Parts Washer Conveyor Safety Guard
Designed and implemented a custom safety guard for a parts washer conveyor that eliminated operator exposure to moving components while preserving loading access and maintenance usability.
Overview
This project focused on improving safety around a parts washer used to clean hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders at Parker Hannifin. The machine used a conveyor system to feed cylinders into the washer, and the infeed area exposed operators to rotating gears and moving roller components. I designed a custom guard that fully removed access to the hazard while remaining practical for fabrication, installation, maintenance, and daily use on the shop floor.
The Challenge
The exposed moving components at the conveyor infeed created a serious entanglement risk for operators during normal loading. Hands, clothing, or other loose items could have been caught in the mechanism and caused injury. The solution needed to fully block access to the hazard without interfering with conveyor function, cylinder loading, or routine maintenance. It also had to be simple, robust, and easy for the maintenance team to fabricate in house.
Approach
I began by inspecting the equipment in person, taking measurements, and verifying the dimensions of the conveyor area to understand the hazard location and the available design space. I then brainstormed guard concepts, material approaches, and mounting options with a focus on safety, simplicity, and long term practicality.
Using Autodesk Inventor, I modeled the conveyor area and designed the guard to ensure proper fitment and clearance. A key consideration was making sure larger cylinders could still be loaded onto the conveyor without contacting the guard. I also kept the design straightforward so it could be fabricated efficiently from sheet metal by the maintenance team. Since the moving components required periodic lubrication, I made sure the guard could be installed and removed without creating unnecessary difficulty for maintenance.
Once the design was finalized, I created the drawing package, handed it off to the maintenance department for fabrication, and supported installation by answering questions and confirming that the final guard was installed correctly.
Results
The final guard was fabricated and installed successfully, and it completely removed operator exposure to the moving gears and roller components at the conveyor infeed. The design was well received by the team and was considered a thoughtful solution because it balanced safety, simplicity, and serviceability. The project improved machine safety through a practical continuous improvement effort while also showing strong attention to real shop floor constraints such as fabrication ease, installation, maintenance access, and part loading clearance.