Motion Technology Company Schaeffler has received the Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform designed for humanoid robots. The award was presented during the official opening ceremony of Hannover Messe on April 19 by Dorothee Bar, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space, in the presence of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. An independent jury chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, selected Schaeffler from among three nominees, recognizing the platform's high level of innovation and significant industrial benefits.
The actuator platform, which integrates electric motors, power electronics, and encoders, is specifically developed for humanoid robot joints. According to Schaeffler, actuators account for about 50 percent of total humanoid costs, making them a critical factor in competitiveness. The company aims to begin series production of components as early as 2026, leveraging its experience as an automotive and industrial supplier to offer cost-effective, scalable solutions. The platform includes rotary actuators for precise movements in shoulders, elbows, and knees, enabling natural motion sequences.
Schaeffler's design incorporates an innovative architecture where the bearing is integrated into the rotor, reducing installation footprint by about 20 percent and weight by up to 500 grams. This results in a design that is up to 10 mm more compact than other solutions while delivering high continuous torque. The platform can be configured with two-stage planetary or strain wave gears based on customer requirements. The company relies on its 12 core manufacturing technologies, including highly automated winding technology and chipless metal forming for roller bearing rings just 1 mm thick.
Georg F. W. Schaeffler, family shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, stated, "With our highly integrated actuator platform, we are setting new benchmarks in this growth area by combining our decades-long technology expertise with our excellent track record in industrialization." CEO Klaus Rosenfeld added, "There’s barely any other technology at Schaeffler that illustrates more effectively the immense potential behind this concept than actuator technology, which enables energy to be converted into mechanical motion."
The award highlights the integration of mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence, a focus of this year's Hermes Award. Schaeffler will showcase the actuator platform and other innovative components at Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24 at Booth E60 in Hall 13. More information is available at Schaeffler's website.
The Hermes Award win positions Schaeffler as a key component supplier in the humanoid robotics segment, potentially accelerating the adoption of humanoid robots in industrial applications by reducing costs and improving performance.
