance, as well as product upgrade solutions.With locations in the U.S., China, Brazil, Germany and Poland, Rite-Hite serves clients in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia/Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.
RK Rose+Krieger GmbH was founded in 1972, in Germany as a manufacturer of components and system solutions for automation technology. The company offers linear technology with Linear units, lifting columns, electrical cylinders, and controls along with Tube Connection Systems with plastic Light Clamps, Aluminum Solid Clamps, and Stainless Steel Robust Clamps. The Modular technology they have consists of various workstation systems and the core product in the Profile Technology range is the BLOCAN Aluminium Profile System which has multiple applications where you can install profiles without prior machining. These products serve the Packaging industry, Intralogistics, Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Semiconductor Technology.
Induplast Plásticos de Ingeniería, SL is a manufacturer specializing in engineering and industrial plastics established in 2004 and based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The company manufactures standard and custom plastic components including sliding rails, gears, and rollers for industrial-grade machinery. It also produces technical parts and elements essential to facility operations such as pulleys, flanges, and guards. The company chiefly serves clients in the iron and steel, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries. It offers 3D printing services as well as design assistance.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Bluff Manufacturing |
14.5%
|
2 | SafetySkills |
10.8%
|
3 | Rite-Hite |
10.8%
|
4 | Uniguard Machine Guards |
9.6%
|
5 | Hennig Inc. |
7.2%
|
6 | WireCrafters |
7.2%
|
7 | Pepperl+Fuchs Inc. |
7.2%
|
8 | Axelent |
6.0%
|
9 | Control And Framing Systems |
6.0%
|
10 | Silvaflame-Cleervue Company Limited |
6.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the safety guard page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 7 | 70.0% |
Germany | 1 | 10.0% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 10.0% |
India | 1 | 10.0% |