A fan protective guard is a safety device that helps deflect debris from rotating fan blades to prevent injuries or equipment damage. The guard is usually made of metal wire, plastic or some type of mesh and can be a simple screen or an entire shield that covers the fan. Metal wire fan guards are often fabricated from different types of stainless steel or aluminum alloy, while plastic fan guards are typically injection molded out of nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Depending on the application, a specific design may be created for the metal or plastic fan guard, and it can then be injection molded or welded to fit a particular opening in the housing of the fan.
A wide variety of applications for fan guards exist, including duct fans, exhaust fans, refrigeration units and air conditioning systems. They can also be used in the automotive industry to disperse heat generated by motorized parts, and they are common in computer cooling systems. In industrial settings, the guards help to maximize the flow of air for cooling purposes and in order to provide ventilation in work areas.
The axial fan guard works to improve the performance of the fan by increasing the velocity field and creating a higher differential static pressure. It also allows the fan to disperse more air for cooling purposes while reducing noise levels. This type of guard is often found in commercial or industrial facilities and is designed to withstand the rigors of debris, dirt and dust that could cause the fan to malfunction or break down.
Several different types of fan attachments can be added to fan guards to enhance their functionality. These include filters that are placed between the fan and the duct, and screens that can be attached to the outside of the grating or shield. These screens and filtration attachments help to filter out the dust that is carried by the airflow, preventing it from getting into enclosures where it can cause harm or contamination.
For safety, it is critical that workers in the workplace have access to a means of evaluating potential hazards. The scale is about the size of a credit card and features an easy-to-read, durable 0.1"-thick anodized aluminum construction. It has a ruler along the back edge to allow users to measure the width of the openings in the fan guard for compliance with OSHA standards.
Metal wire fan guards are typically fabricated from a combination of different materials, with stainless steel and bright basic or low-carbon steel being popular choices. The wire is then resistance or arc welded into the desired shape and then finished with a protective coating. These finishes can include chrome plating, zinc plating and powder coating to make the guards attractive as well as functional.
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