Trio Motion-PLC
Image Credit: 40% OPACITY
Product Design . Mechanical Engineering . Prototyping . Design For Manufacture
A Paradigm Shift in the World of Motion & Factory Automation
Trio Motion Technology commissioned Smallfry to design and engineer its latest landmark product: the Motion-PLC. Packed with new features and technology, the product range delivers Trio’s advanced motion control performance with the functionality and simplicity of a PLC.
From industrial design to mechanical engineering, Smallfry worked closely with Trio to ensure the product excelled in performance, aesthetics, usability, and manufacturability, while navigating a busy IP landscape and conforming to tight dimensional constraints.
A modular front-loading slice expansion system enables engineers to easily swap out and expand modules as needed. To achieve this, we developed a new BUS electrical connector, integrated into the Trio red striped side panel, creating a repeating colour accent visible across the front when installed together, and guided by tightly controlled sliding rails.
These efforts resulted in a compact product range with a distinctive Visual Brand Language that maximises convenience and performance while minimising production costs.
Distinct Visual Brand Language
A key technical challenge of the project was fitting so many features into a compact package while developing a distinct, cohesive, and flexible visual brand language for Trio’s products.
The enclosure uses simple monolithic form with rounded corners, calculated dot-pattern venting, and timeless texture detailing to give a precise yet robust feel. The design capitalises on Trio’s red to accentuate the side panel, the product’s unique standout feature, which when mounted in series, creates an eye-catching repeated colour accent from the front.
Together, these elements make up the visual brand language of the new range – ultimately resulting in an ecosystem of products that is distinctly Trio.
Compact & Powerful
Trio’s next generation of precision motion controllers offers greater performance whilst achieving a 60% reduction in size in comparison to other products, solidifying its competitive presence in the market.
To achieve such a compact yet powerful package, we worked closely with Trio’s electronics team while engineering the casing to maximise PCB footprint without compromising structural integrity, appearance, and product features.
A Modular & Adaptable System
A defining feature of the product range is the incorporation of a modular front-loading slice expansion system. This enables users to tailor system configurations to their needs, while also providing the flexibility to expand and service modules up to 16 I/Os.
Achieving this required a total rethink of the entire approach. We developed a new BUS electrical connector, integrated into the striped side panel, that enables modules to instantly connect when installed together guided by the tightly controlled sliding rails. The final piece of the puzzle was the development of a custom DIN rail latch, designed to reliably lock and unlock products in place.
Mechanical Engineering To Create New IP
To create a modular front-loading slice expansion system, Smallfry engineered a new locking latch mechanism, actuated by a single motion that would work in conjunction with the sliding rail system to provide a strong lock to the DIN rail. The challenge lay in delivering a robust solution that could operate within tight dimensional constraints, with a minimal part count across the entire product range, all whilst navigating a busy IP landscape.
To achieve this, the latch was engineered with a compliant mechanism that enables it to actuate on both sides of the DIN rail, translating upward motion into downward. Using 3D CAD and in-house rapid prototyping, our team produced parts that simulated injection-moulded components without the need for upfront tooling investment. This enabled us to quickly explore, evaluate, and refine a range of ideas to hone in on the final solution, ready for tooling release.
Reducing Environmental Impact & Cost
A strategic approach was critical to simplifying product construction without compromising performance or usability. Our design and engineering teams reduced the number of parts and utilised shared tooling and components where possible. This ultimately enabled Trio to:
- Reduce environmental impact
- Save on tooling and reduce overall production costs
- Take advantage of economies of scale
- Improve production quality and consistency
Design Through To Mass Production
Smallfry worked with Trio to design and engineer the product from concept though to production. Our hands-on approach, utilising our in-house prototyping capability, ensured that every detail was captured and tested along the way.
Moving into production, Smallfry created a complete 3D and 2D data pack ready for injection moulding. Once parts had been tooled, our engineers worked alongside the manufacturers to review off-tool samples, identify issues as they arose, and ensure that any tooling adjustments targeted the root cause of those issues.
Taking this proactive approach has ensured that Trio maintains control of its production.
Visualisation To Deliver Impact At Launch
Smallfry was the obvious choice to create marketing visuals and media to support Trio’s product launch and effectively communicate the new range.
To achieve this, we created a digital replica of the new product range, enabling the quick and easy production of high-quality, on-demand marketing content.
Other benefits include:
- Fast turnaround
- Scalable images across different platforms
- Animation
- A consistent visual aesthetic
- The ability to create impossible shots
- Varied lighting scenarios
- No need for reshoots
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