Document Z4Kjp9dnKrd3RX3RYY3odz9gJ

862 TABLE 32-A PERMISSIBLE GUARD OPENINGS Distance of opening from pinch point Maximum width of opening 0 in to 1 Va in 1 '/a in to 2'/a in 2'/a in to 3Va in 3'/a in to 5Va in 5'/j in to 6'/j in 6Va in to 7Vi in 7'/j in to 8Va in V* in Ye in '/a in Ye in V* in 7/e in 1'/in Also see topic Point-of-Operation Guards in Chap ter 29, "Point-ot-Operation and Transmission Guards " Press brakes are generally used for custom work An operator can work all day, using the same die, and never produce the same item twice Yet it is quite capable of turning out small production runs of work that would be much too costly to assign to other machines such as a regular power press Many of the hazards of press brake opera tion anse out of this "custom" operation A press brake will accept and process almost any size work and because of this, there is no such thing as "normal" guarding for press brake operations In fact, there are times when a guard would seriously interfere with the production process and constitute a hazard m itself Good guarding of a press brake starts with a good job analysis of each job to be run, with particular attention to the handling of the work and the closeness of the operator to the point of operation Any part of the job, or mode of operation, that allows or requires any part of the operator to be m close prox imity to the point of operation must be looked at very carefully with respect to the safeguard ing applied Most shops will probably find that two or three safeguaidmg methods, used either singly or in combination with each other, will enable them to operate efficiently and with safety in all jobs Guarding pi ess brakes is not difficult if the foregoing procedures are followed If a press brake is ever used as a regular power press, however, such operations must be guarded as required for power presses