Overview
Across the U.S., manufacturers continue to face increasing pressure to improve machine safety while maintaining production uptime. Many facilities still consider welded steel guarding the default option—but when faced with rising labor costs, downtime constraints, and fast-changing automation requirements, steel systems often become slow, inflexible, and expensive to modify.
Over the past several years, PowerSafe Automation has helped numerous customers, from metal fabrication plants to food packaging operations, transition from traditional welded steel guarding to modular T-slotted extrusion systems, resulting in measurable time savings, cost reductions, and improved workflow flexibility.
Each project had its own challenges, but the outcomes were remarkably consistent: extrusion-based guarding delivered 30–50% faster installation, 20–40% lower lifecycle cost, and dramatically easier future modifications.
This case study highlights three anonymized customer examples to protect confidentiality while highlighting real-world performance.
Customer A: Metal Fabrication Facility
Challenge: The customer needed a full perimeter guarding system for a robotic welding cell. Their internal maintenance team estimated 10–14 days of downtime to install a welded steel structure—including cutting, welding, grinding, painting, and curing.
Why They Chose PowerSafe Extrusion Guarding: PowerSafe proposed a modular T-slot system that could be assembled offline and installed rapidly over a weekend.
Outcomes:
- Installation completed in 48 hours vs. 10–14 days for welded steel.
- Production loss avoided: Estimated savings of $60,000+ in prevented downtime.
- Future expansions required only adding new extrusion panels—no cutting or welding.
Customer A Testimonial (paraphrased): "The speed alone paid for the project. The fact we can reconfigure it without scrapping metal is an added bonus."
Customer B: National Packaging Company
Challenge: The company needed guarding for multiple case packers and conveyor transitions. Welded steel had been quoted by a previous vendor but was too heavy, too slow to install, and too difficult to modify as their product mix changed throughout the year.
Why They Chose PowerSafe Extrusion Guarding: They required a solution that aligned with continuous improvement initiatives, especially quick changeover and lean flow.
Outcomes:
- 70% lower modification costs compared to welded steel.
- Operators reported improved visibility and troubleshooting through clear polycarbonate panels.
- Maintenance eliminated recurring paint touch-ups and rust prevention.
- Corporate safety leadership selected extrusion as their new company-wide guarding standard.
Customer B Testimonial (paraphrased): "We used to throw away steel guarding every time a process changed. Now we reconfigure instead of rebuild."
Customer C: Automotive Components Manufacturer
Challenge: This facility had high-traffic forklift zones and assumed welded steel was the only option. However, their engineering team also needed modular access doors, integrated light curtains, and scan zones, something welded steel made difficult and expensive.
Why They Chose PowerSafe Extrusion Guarding: PowerSafe engineered a hybrid system: aluminum extrusion panels with reinforced steel posts in high-impact areas.
Outcomes:
- Device alignment improved by 300% due to adjustable brackets.
- Integrated cable management eliminated exposed conduit and reduced troubleshooting time.
- Safety audit scores increased significantly after installation.
- Total project cost was 28% lower than the welded-only solution previously quoted.
Customer C Testimonial (paraphrased): "This hybrid approach gave us the durability we needed without sacrificing flexibility or cost."
Key Measurable Results Across All Projects
Time Savings
- 30–50% faster installation vs. welded steel
- Many systems installed in a single weekend.
- Reduced downtime = tens of thousands saved in production value
Cost Savings
20–40% lower total cost of ownership
Extrusion components reused across future projects.
No painting, grinding, or rust-prevention costs.
Lower labor hours for maintenance and modifications
Flexibility Gains
- Reconfigurable without welding
- Supports ongoing lean initiatives.
- Easy integration for light curtains, scanners, interlocks, and radar safety devices
Safety Improvements
- Cleaner, more visible guarding improves operator awareness.
- Faster correction of audit findings
- Better alignment and performance of safety devices
Why So Many Customers Now Prefer T-Slotted Extrusion Guarding
Across dozens of installations, customers consistently cited the same five reasons for choosing PowerSafe’s modular guarding systems:
- Rapid deployment without disrupting production.
- Lower long-term cost than welded steel
- Easy to modify when processes change.
- Cleaner, more professional appearance for customers and audits
- Better integration options for modern safety controls
Simply put, extrusion guarding supports how manufacturing operates today...fast, flexible, and continuously improving.
Conclusion
PowerSafe Automation continues to help manufacturing facilities replace outdated guarding approaches with scalable, modular, future-ready designs. Whether upgrading a single legacy machine or deploying standardized guarding across multiple U.S. plants, extrusion-based systems deliver measurable improvements in cost, safety, uptime, and flexibility.
If your facility is considering new guarding—or struggling with outdated welded steel systems, PowerSafe can engineer a right-sized solution that aligns with your safety, production, and budget goals.
