Machine design

We design the mechanical parts, the control cabinet and the software that runs them, and we bring older machines up to date without replacing the iron. Because the same team designs the electronics and firmware, sensors, wiring and controls are planned together instead of bolted on at the end.

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Where AI fits

Machines that watch themselves

Cameras and sensors designed into the machine from the start, with AI that advises the operator while safety stays in hardware. Older machines can get the same through a retrofit.

See AI integration

Vision stations and smart sensors
Condition monitoring
Safety kept in hardware

What we do

Mechanical design, control panels and the modernisation of machines you already own.

1Mechanical design and 3D CAD

Frames and mechanisms

Structures, fixtures and moving assemblies modelled in 3D and checked for fit and clearance before anything is cut.

3D CAD
Assemblies
Tolerances

Enclosures

Housings for electronics and control units, designed around the PCB with mounting, cooling and cable entry in mind.

Enclosures
Thermal
3D-printed prototypes

Manufacturing drawings

2D drawings, STEP models and a mechanical BOM your workshop or supplier can build from.

STEP and IGES
2D drawings
BOM

2Control panels, PLC and HMI

Control panel design

Panel layouts, wiring diagrams, terminal plans and component selection for safe, serviceable cabinets.

Panel layout
Wiring diagrams
Terminal plans

PLC and controller programming

Machine logic on industrial PLCs or our own SMZ-F4000 controller, with Modbus RTU, RS-485 and CAN links to drives and sensors.

PLC logic
Modbus RTU
CAN

HMI and operator screens

Screens for status, recipes, alarms and maintenance on touch panels, PCs or the web.

HMI
Alarms
Recipes

3Equipment retrofit

Legacy machine modernisation

Obsolete controllers, failing boards and unsupported software replaced while the mechanics stay in service.

Obsolescence
Controller replacement
Data logging

Semiconductor tool retrofit

Control upgrades for legacy fab equipment that keep the tool's own safety system in charge, with SECS/GEM links to the factory host.

SECS/GEM
SEMI standards
Interlocks

Side-by-side commissioning

The new control system watches the machine alongside the original until it has proven itself. Switching back stays one switch away.

Parallel monitoring
Rollback

Process

How a project runs

01
Requirements and site survey
What the machine must do, cycle times, space, safety and the condition of anything already installed.
- Requirements
- Survey notes
- Photos and measurements
02
Concept and layout
Layout options with the trade-offs explained, so you choose with costs and risks in front of you.
- Concept layouts
- Budget estimate
03
Detailed design
3D models, drawings, electrical schematics and the panel layout, reviewed with your team.
- 3D model
- Drawings
- Electrical schematics
04
Build and integration
Parts made and panels wired by our manufacturing partners, with controls and software integrated by us.
- Assembled machine or panel
- Software
05
Commissioning
Testing on site against the requirements, including safety functions and alarm handling.
- Commissioning report
- Punch list
06
Training and handover
Operators and maintenance staff trained, with documentation they can use.
- Manuals
- Training session

What you receive

Everything is yours at handover, including the source and its history.

3D models
Native files and STEP exports.
Manufacturing drawings
Dimensioned 2D drawings with tolerances.
Mechanical BOM
Parts, materials and suppliers.
Electrical package
Schematics, panel layout and terminal plans.
Control software
PLC or controller program and HMI screens, with source.
Commissioning report
Test results and sign-off.
Manuals
Operation and maintenance documentation.
Spares list
Recommended spares and wear parts.

Tools

What we work with

Industrial PLCs and our SMZ-F4000 controller
Modbus RTU, RS-485 and CAN networks
Stepper and servo drives
Inductive, laser and thermal sensors
SECS/GEM host interfaces
Touch-panel and PC-based HMIs

Work

Related work

All work

Diamond and gemDesigned in-house

The Diamond Planner machine, designed end to end

A machine that scans a rough diamond in 3D and plans the most valuable stones inside it, using our own gravity-based optimization. We designed all of it: the mechanics, the 6-axis controller board and the software.

Read the case study

AI inside

Medical imagingWhole-slide imaging

A lab microscope turned into an AI slide scanner

We added X, Y and Z axes to a lab microscope so it captures a whole slide tile by tile and stitches it into one image. Our AI software then flags suspected cancer cells, using the settings the doctor or lab technician chooses.

Read the case study