Collaborative Engineering for Aerospace‑Grade CNC Automation
Trinity Automation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, designs and builds standard palletizing systems for CNC machine tending, enabling manufacturers to run hours of continuous, unattended production. Their systems allow operators to pre‑load parts and dramatically reduce manual labor on the shop floor.
Challenge
While Trinity excels in mechanical automation and palletizer design, their customers often require additional capabilities to deploy a fully operational cell.
For a project supporting Korry Electronics (Seattle, WA) — a Tier 1 aerospace supplier to Boeing — Trinity needed a fully integrated automation solution tailored specifically to Korry’s CNC environment and aerospace production requirements.
This was not a generic OEM deployment. The system had to integrate tightly with Korry’s Haas UMC‑750 CNC machines, coordinate robotics and safety systems, and deliver a reliable, operator‑friendly interface capable of managing hundreds of part configurations while meeting aerospace expectations for repeatability and uptime.
This Required:
PLC controls engineering
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Robot programming and simulation
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Operator HMI design
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CNC machine communications
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Onsite commissioning and run‑off support
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Solution
End-to-End Automation Engineering Partnership
Trinity partnered with our engineering team to deliver end-to-end automation engineering services, working in a highly collaborative mode as an extension of Trinity’s internal team.
The scope included:
- Allen‑Bradley PLC programming
- Fanuc robot simulation and programming (offline and online)
- Ignition‑based primary HMI design
- Custom CNC communications, often using raw digital I/O
- Collaborative robot and safety integration
From kickoff through go‑live, our engineers worked closely with Trinity and Korry to ensure mechanical design, controls logic, robot motion, safety systems, and operator workflows functioned as a single, cohesive system.
Key Capabilities Delivered
Controls Architecture
Allen‑Bradley CompactLogix 5069‑L306 PLC
Custom ladder logic using a state‑machine control model to coordinate:
- HMI interactions
- Robot motion
- CNC handshakes
- Safety system states
External safety PLC: Banner XS26
Robot Programming & Safety
Fanuc robot simulation (offline) to validate motion and cycle logic
Onsite robot commissioning and tuning
Collaborative robot mode enabled using:
- Area scanners
- Safe speed and collaborative operating zones
Ignition HMI (Primary Operator Interface)
Built in Ignition, the HMI served as the central orchestration layer for the entire cell:
- System overview and machine status
- Drawer and pallet configuration
- Alarm management and alarm history
- Recipe management:
- Linking part numbers to CNC programs
- Managing up to 380 pre‑configured parts
- CNC program orchestration:
- Program loading via external Java scripts executed through Ignition OS functions
- Handshaking logic and timeout management between CNC, robot, and PLC
CNC Integration
CNC platform: Haas UMC‑750
CNC program loading handled through Ignition‑driven scripting
All other CNC interactions managed via raw digital I/O, including:
- Workholder control
- Service requests
- Auto doors
- Air blasting
- Machine ready/busy status
Timeline
Total Travel Time: ~28 Days with Seamless Project Support
Throughout the project, our team was never the bottleneck, consistently matching Trinity’s and Korry’s schedules and supporting iterative progress toward go‑live.
Project Kickoff:
May 15, 2025
Controls, Robot, and HMI Development:
May–October 2025
Onsite Run‑Off at Trinity HQ:
November 3, 2025
Final Deployment & Go‑Live:
Final Deployment & Go‑Live:
Unique Obstacles
How They Were Overcome
1.
CNC‑Specific Integration Requirements
Korry’s CNC environment required precise, deterministic signaling — often relying on raw I/O rather than standardized protocols.
Solution: A robust PLC state‑machine architecture with explicit handshakes, timeouts, and fault handling.
2.
Aerospace Reliability Expectations
Aerospace manufacturing demands predictability and uptime.
Solution: Extensive simulation, controlled commissioning, and layered diagnostics across PLC, HMI, and robot systems.
3.
Multi‑Discipline Coordination
Mechanical systems, controls logic, robot motion, safety, and operator experience all had to align.
Solution: A collaborative engineering model with Trinity that reduced handoffs and enabled rapid issue resolution.
Results
Production Benefits
For Korry Electronics
Labor Efficiency
Automation reduces manual labor and improves efficiency.
Overnight Production
Pre-configure up to 380 parts for overnight production.
Zero Downtime
CNC machines run continuously without waiting on manual loading.
Higher Throughput
Boosts output while maximizing equipment use.
Repeatable Precision
Delivers reliable results for aerospace-grade production.
For Trinity Automation
Fully Integrated
Delivered a complete, operator-ready automation cell.
Lower Risk
Reduced commissioning risk and post-deployment support needs.
Stronger Offering
Enhanced OEM value with integrated controls and robotics expertise.
“This project required tight coordination across controls, robotics, safety, and CNC integration. The team worked collaboratively with Trinity to deliver a system that met our customer’s aerospace requirements and significantly improved operational efficiency. Their technical expertise and ability to integrate seamlessly into the project made a real difference.”
— Nick Tonti
National Sales Manager, Trinity Automation
Future
What’s Next
Building on this success, Trinity and our team are positioned to:
- Develop standardized PLC and Ignition HMI templates for future palletizer platforms
- Expand CNC communication strategies beyond raw I/O where applicable
- Enhance diagnostics and predictive alerts to further reduce downtime
- Bulk declaration support
- Scale this architecture across additional aerospace and high‑mix manufacturing customers