Assembly / What's Included

Each guard ships with the molded shield and its matching backplate, sized to your drive per Machine Guard & Cover Co.'s sizing chart. Flanged guards attach through the flange to the backplate; unflanged guards attach through the side using extruded u-nut fasteners. The belt, chain, sprockets, sheaves, motor, and mounting structure are not included; this is guarding only. Machine Guard & Cover Co.'s standard manufacturing policy doesn't include cutting shaft holes or fabricating mounting brackets; these are available on special order if your installation needs them.

Configuration Options

• Standard Guard: for belt or chain drives with similar sized sheaves or sprockets (most popular style)
• Tapered Guard: for belt or chain drives with different sized sheaves or sprockets
• Flanged: backplate attaches through the flange
• Unflanged: tabbed backplate attaches through the side with u-nut fasteners, for tighter mounting clearance
• Optional safety captured fasteners, available on flanged guards
• Dozens of standard part numbers on file for each style; examples from the Standard Flanged Guard line range from G1.52.59.5 (smallest standard size) up to G121946A (largest standard size)
• Custom resizing available if a standard size doesn't fit your machine
• Imperial (inch) or metric (mm) sizing available

Materials & Construction

• Available in ABS, PETG, or Kydex T
• Backplate thickness varies by guard size, generally 0.125 inch or 0.1875 inch on standard flanged guards

Applicable Safety Standards

Standards to be confirmed by PowerSafe. See: Machine Guard & Cover Co., Standard and Tapered Guard product lines; cross reference against OSHA 29 CFR 1910.219 (mechanical power transmission apparatus), section and page to be confirmed.

Standard Flanged Guard Sizing Chart

Guard Doesn't Fit the Drive

Gaps around the belt or chain, guard doesn't seat, or won't close

• Recheck the drive's center distance, height, length, and width against Machine Guard's sizing chart before ordering a replacement
• Confirm whether Standard (similar sized sheaves/sprockets) or Tapered (different sized sheaves/sprockets) was the correct style for your drive
• If no standard size fits, request a resized guard rather than forcing a mismatched part
• Verify the guard hasn't warped or been damaged in shipping or storage before installation

Chain Guard Doesn't Clear the Chain

Chain contacts the guard, especially with a loaded or worn drive

• Confirm the sizing accounted for chain sag between sprockets; chain guards need extra clearance that belt guards don't
• Recheck sag with the chain under normal operating tension, not just at rest
• Contact Machine Guard & Cover Co. for a resized guard if sag has increased due to chain wear

Flanged Guard Won't Mount / Backplate Doesn't Align

Mounting holes don't line up, or backplate doesn't seat correctly

• Confirm the backplate part number matches the guard part number ordered
• Recheck that mounting holes or brackets were made through the flange as intended
• Verify backplate thickness and dimensions against the sizing chart

Unflanged Guard Won't Mount / U-Nuts Don't Seat

Side mounted hardware doesn't engage correctly

• Confirm the extruded u-nuts are correctly seated in the tabbed backplate before tightening
• Verify there's adequate side clearance for the unflanged mounting style; this style suits tight clearance applications but still needs some access
• Recheck that the correct backplate was ordered for an unflanged, not flanged, guard

Guard Interferes with Maintenance Access

Can't inspect belt or chain tension without full guard removal

• Confirm whether safety captured fasteners were ordered; these keep hardware attached to the guard during removal and speed up reinstallation
• Always remove the guard fully for maintenance rather than working through gaps
• Contact PowerSafe if frequent access needs suggest a different guard configuration would work better

Material & Environmental Wear

Cracking, discoloration, or brittleness over time

• Inspect for UV exposure related brittleness if the guard is mounted outdoors or near direct sunlight for extended periods
• Replace any guard showing cracks or stress marks rather than continuing to use a compromised guard
• Confirm the correct material (ABS, PETG, or Kydex T) was specified for your environment when the guard was ordered

Preventive Maintenance

To keep these guards performing reliably:

• Inspect mounting hardware for looseness at regular intervals, especially on equipment subject to vibration
• Check chain sag periodically and confirm the guard still clears the chain under normal tension
• Clean guard surfaces on a regular schedule
• Replace any cracked, warped, or otherwise damaged guard promptly rather than reinstalling it

Fault Tracking & Continuous Improvement

• Log any guard replacement, fitment issue, or maintenance access problem, including the equipment location
• Look for recurring patterns, such as repeated sag related clearance issues tied to a specific drive
• Use this history to standardize on the correct part number and style for each drive across your facility