Modernizing a Defense Industry CNC Machine with Advanced Controls and Safety

July 9, 2026  •  3 min read

Industry: Defense / Aerospace  |  Application: CNC Controls Retrofit & Safety Upgrade  |  Location: Ontario, Canada

The machine was running on a locked proprietary control system with no OEM support and safety measures that no longer met Ontario regulatory requirements.

A Tier 1 defense industry supplier in Ontario specializes in precision machining of composite components for aerospace applications. Their facility runs a range of legacy 5-axis CNC machines used to machine carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and other advanced composite materials.

One critical 5-axis gantry CNC machine, used for trimming and drilling composite fuselage panels, had reached a breaking point. The control system was proprietary and fully locked down, with no OEM support remaining. It was incompatible with modern digital workflows including CAM integration and real-time part probing. Safety measures were outdated, with non-rated door interlocks and unguarded tool zones that posed compliance risks under Ontario Regulation 851.

The risk of safety-related shutdowns and mounting maintenance delays was threatening production timelines for active defense contracts.

The machine was retrofitted with the Yaskawa Compass open-architecture motion control platform, replacing the locked proprietary system with a modern, maintainable foundation:

• Yaskawa Sigma-7 servo motors and drives for precise multi-axis control
• IEC 61131-compliant PLC for motion, logic, and I/O handling
• Custom HMI tailored to composite-specific operations, including feedrate control based on material layup
• Ethernet/IP networking for seamless CAM post-processing integration

Composite machining introduces hazards that standard machine safety programs often underestimate: fine airborne particles from dry machining, tool breakage from fibre delamination, and unexpected gantry movement during maintenance. The safety system was rebuilt to meet current CSA and ISO standards.

A Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSHSR) was required under Ontario Regulation 851 due to the significant modifications made to the controls and guarding system. A risk assessment was conducted under ISO 12100, with specific attention to inhalation hazards, sharp tool breakage, and uncontrolled gantry movement.

Safety upgrades included:

• Category 3/PLd-rated door interlocks and emergency stops
• Area scanners to detect technician presence near the trimming zone
• Safety-rated Safe Torque Off (STO) functionality through Yaskawa drives
• Automatic dust extraction interlocked with machine operation

A licensed P.Eng conducted and signed off the PSHSR, verifying compliance with:

• CSA Z432 (Safeguarding of Machinery)
• ISO 13849-1 (Functional Safety of Control Systems)
• Ontario Regulation 851 under the OHSA

• Improved Safety: The machine is now compliant with Ontario machine safety regulations, with composite-specific risks mitigated through hardware and procedural controls
• Modern Integration: Full CAM-to-machine communication via the Compass platform improved part throughput and machining precision
• Operational Resilience: Vendor lock-in was eliminated, enabling the internal maintenance team to handle diagnostics and updates independently

Safety compliance in Ontario is not just a checkbox. For defense suppliers, it is a contractual and operational necessity.

For aerospace and defense manufacturers working with composites, modernizing CNC machines requires more than a controls swap. It requires an honest assessment of composite-specific hazards, a compliant safety upgrade, and a documented PSHSR process that holds up to regulatory scrutiny.

When those elements come together, the result is a machine that performs better, is safer to operate, and no longer creates liability for the facility or its defense customers.