The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled.
We use cookies to make your experience better.To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies.Learn more.
Please note, there will be a price increase on products from select partners effective 1st January 2025. For more information, and for last ordering dates for this year please contact us here.
Trapped Key Interlocking is a long-standing, proven method of safeguarding hazardous machinery and industrial equipment, which was first conceived in the late 19th Century.
Since then, Fortress Safety have refined this technology to create the mGard range that allows you to create a machine access sequence, through the exchange of high-coded mechical keys, that cannot be bypassed or easily defeated in accordance with ISO 14119: Safety of Machinery - Interlocking devices associated with guards.
Most importantly, trapped key systems are a particularly cost-effective option for machinery that calls for the isolation of multiple energy sources, e.g. electrical, pneumatics and hydraulics, before safe machine entry can be granted.
Safeguarding Machinery with Minimal Wiring
Since the mGard range of trapped key interlocks are purely mechanical devices, you can eliminate most of the electrical wiring and associated cabling costs that other safety switches and guard-locking devices require.
As a trapped key system only requires a fraction of the wiring effort, this means that installation will also be much simpler. It's no surprise that trapped key systems are the preferred solution for retrofitting safety to your existing and ageing machinery.
Fortress Safety's mGard portfolio contains an extensive range of safety interlocks allowing you to create both simple and complex safety sequences with the added bonus of providing personnel safety keys to protect operators against unexpected machine restart.
Grab your copy of the mGard product brochure and discover how you can create a trapped key system.
Specifying your own unique trapped key interlocking sequence isn't as challenging as you may think if you follow this framework.
1) Identify the energy sources you need to isolate
The first step in any trapped key sequence will require operators to isolate the various energy sources powering your machine before safe access inside the guarded machine area can be achieved. Electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and kinetic energy sources can all be interlocked using mGard products, usually at a fraction of the cost of alternative solutions.
2) Assess the number of machine access points to be secured
The second step is to account for the total amount of access points that will need safeguarding around the perimeter of your machine. All moveable guards or machines doors should be fitted with a mechanical door locking unit.
3) Determine the type of access required
The type of access that is required will determine what type of mechanical door lock will be most suitable. For example, is there a risk that an operator could enter the machine and remain hidden from view ? In these scenarios, we reccomend selecting a door lock that provides operators with personal safety keys to prevent unexpected machine restart.
Start Building Your Trapped Key System
To make it even easier to select the mechanical trapped key devices that will come together to form your safety interlocking control sequence, our partners at Fortress Safety have created their mGard product configurator.
Quickly browse through all mechanical interlocking devices within the mGard range including; key switches, time-delay units, key exchange units, mechanical door locks and more.
