Designing a robot is not just about defining its outward appearance. It involves making critical decisions about how the robot will move, how powerful and precise that movement needs to be, and whether it can maintain stable performance across a range of environments.
At BonSystems, we specialize in custom development services centered around cycloidal gear based Robot Gearboxs. From initial design to production and final delivery, we provide full cycle support tailored to the customer’s application and operating conditions.
This kind of tailored actuator development goes far beyond simple component manufacturing. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the robotic system performs reliably in real world conditions. In fact, companies across various industries regularly approach us with inquiries for Robot Gearbox design.
In this content, we will explore why custom designed Robot Gearboxs are essential and how BonSystems defines and delivers motion with precision through its development process.
1. Every Design Begins with a Question
“What will this product be used for?”
“What specifications are required for this application?”
These are the questions that mark the beginning of every project at BonSystems. The gearbox is a core component for transmitting power in robotic systems. Depending on the environment and the intended function, the design direction can change entirely. Factors such as size, reduction ratio, output torque, load capacity, durability, and backdrivability are all determined based on these initial inputs.
At BonSystems, we don’t make customers adapt to pre made products. We design new gearboxes tailored to the customer’s specific goals. This is the essence of our differentiated engineering capability: customized design at its core.
2. Our Chosen Solution: The Cycloidal Gearbox
At the heart of our gearbox design lies the cycloidal gear structure. This mechanism offers a structural advantage by combining high output torque with exceptional durability. That makes it ideal for robotic joints operating in tight spaces and for industrial robots that perform heavy duty repetitive tasks.
We custom design every element, from reduction ratio and backdrivability to output torque and bracket configuration, based on the robot’s purpose and operating environment. This is not just about adjusting dimensions or modifying the outer form. It is about helping maximize the reliability and performance of the robot in real world conditions.
Cycloidal gearboxes offer flexibility in reduction ratios even within the same compact size. Because they operate on a rolling motion rather than sliding, they experience less wear, ensuring long lasting performance. Their mechanical reliability allows them to withstand repetitive motion and extended operation, making them especially suited for demanding environments.
In particular, industries involving AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots), lift systems, and heavy load transport equipment require both repetitive motion capability and the ability to handle high loads. In these demanding conditions, the structural advantages of cycloidal gearboxes offer significant real world benefits.
BonSystems holds multiple proprietary patents related to cycloidal gearbox technology. Every gearbox we provide to customers today incorporates these in house innovations, ensuring high performance, durability, and application specific reliability.
3. We Design Motion
A Robot Gearbox is not just a mechanical device for reducing motor speed and converting torque. It is a critical system that defines how a robot moves. Within it lie numerous design considerations that determine the behavior, performance, and reliability of robotic motion.
For a robot to function as intended, the motor’s rotation must be delivered precisely through the Robot Gearbox to the legs, arms, or other components. This movement must repeat hundreds or thousands of times without deviation, consistently following the intended path with unwavering accuracy. Such motion integrity is only possible through structural excellence, precision engineering, and thorough testing and refinement.
Through this comprehensive process, the Robot Gearbox becomes the mechanism that brings motion to life within the robot. And this can never be achieved with blueprints alone. Repetitive testing in real operating conditions, iterative tuning, and feedback based improvements are all essential steps. At BonSystems, we view the delivery of a product not as the end, but as the beginning of our responsibility.
Once a prototype is applied, the validation process can last from three months to over a year. During this time, we assess performance under actual load conditions, driving patterns, and environmental stress, ensuring durability, responsiveness, and long term stability. If any unexpected issues arise, we do not treat them as simple errors. Instead, we reanalyze the Robot Gearbox’s role within the customer’s system, make design adjustments or precise refinements, and quickly apply improvements.
At BonSystems, we don’t just sell Robot Gearboxs. We co engineer our customers’ products. We see ourselves not as suppliers, but as development partners who help complete the customer’s robotic system. By working together to raise the level of technical excellence, every shared experience becomes a stepping stone for future success. This is how we develop Robot Gearboxs and why we are committed to doing so.
4. Application Case: AMP (Alternative Maritime Power)
AMP, or Alternative Maritime Power, is a system that allows ships to use electricity while docked at port without running their engines. In simple terms, it acts like a “marine power outlet,” enabling essential onboard systems—such as lighting, refrigeration, and pumps—to continue operating without engine power.
At the heart of an AMP system is a large spool drum that winds and unwinds a heavy duty power cable. This drum is designed to handle cables up to 55 meters in length, ensuring the cable is deployed and retracted smoothly and at a controlled speed.
The component that drives this drum is the driving unit, which combines a motor and a gearbox. Within this unit, BonSystems’ cycloidal gearbox plays a crucial role by precisely controlling rotational speed and reliably transmitting torque. To meet the client’s specific requirements, the gearbox was custom designed, from the selection of the reduction ratio to the final production and integration.
5. Application Case: Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)
An AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is an unmanned transport robot used in industrial settings such as factories and warehouses to move goods automatically. Operating along predetermined paths without human intervention, AGVs are recognized as a key technology in smart logistics—enhancing efficiency and reducing labor costs.
One of the most critical components of an AGV is its drive system, which includes the motor and the gearbox. The gearbox converts the high speed rotation of the motor into the appropriate speed and torque required by the wheels. As such, the structure and performance of this drive unit are directly linked to the AGV’s overall operational stability.
The client who approached us had been using traditional geared motors in their AGV designs. However, that configuration—where the motor and gearbox are connected in a long, linear arrangement—took up substantial internal space.
To solve this problem, BonSystems introduced a compact drive system based on a cycloidal gearbox. This approach significantly reduced the total length of the motor gearbox assembly by approximately 70%, allowing for a more space efficient and streamlined AGV design.
6. Robot Gearbox Development Process
At BonSystems, we don’t simply recommend a standard product. Instead, we collaborate with customers from the very beginning to define the right design direction based on their specific goals. Our development process starts with a detailed consultation to understand the characteristics of the system or equipment in which the gearbox will be applied.
For example, the design approach varies greatly depending on whether the gearbox is used in a robotic joint, in a low profile compact system like an AGV, or in heavy duty lift applications that involve repetitive high load operations. We assess a wide range of parameters such as the required reduction ratio, output torque, motor specifications, spatial constraints, operating temperature, and vibration conditions to fully understand the customer’s environment before moving into the design phase.
During design, we build upon our proprietary cycloidal gearbox architecture to determine the optimal gear ratio and torque output. We also consider mechanical layout and the direction of the drive shaft to ensure seamless integration into the final system.
Once the initial design is complete, we create a 3D model to visualize the actual product and fine tune the specifications in collaboration with the customer. At this stage, we carefully check for potential interference with surrounding components, assembly orientation, cable routing, and other practical factors critical to real world use.
After specifications are confirmed, we proceed with part fabrication and assembly. Every finished unit undergoes rigorous in house testing including backlash measurement, noise evaluation, and other performance inspections using our dedicated testing equipment. Only gearboxes that pass all quality checks are approved for delivery.
Even after the product has been delivered, we continue to verify its real world application in the customer’s system. If any issues arise during operation or if further improvements are needed, we revisit the design to make timely adjustments. At BonSystems, we believe our responsibility doesn’t end with delivery. We are committed to ensuring our gearboxes perform flawlessly in the field.
7. We Propose the Ideal Robot Gearbox for Your System
Through this content, we’ve shared why BonSystems custom designs robot gearboxes and how our philosophy and development process enable us to deliver optimized solutions for each client. From design and fabrication to quality testing and real world implementation, we are more than just a component manufacturer—we are your partner in engineering precise and reliable motion.
Our customization service is not about outsourcing or assembling off the shelf solutions. It is built on our proprietary core technologies, developed in house. This integration of innovation and manufacturing capability is what sets BonSystems apart.
We are committed to being your most trusted technical partner—one who truly understands your motion needs. If you are planning a project that requires robot gearbox design or customization, reach out to us today. We will listen to your objectives, evaluate technical feasibility, and guide you toward the most effective and practical solution.
Contact us now for a consultation or a technical proposal. Let’s bring your robotic system to life together.
