--- title: "What Is a Matrix Tray? What Robots Need | Termotray" description: "A matrix tray gives every pocket an exact, repeatable position. See what a robot needs from it: pocket pitch, datum corners, and lot-to-lot repeatability." url: "https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/matrix-trays-for-robots" type: "article" published: "2026-10-22" updated: "2026-10-28" author: "Amilcar Luchesi" --- # Matrix trays: what your robot needs from the tray Pocket pitch, datum corners, repeatability, and part revisions: what a matrix tray needs to work inside a robotic cell. [Automation & Part Revisions](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/category/automation-and-revisions) · 7 min read · Published October 22, 2026 · Updated October 28, 2026 ## Key takeaways - A matrix tray is an indexed, robot-ready tray in which every pocket has an exact, repeatable position, like an address. - Pocket pitch has to be controlled, because small deviations add up and the error shows up at the end of the tray. - Datum corners, dimensional stability, and jam-free stacking position the tray in the cell. - Lot-to-lot repeatability and fast updates when the part is revised keep the cell running. A matrix tray is an indexed, robot-ready tray in which every pocket has an exact, repeatable position, like an address. The robot doesn't look for the part. It goes to the programmed coordinate. That's why, in automation, the tray is part of the machine, even though it's often an afterthought in cell design. Below, we explain what a tray needs to work with robots, pick-and-place, and vision systems, and what to check before you integrate it into your line. ## What is a matrix tray, and why does every part need an address? The name describes the layout: a matrix of rows and columns, like an XY grid. Each pocket corresponds to a coordinate, defined by row and column from an origin point. The robot program stores those coordinates and, on every cycle, moves the gripper to the next address. If the part is where the program expects it, the pick succeeds. If it's out of position, the gripper bumps it, misses it, or knocks it over. In a manual operation, the operator compensates for small differences without even noticing. They see the part, adjust their hand, and keep going. A robot can't do that. Even cells with a vision system work within a limited search window, and a part outside that window stops the cell. That's why, in a [pick-and-place operation](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/glossary#pick-and-place), part position is an input to the machine, not a packaging detail. Matrix trays are a specialized category of [process and automation trays](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/process-automation-trays). They still protect, organize, speed up counting, and simplify transport, but they add one requirement: an exact, repeatable position for every pocket. Laptop boards and SSDs, like the one in the photo, are typical applications. ## Pocket pitch and the error that shows up at the end of the tray Pocket pitch is the distance from the center of one pocket to the center of the next. In a matrix tray, this value is controlled in every direction. A small deviation from one pocket to the next seems irrelevant in the first row, but it stacks up across the tray. By the last row, the cumulative error can be enough to push the part out of the gripper's window. That explains a common complaint in automated cells: the robot picks the first rows cleanly and misses the last ones. Before you recalibrate the robot, take a look at the tray. In thermoforming, plastic shrinks as it cools, and the design has to account for that shrinkage so the tray's actual pitch matches the pitch programmed in the cell. Pocket clearance also matters. With too much clearance, the part settles in a different spot each time, and its center no longer lines up with the center of the pocket. With too little, the part jams during placement or removal. The appropriate clearance depends on the part's tolerances, the type of gripper, and the window your cell accepts. Related solution [Process and automation trays](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/process-automation-trays) Precise part positioning for production lines, robots, and vision systems, including robot-ready matrix trays. ## How the tray locates in the cell: datum corners, vision, and stacking Accurate pitch doesn't help if the whole tray enters the cell out of position. That's why a matrix tray has datum corners, which rest against the station's stops or guides and set the origin point for the coordinates. The rim and corners need to be dimensionally stable, with no warpage that shifts the tray's position from one unit to the next. When the cell uses a vision system, the camera usually locates the tray or the part by contrast and by reference points. Details such as tray color, molded marks, and corner geometry help the camera find the position with less adjustment. These points are defined together with your integrator, based on what the vision system needs to read. In many cells, trays arrive stacked and are separated by an automatic destacker. In that case, the tray has to stack without jamming and destack one at a time, without dragging the tray below it. The same stacking protects the parts in transit, because the tray on top acts as a lid for the one underneath. When needed, the tray can also have its own lid. ## Lot-to-lot repeatability A cell is programmed and tuned with trays from the first lot. If the next lot comes out with a slightly different pitch or slightly different corners, the robot starts missing, and maintenance wastes time chasing the problem in the wrong place. In automation, tray repeatability matters as much as first-article accuracy. Termotray uses in-house tooling, which keeps the same fit lot after lot. On reorders, the new tray has to work in the cell exactly like the one already in use, with no program adjustments. When you compare suppliers, ask how they maintain that repeatability over time. ## What happens when the part is revised In electronics, revisions are frequent. One extra component, a relocated connector, or a height change is all it takes for the board to stop seating properly in the pocket, and the robot starts picking the part out of position. In [electronics manufacturing](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/industries/electronics), the tray has to keep pace with these changes. When the part changes, the tray design is updated from the existing file, without starting a new project. When the new geometry allows it, the pitch and datum corners from the previous version can be kept, so the cell runs the same program and only the pocket is adapted to the new geometry. That reduces changeover time and the risk of downtime. If the part is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD), a matrix tray can be made of conductive or static dissipative material. The ESD class is chosen for what the component needs, as we explain on our [ESD trays](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/esd-trays) page, and it doesn't change the positioning requirements described in this article. ## Checklist before you integrate the tray into the cell A matrix tray works best when it's designed into the cell from the start, along with the gripper, the station, and the vision system. Before you request a quote, gather the information listed below. It lets our engineering team design a custom tray that already fits your automation. - Part drawing or 3D CAD file, with tolerances on the key dimensions. - Gripper or suction cup type and the planned pick point on the part. - The position window the cell accepts, and whether there's a vision system. - How the tray enters the cell: stops, guides, a stacker/destacker, or manual loading. - Maximum tray and stack dimensions at the station. - ESD protection needs and the tray's expected use cycle. - How often the part is revised. If operators also handle the same part at another stage, the pocket can combine exact positioning with [poka-yoke (error-proofing) features](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/poka-yoke-tray-design), so the part only goes in the orientation the robot expects. Once you have this information, you can [request a quote](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote) and send us your part details and the cell drawing for review. In the photos and examples in this article, quantities per tray are for illustration only. Pitch, clearance, and reference points are defined for each part and each cell. ## Frequently asked questions ### Will any tray work for pick-and-place? Not every tray works for pick-and-place. It isn't enough for the part to fit in the pocket. A pick-and-place tray needs controlled pocket pitch, calculated clearance, datum corners, and dimensional stability, and it has to repeat those characteristics in every lot. An ordinary tray can work in a manual operation and still fail in a robotic cell. ### What does the integrator need from the tray supplier? The integrator typically needs the tray's 3D model with the pocket coordinates, the origin and datum corners, the stacking height, and the agreed tolerances. With that data, the integrator can program the robot and design the station before the first trays arrive. ### Can a matrix tray have ESD protection? Yes. A matrix tray can be made of conductive or static dissipative material, depending on what the component needs. The ESD class is chosen for the application and doesn't change the pitch, datum, and repeatability requirements. ### What if my cell has tight tolerances? If your cell has tight tolerances, tell us the position window it accepts right at the start. Our engineering team evaluates the part, the clearance, and the pitch against that value, and the prototype and pilot run are tested in your own cell before the production mold is released. Author · **Amilcar Luchesi** · Technical Director ## Related reading [Poka-yoke trays: the part only fits one way](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/poka-yoke-tray-design) [From drawing to production: lead times, prototypes, and tooling](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/tray-development-lead-times) [Trays for electronics](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/industries/electronics) ## Send your part and cell drawings to our engineering team [Request a Quote](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote) --- Termotray is a Brazilian manufacturer of custom thermoformed trays for auto parts, electronics, and sensitive components, based in Guararema, São Paulo. - Request a Quote: https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote - Site index for AI agents: https://www.termotray.com.br/llms.txt - Instructions for AI agents: https://www.termotray.com.br/agents.md