CNC Meets Robotics: Sinumerik-Controlled Robot Integration for Aerospace Machining
How CSI replaced an underperforming industrial robot with a Sinumerik CNC-controlled Comau system — delivering the positional accuracy of a machine tool with the flexibility of a 6-axis robot for aerospace R&D machining.
Industry
Aerospace
Service
Full System Design & Integration
Platform
Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl
Axes
9 (6 robot + spindle + 2 table)
An aerospace manufacturer needed a flexible machining cell for R&D work on aerospace components — milling and drilling operations where the geometry and toolpaths change frequently. The customer originally deployed a Kuka robot for the application, but the robot couldn’t achieve the positional accuracy required for aerospace-grade machining. A standard CNC machine tool would deliver the accuracy, but lacked the reach and flexibility of a robotic arm. The solution was to bring a Comau NJ650 industrial robot under Sinumerik CNC control — combining the flexibility and workspace of a 6-axis robot with the accuracy and repeatability of a CNC controller, while implementing Safety Integrated Plus for safe operation across all nine axes.
CSI delivered the complete controls package — electrical engineering, panel design and build, PLC and NC programming, Run My Robot configuration, drive commissioning, and safety implementation — housed in a new double-door Hammond cabinet with AC cooling.
The system is built on a Sinumerik 840D sl controlling Sinamics S120 drives for all robot axes, spindle, and table motions. CSI configured the Run My Robot software package for the Comau NJ650’s kinematic transformations, then developed the full NC programming layer including axis commissioning, positioning, referencing, drive tuning, M-code implementation, and fast I/O configuration. The PLC was programmed in TIA Portal using structured LAD logic with a fully documented memory database for NC/PLC data exchange.
Safety Integrated Plus protects all axes through the S120 drives, with E-stop triggering STO and Stop A/B, a gate switch activating Safe Operating Stop, and the HT8 handheld enabling switch allowing Safe Limited Speed for setup and recovery with the gate open. An ET200sp I/O rack handles all auxiliary digital and safety I/O over PROFINET.
CSI also produced the complete EPLAN electrical drawing package and managed ESA inspection of the finished panel.
CSI managed the project as a turnkey delivery, with commissioning split between their Burlington facility and the customer’s site in Montreal. At CSI, the team powered on the panel and systematically tested all CNC axes for motion, positioning, referencing, and tuning, validated PLC auxiliary sequences and M-codes, tested robot positioning and safety recovery procedures, and verified alarm and interlock behavior. A one-day factory acceptance test followed at CSI’s office, after which the system was shipped to site for final commissioning.
The project delivered a fully unified control platform where a single Sinumerik 840D sl manages all nine axes of a robot machining cell — giving operators standard CNC workflows for programming and operation while handling the complex kinematics of a large articulated robot behind the scenes.
Controlled axes
Unified control platform
Safety Integrated Plus
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