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Can these be electrically interlocked so the machine they are guarding does not start until the shade is pulled shut?
As far as using safety interlocks and proximity switches that is something that you can do on site if you have a controls company or if you have a capable maintenance person working at your facility. Akon does not provide any of the electronic devices required to make that set up. However, it is actually fairly common with customers as a retrofit that they install. Customers typically do this so that they can make sure the curtain is pulled shut before the equipment starts working.
Can shades be replaced if they become damaged?
Yes. The shades are replaceable if they become damaged. This can be done in the field on all of the roll up guards Akon provides. You can also choose to patch the damaged shade using clear patch tape or you can order a replacement shade from Akon. Most shades are vinyl and you can use tear-aid type B to perform repairs.
Do you offer any retractable guarding that can be used as an anti-fall device?
Note we do not. All of our retractable guarding is for visual barrier use only. Akon does not carry any anti-fall devices. This article is useful for determining if you need an actual fall device.
Are the anchor bolts supplied or fasteners?
We do not supply any anchor bolts or fasteners. There are too many surfaces for us to properly supply proper fasteners so the customers is responsible for providing all anchoring bolts and fasteners.
Is there constant tension on the shades?
Yes, the shade has constant tension on it so when you let go it rolls up. The only roll up guard that does not have constant tension is the ratcheting SB-6000
Can the shade ratchet so I pull it down and it stays there?
Yes, but only on the ratcheting SB-6000. All of our other shades do not have that ability.
How narrow of a shade can I get?
When a customer wants a shade that is very narrow it sometimes presents problems because the roller to has to be wide enough to accommodate the spring assembly. For instance, if you have a shade that is narrow, but it has to extend out 80 inches, the spring has to be large enough to get that shade rolled back up properly and that sometimes requires a wider roller. A solution to this, if it's a problem at all, would be to use a wider roller that has a narrow shade as shown in the image shows below. The shade can be positioned anywhere on the roller. It can be centered, or offset to one side.
How many lbs of force does it take to extent the shade?
The actual pull force in lbs is very hard to calculate based on the rollers being custom-made. Each roller produced is unique by the type of shade, shade material, width, OD of the spring assembly and convolutions of the spring . The extension of the shade also determines the push pull force. A longer shade requires additional winding of the spring to keep the shade tight when pulled out. With these factors AKON does not have an equation to calculate the pull forces for each system. We can comment that we have however never had a customer comment on the force being to hard to pull out the shade.
Can there be custom logo / printing on the shades?
Yes we can print on some of the shades. We would just need to know what wording you want printed on the shade. If you want graphic printed then we would need a high definition Vector image. We only print on one side and only one side of the vinyl we use is printable. Air-thru mesh will, of course, have bleed-thru of printing to back side.
