Machine Guards
Overview
Machine guards are safety components designed to protect operators from moving machinery while maintaining visibility, access, and compliance with workplace safety requirements.
We manufacture custom plastic machine guards to customer drawings and specifications, supplying guards ready for installation across industrial, manufacturing, and automation environments. Guards can be supplied as flat panels, machined components, or formed parts depending on the application.
Plastic machine guards are commonly used as an alternative to metal due to their impact resistance, corrosion resistance, and ease of fabrication.
Custom Manufactured to Your Drawings
Machine guards are rarely off-the-shelf. Most are designed to suit specific machinery, layouts, and access requirements.
We regularly manufacture machine guards from:
CAD files (DXF, DWG, STEP)
Marked-up drawings or PDFs
Site measurements or sketches
Existing guards or samples
Guards can be supplied as one-off components or repeat production runs. Fully engineered drawings are not required — clear dimensions and fixing details are sufficient.
Typical Applications
Custom plastic machine guards are commonly used for:
CNC machines, lathes, and mills
Automated production and robotic cells
Conveyors and material handling systems
Tooling, fabrication, and packaging machinery
Inspection panels and access doors
Guards are designed to balance operator safety, visibility, and durability.
Recommended Materials for Machine Guards
Extremely high impact resistance, Will not shatter on impact, Maintains visibility under load, Suitable for safety-critical applications
Low-impact applications only, Excellent optical clarity, Rigid and easy to machine
Formable guard components, Good impact resistance, Suitable for shaped panels and covers
Material Selection Summary
Highest impact resistance: Polycarbonate
Best optical clarity: Acrylic
Best for formed guards: PETG
Where operator safety is critical, polycarbonate should always be used.
Popular Machine Guard Plastics
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Acrylic Sheet (Perspex)
Price range: $60.00 through $2,672.40 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Polycarbonate Sheet (UV Resistant)
Price range: $101.20 through $3,396.60 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Acrylic Mirror Sheet
Price range: $268.61 through $318.60 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Acrylic Clear Tubes
Price range: $10.00 through $939.75 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Manufacturing & Fabrication Services
Most machine guards require fabrication to suit fixing points, access openings, and equipment geometry. We manufacture guards in-house using the following services.
CNC Machining
CNC Machining is used for precision-cut guards and components supplied ready to install.
Used for
Cut-outs for tooling, cables, and controls
Drilled, slotted, and countersunk fixings
Tight tolerances and repeatability
One-off or production quantities
Laser Cutting (Flat Guard Panels)
Suitable for flat guard panels in thinner materials where clean edges and accurate profiles are required should be laser cut.
Vacuum Forming (Shaped Guards & Covers)
Used for guards that require curvature or enclosure-style geometry. Not suitable for structural or impact-critical panels.
Installation Considerations
Compliance & Safety Considerations
Machine guards must be designed and installed in accordance with relevant workplace safety standards.
This includes:
Appropriate material selection
Secure fixing and mounting
Adequate clearance from moving parts
Safe access for maintenance
We manufacture guards to specification; final compliance rests with guard design and installation.
Related Applications
Safety Screens & Protective Barriers
This application is part of our Industrial, Engineering & Wear Components range.
Send Us Your Drawing
If you have a drawing, sketch, or existing guard to replace, we can manufacture a machine guard to suit your requirements.
