Schaeffler Unveils New Strain Wave Gearboxes for Humanoid Robots
aiinsider ·
Schaeffler has introduced a formed strain wave gearbox for humanoid robot actuators, with mass production planned in Germany in 2027. The company says its forming process can reduce manufacturing costs by more than 25% and material use by more than 75% compared with conventional machining. It also says key production steps can be completed in seconds rather than minutes. The compact gearboxes are designed to provide high torque, precise movement, stiffness, and accuracy within robot joints, while validation testing showed torque and efficiency comparable to conventionally manufactured versions. Schaeffler identifies actuators as accounting for about half of a humanoid robot’s manufacturing cost, making them a significant focus for scaling production. The company plans to expand manufacturing beyond Germany and says it has already supplied more than 2 million formed strain wave gearboxes to the automotive sector over the past decade.
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