Tesla's third-generation dexterous hand replaced the worm gear scheme with a planetary ball screw.
The transmission device of a dexterous hand can generally be divided into three stages:
(1) First stage: Located on the motor side, mainly consisting of harmonic/planetary reducers and belts, serving to control precision and enhance torque.
(2) Second stage: Mainly uses ball screws or bevel gears, responsible for action execution.
(3) Third stage: Connects the driver and the joint end, mainly using tendon ropes or linkages.
Ball Screws provide precise linear drive, possess the highest load capacity, and are suitable for scenarios like factories. Regarding reducers, Optimus Gen3 adopts planetary reducers (gearboxes) to improve transmission accuracy and enhance torque output capability. In the future, as integration demands increase, the usage of miniature ball screws and miniature reducers will significantly increase.
Ball Screws Empower the Development of Humanoid Robots, Steady Progress in Ball Screw Projects by Domestic and International Companies
Core evolution of ball screw precision transmission technology, significantly enhanced ball screw applications in the humanoid robot field. Before the advent of humanoid robot technology, ball screw devices mainly served as linear drive components in robotic arm systems, responsible for executing sorting operations, material handling, precision assembly, and component placement for electronic components. Their applications widely covered key areas such as the 3C industry, warehouse logistics management systems, and medical equipment.
With the development of humanoid robots, ball screws have become an indispensable core component in building precision mechanical transmission systems due to their excellent performance. Especially in the joint construction and drive systems of humanoid robots, ball screws are extensively used in scenarios requiring extremely high precision and heavy load capacity, attracting widespread and high attention within the industry.
China ball screw companies accelerate technological upgrades and capacity expansion, leading the new track in high-end manufacturing and robotics. In recent years, China ball screw companies have actively laid out ball/roller screw industries, gradually promoting technological upgrades and capacity expansion, entering fields like high-end manufacturing, robotics, and new energy vehicles. Among them: 1) some ball screw products have achieved partial mass production and are expected to become a new profit growth point. 2) Best Precision's high-precision ball/roller screw pair first set successfully rolled off the production line, with some products currently in the verification stage. 3) Some ball screw factories is steadily progressing in projects for automotive ball screws and humanoid robot planetary roller screws, with trial production lines already built. 4) Changsheng Bearing released a private placement plan in 2022, planning to invest 265 million yuan to expand self-lubricating bearing and ball screw capacity, including 30,000 sets of ball screws for the new screw track. 5) Hengli Hydraulic invested 1.5 billion yuan in 2021 to lay out linear drive projects, planning to achieve an annual production capacity of 104,000 planetary roller screw electric cylinders and 100,000 meters of ball screws, now entering the sample delivery and small batch supply stage. As the overall technical level of the industry improves, the competitiveness of domestic companies in the international market will further strengthen.
Schaeffler supports Tesla Optimus, ball screw technological innovation leads a new chapter in smart manufacturing. As a trusted screw supplier for Tesla, Schaeffler plays an important role in the successful manufacturing of Optimus. Schaeffler continues to deepen technological innovation and industrial layout in new energy vehicles, robotics, and high-end manufacturing, focusing intensely on the R&D of ball screws, roller screws, and planetary roller screws. Its strategic layout aims to meet the market's urgent demand for high precision, high load capacity, and compact design. Currently, such high-performance transmission components are widely used in key areas such as steering assist systems and braking systems for new energy vehicles, as well as industrial robots and high-end machine tools. Schaeffler has successfully completed trial production and performance testing of some ball screw products, with the trial production line fully constructed. Simultaneously, samples of planetary roller screw products have entered a strict verification phase, laying the foundation for future large-scale mass production. Furthermore, Schaeffler enhances the R&D efficiency and application effectiveness of screw products by providing advanced online calculation tools and comprehensive digital solutions. These strategic initiatives fully demonstrate Schaeffler's technological advantages and systematic capabilities in the global screw market, providing strong momentum for the rapid development of smart manufacturing and the new energy sector.