Engineering & Design
Our engineering group designs and generates CAD drawings for the machine guards and safety control systems.
MPSA offers custom-engineered machine guarding solutions to remedy the safety deficiencies identified by the on-site safety survey or risk assessment. The engineering portion of the project occurs in two phases: Preliminary Engineering and Final Engineering. Below is an outline of the activities relating to these two phases.
Phase 1: Preliminary Engineering
MPSA will begin Phase 1 by formally designating a project team that will include, among others, the safety specialist who conducted the initial safety survey, a project manager, and a controls engineer. After we gather and analyze your information, we will generate the Phase 1 Engineering Package.
We’ll visit your site to gather key information, including:
- Field sketches of the physical guarding solution
- Critical dimensions of equipment to be guarded
- Exact locations of hazards/nip points
- Machine stop-time test results for various operational conditions
- Minimum safe-distance calculations to determine location of physical guarding or presence-sensing devices
- Verification that customer-provided electrical schematics match actual findings reviewed in machine electrical enclosures
- Identification of all operator and maintenance tasks which may affect the controls architecture
- Machine E-stop and controlled stop conditions
- A basic safety system flow diagram to show the specific purposes of various devices
The Phase 1 Engineering Package:
Project Estimate Sheet and Bill of Materials (BOM)
This documentation covers all known aspects of the project.
Mechanical Design Package
Includes a plan view, elevation views and specified section views showing the customer’s equipment and MPSA’s proposed solution.
Safety System Electrical Findings & Controls Scope Statement
This explains aspects of the existing controls found on the equipment and the MPSA proposed controls solution scope.
Following the delivery of the Phase 1 Engineering Package, members of the MPSA project team will collaborate with your stakeholders and discuss any required changes. After these discussions, MPSA will acquire final design confirmation and provide a quote for scope change orders. By the end of this step, we will reach a fixed price for your solution(s) and obtain final approval and your purchase order. Phase 2 Engineering then begins.
Phase 2: Final Engineering
During Phase 2 Engineering, MPSA applies any changes made to the Phase 1 Engineering Package. If presence sensing devices are part of the solution,
Stop Time Measurement
We use a computer-based anaylzer to accurately measure and record the stop time of your machine. This determines the proper distance to locate a presence sensing device from the hazard point and is crtical for meeting applicable safety standards.
The Phase 2 Engineering Package:
Finalized Project Outline and Bill of Materials
This documentation covers all aspects of the project.

Finalized Mechanical Design Package
Includes a plan view, elevation views and specified section views showing the customer’s equipment and MPSA’s proposed solution.

Finalized Safety System Electrical Findings & Controls Scope Statement
Finalized design documents of MPSA’s proposed controls solution scope.
Once this package is approved, the Mechanical & Electrical Design Package shall be released to MPSA’s production teams.
Provide a compliant and safe working environment.
Take the first step. Ask MPSA to identify your machine safety and compliance issues. We can do the rest.
Related Topics
Hazard Identification
Learn how we identify the visible and hidden hazards of your machine and processes.
Manufacturing
Learn how we fabricate machine guarding and assemble safety controls in our ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities.
Have a machine safety concern? Tell us about it!
Ask a Quick Question
Ask a quick question about machine guarding or MPSA.
Contact an Expert
Ask an in-depth question or start a discussion with one of our safety experts.
Request a Hazard Assessment
Request an MPSA professional on-site visit to identify hazards in your machinery and processes.
Ask a Question
Ask a quick question about machine safeguarding and/or MPSA.
Contact an Expert
Ask an in-depth question or start a discussion with one of our MPSA experts.
Request a Hazard Assessment
Request an MPSA professional to visit on-site and perform a Safety Survey, or if necessary, a full Risk Assessment.