Can you make a guard without a drawing?
Yes. A sketch, a photo of the machine with the main dimensions, or the old guard itself is enough to start. We measure it, produce the drawing and quote. Drawing work is a separate one off fee.
Machine guards
Machine guards and safety screens, made in Smithfield
McIver Engineering laser cuts, folds and welds machine guards, covers, shrouds and safety screens at our Smithfield workshop, in mild steel, galvanised and zinc anneal sheet, 304 and 316 stainless steel and aluminium. Send a drawing, a sketch, a photo of the machine or the old guard itself and we will measure it and quote.
Guarding we fabricate
Fixed guards and covers for conveyors, drives, belts and rotating equipment
Shrouds, hoods and splash covers for processing plant
Safety screens and panels with laser cut slots or holes for ventilation and visibility
Welded guard frames in RHS, SHS and angle with sheet infill panels
Removable and hinged panels so the machine can still be serviced
Replacement guards measured from a damaged original or from the machine
How a guard job runs here
Most guards start from a sketch, a photo or a sample rather than a finished drawing. Bring the old guard to Smithfield, or send photos with the main dimensions, and we will measure it, produce the flat pattern and quote. Design is done in house and is quoted as a separate one off fee where drawings have to be created from scratch.
Panels are cut on our 6 kW Bystronic DNE fibre laser with every slot, hole and cutout cut in the same operation, then folded on our own floor. Frames are MIG welded in mild steel and TIG welded in stainless and aluminium, by trade qualified welders, and every guard is checked back to the drawing after welding because distortion is what puts a guard out of fit.
Weld dressing, deburring and edge breaking are done in house, so there are no sharp edges on a part people put their hands near. Some industrial painting is done in house; powder coating and galvanising are arranged with finishers we have used for years and stay on the same purchase order.
Industries we serve
Food Processing
Mining
Industrial Equipment
Packaging
Transport
Water Treatment
Materials we work in
Mild steel sheet
Galvanised and zinc anneal sheet
Stainless steel 304
Stainless steel 316
Aluminium 5005 and 5052
RHS, SHS and angle
Guarding standards and what we can and cannot do
We fabricate guards to your drawing, or to the guarding requirement your own safety assessment specifies: the opening sizes, the reach distances, the fixing method and the finish. McIver Engineering does not carry out machine risk assessments and does not certify that a guard complies with a standard, so if your drawing calls up a standard, raise it at enquiry stage and we will confirm what we can make to it.
What we can do is make the guard fit the machine first time, make it removable where it has to be serviced, and make it in a material that survives the environment: galvanised or powder coated mild steel for a dry plant, 304 stainless for general wash down, 316 where chlorides or wash down chemicals are involved.
What drives the price of a guard
Material and sheet size first, then the number of folds and the length of weld. A flat screen with laser cut slots is quick; a folded cover with a welded frame and hinged access panel is a day's work. Finish is a line on the quote, not a surprise. Quantity matters less for guards than for brackets, because most are one offs, but a set of matching guards for a line is cheaper per guard than one.
Up to about five parts takes two to three weeks, and a quote for a straightforward guard is usually back within 24 hours. Rush and breakdown work is taken on where the floor allows, which is often the case with guarding, because a machine with a missing guard is a machine that cannot run.
Frequently asked questions
Do you certify guards to a standard?
No. We fabricate to your drawing or to the requirement your safety assessment specifies. If a standard is called up, raise it at enquiry stage and we will confirm what we can make to it.
What material should a guard be?
Galvanised or powder coated mild steel for dry plant, 304 stainless for general wash down, 316 where chlorides or wash down chemicals are involved, and aluminium where weight matters. Tell us the environment and we will suggest the grade.
How long does a guard take?
Up to about five parts takes two to three weeks. Breakdown replacements are taken on where the floor allows, so call if a machine is down.
Can you fit the guard?
Welding and fabrication are done at our Smithfield workshop rather than on your site. Where a guard has to be fitted in place, we work with site partners and arrange it as part of the job.
Ready to brief McIver Engineering?
Send us your drawings or call our Sydney workshop direct.