A humanoid robot uses many joints to move in a form similar to a human. Lifting an arm, turning a wrist, bending a leg, and maintaining balance all require a drive unit that moves each joint. This drive unit applies a reducer that adjusts the motor’s rotation and force, and an actuator that combines the reducer and motor into a single structure. For this reason, when robot mass production expands, the demand for humanoid robot components is likely to increase together.
Beyond simply meaning that more components are used, criteria to consider in the finished-product development process, such as a thin, compact structure, stable power transmission, ease of assembly, and supply stability, also become more important. This article looks at the structure of the joint components needed for a single robot, the changes that mass-production expansion will bring to the component market, and how the Bonsystems BSR and BCSA lineups connect with this.
Table of Contents
The Structure of Humanoid Robot Component Demand
Key Summary — Joint components differ depending on what movement the robot must realize. To move arms, bend knees, and maintain body balance like a person, many joints must move separately yet work organically within the overall motion.
Joint components differ depending on what movement the robot must realize. To move arms, bend knees, and maintain body balance like a person, many joints must move separately yet work organically with one another within the overall motion.
A humanoid is a structure that needs more drive units than a general automation device or a single-axis device. As the number of joints increases, not only the performance of individual components but also how to arrange components within the robot, how to reduce weight, and how easily assembly and maintenance can be done all become important together.
However, the specific quantity of humanoid robot components, such as actuators, built into a single unit differs depending on each manufacturer’s design approach, target motion, and application field. Rather than asserting a specific figure, it is therefore appropriate to understand it centered on the point that a robot is a structure that needs many joint drive units.
The Impact of Mass-Production Expansion on the Humanoid Robot Component Market
Key Summary — As robot development moves from the prototype stage to considering mass production, the structure and specification of drive units become elements to review together from the early stage of finished-product design.
As robot development moves past the prototype stage to the stage of considering mass production, the structure and specification of drive units such as actuators affect the robot’s profile, weight, range of motion, and assembly method, so they become elements to review together from the early stage of finished-product design.
In addition, because many drive units go into a single robot, whether the needed components can be stably secured also matters. Finished-product companies inevitably look together not only at component specifications but also at supply availability, responsiveness to design changes, and a structure that considers repeated production.
This change is also a new opportunity for actuator companies. The role of adjusting the design together in line with the robot’s joint structure and purpose of use, proposing modular drive units, and even discussing structural improvements that consider productivity can become more important.
The Direction Actuator Demand Is Heading
Key Summary — Humanoid joints do not have generous space. The drive unit must fit within long, narrow structures such as arms and legs, so a thin, compact structure becomes an important criterion for reducers and actuators.
Humanoid joints do not have generous space. The drive unit must fit within long, narrow structures such as arms and legs, and if a component becomes larger, it can affect the robot’s profile, weight, and movement. Reducers and actuators therefore make a thin, compact structure an important criterion.
For an actuator, the convenience of joint design can differ depending on how the motor, reducer, and control elements are combined. Especially in robot development where many joints must be handled at the same time, configuring the drive unit in a modular form can act more advantageously than combining components one by one.
This requirement also connects with cycloidal-reducer-based technology. The cycloidal reduction structure can distribute and transmit loads based on surface contact, and it is an approach that can be used in the robot joint field where repeated motion and load changes are frequent. When a design that reduces the component composition and makes the overall package compact is added to this, it can lead to a drive solution applicable to humanoid joints and automation equipment.
The Bonsystems Lineup and Humanoid Robot Component Demand
Key Summary — Bonsystems develops drive solutions applicable to robot joints and automation equipment based on cycloidal reducer and actuator technology, with the BSR component lineup and the BCSA actuator lineup at the center.
Bonsystems develops drive solutions applicable to robot joints and automation equipment based on cycloidal reducer and actuator technology. The BSR is a component-level lineup based on cycloidal reducers, and the BCSA is an actuator-form drive solution that combines a frameless motor and reducer in a thin, compact structure.
The main technical characteristics of Bonsystems lie in strong power transmission based on a cycloidal reduction structure, a compact package, a Pinless structure, and a design direction that reduces the part count. The Pinless structure aims to reduce some of the coupling elements once needed in conventional pin configurations and configure the reducer’s internal structure more simply. When the component composition becomes simpler, it becomes easier to design the drive unit within a confined space and can help reduce the burden in terms of assembly and maintenance.
Humanoid robot components are a field that must consider a confined space, repeated motion, load changes, and ease of assembly together. Under these conditions, the BSR and BCSA are lineups whose use can be examined at the component level and the actuator level, respectively. Especially in fields where the size of the drive unit and the power-transmission structure matter, such as robot joints, autonomous mobile robots, and automation equipment, the application direction can be discussed to suit the design conditions.
As robot mass production proceeds, the demand for reducers and actuators is likely to become more concrete. Based on cycloidal-reducer-based technology and actuator development capability, Bonsystems proposes the drive solutions needed for robot joints and automation equipment. Detailed application fields and collaboration directions can be confirmed through the Bonsystems official channels and technical consultation.
F.A.Q
Q: Does a single humanoid need many reducers and actuators?
A: It is a structure where many joints move together, such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Each joint can apply a reducer or actuator for power transmission and motion realization, so many joint drive units are needed within a single unit. The specific quantity differs depending on the robot’s design approach and application purpose.
Q: What changes occur in the component market when human-form robot mass production expands?
A: As it moves to the mass-production stage, the demand for reducers and actuators can increase together. Especially because many drive units go into a single unit, the stable supply of components, responsiveness to design changes, and ease of assembly can become more important.
Q: What are the important conditions for humanoid robot components?
A: Because the drive unit must be arranged within a confined joint space, a thin, compact structure matters. At the same time, a stable power-transmission structure that can withstand repeated motion and load changes, and a component composition that considers assembly and maintenance, must be examined together.
Q: What opportunities are there for domestic reducer and actuator companies?
A: As component demand increases, finished-product companies are likely to look at various component supply sources and technology partners. Domestic companies with independent design technology, rights-secured technology assets, and customization responsiveness can create opportunities in robot joint component discussions.
Q: In which fields can the Bonsystems BSR and BCSA be used?
A: The BSR is a component-level lineup based on cycloidal reducers, and the BCSA is an actuator-form drive solution that combines a frameless motor and reducer in a thin, compact structure. The two lineups can be examined for use in fields that need stable power transmission within a confined space, such as robot joints, autonomous mobile robots, and automation equipment.
