7 segments · 137 companies · as of Sep 18, 2026
Robot Supply Chain
The motion, sensing and power hardware inside increasingly capable robots
Where it sits
Fed by: Models & Platforms
Reducers, screws, motors, hands and sensors turn robot software into controlled physical movement. Industrial robots already buy these parts at scale; humanoids add many joints and tactile channels, but qualification and production yields matter more than concept-stock narratives.
Why now
Suppliers are sampling new humanoid joints, screws and hands in 2026 while established automation pays most bills. Confirmed design wins remain scarce, making customer disclosure, pilot volumes and existing product revenue essential distinctions.
Precision Reducers
Strain-wave, cycloidal and planetary reducers trade motor speed for precise joint torque. Established industrial-robot demand supports incumbents; humanoid joints add designs but rarely come with publicly named customer awards.
HarmonicDrive strain-wave reducers and compact gearheads provide precision motion at robot joints
leaderRV cycloidal reducers serve medium and large industrial-robot joints with high rigidity
leaderStrain-wave reducers and integrated rotary actuators serve industrial and emerging humanoid joints
challengerHuandong RV and harmonic reducers address industrial joints; a named humanoid-program award is not established
challengerKSH/SH precision and KSR/SR low-backlash reducers provide Korean alternatives for robot joints
challengerROBO Drive strain-wave reducers and precision bearings support Korean robot and automation programs
challengerCone Drive harmonic, SPINEA cycloidal and CGI precision gearing address robot and medical motion
majorFLEXWAVE reducers and Smart-FLEXWAVE torque-sensing gear units target robot joints and cobots
majorFine Cyclo zero-backlash reducers supply high-precision industrial robot joint drives
majorZDE/ZDF/ZDS precision reducers and gearmotors supply automation; no named humanoid customer is confirmed
challengerPrecision planetary gearboxes and rack-and-pinion products serve servo-driven automation axes
majorRV and HS precision reducers target industrial, collaborative and wearable robot applications
nichealpha planetary gearboxes and Galaxie zero-backlash drives support precision robot and automation axes
majorPS.F low-backlash planetary servo gearboxes provide torque multiplication for automated handling axes
majorHarmonic reducers and integrated joint modules supply cobot and humanoid builders after the June Hong Kong IPO
challengerDHSG harmonic reducers complement precision spindles for light-payload robot joints
challenger
Sources: hds.co.jp, nabtesco.com, timken.com, twse.com.tw, tradingview.com, wittenstein-group.com
Screws & Joint Actuators
Ball and roller screws convert rotation into linear force, while joint modules integrate motors, gears and sensing. Grinding precision and qualified production constrain supply; automotive suppliers are mostly in sampling or early ramps.
LM guides and precision ball screws provide established linear motion for automation and robot mechanisms
leaderBall screws, linear guides and integrated motion products address robot axes and end-effectors
majorPrecision ball screws and bearings support robot linear motion and actuator development
majorEwellix linear motion and rotary actuators; Hexagon explicitly confirms AEON actuator supply
majorPlanetary and inverted roller screws provide compact high-load motion for robot arms and exoskeletons
nicheExlar integrated roller-screw electric cylinders provide high-force industrial actuation
nicheDYNAMIXEL smart actuators integrate motors, gearing, encoders and control for robot joints
majorActuator supply agreement for Boston Dynamics Atlas; development precedes a broader production ramp
emergingRotary and linear robot actuator lineup enters verification and pilot production in 2026
emergingBiomimetic electromechanical actuators enter batch delivery and line ramp-up; customers remain undisclosed
emergingLinear actuators, rotary joints and dexterous-hand motors reached small-batch delivery in its 2026 interim filing
emergingRoller and ball screws, nuts and rollers remain in customer development; robot sales are immaterial
emergingRoller-screw samples generate immaterial revenue; production qualification and customer identities remain undisclosed
emergingRobot-screw components and precision bearings expand from existing machining; new capacity is still being built
emergingIPA planetary roller-screw electric cylinders provide industrial linear actuation; humanoid design wins are unverified
emergingPrecision ball screws and bidirectional actuators target compact robot hands and linear motion
nicheBall screws, ball splines and single-axis actuators provide precision motion for robot mechanisms
challengerSK-series internal and external thread grinders machine the screws and nuts used in precision actuation
nicheHC-series precision thread grinders supply the manufacturing step behind roller and ball screws
nicheReported Leaderdrive venture targets robot-joint transmission components; operation is planned for end-2026
emerging
Sources: thk.com, schaeffler.com, bostondynamics.com, static.cninfo.com.cn, dataclouds.cninfo.com.cn, skf.com
Motors & Servo Drives
Servo drives and motors control torque and speed, while frameless and coreless designs fit compact joints and fingers. Heat, torque density, feedback quality and manufacturability determine the design choice.
Sigma-X motors and SERVOPACK drives provide precise multi-axis motion for automated machinery
leaderMELSERVO-J5 servo amplifiers and motors provide synchronized robot and factory-machine motion
majorSV-series servo drives and motors support domestic robot builders and factory-motion systems
majorKollmorgen TBM2G frameless motors and Portescap miniature motors address robot joints and hands
majorEC frameless and miniature motors drive robot joints; customized drives are disclosed for ANYbotics ANYmal
majorCoreless DC and slotless brushless microdrives fit humanoid hands and small robotic axes
majorElectroFlux and other frameless torque motors support integrated robotic joints and precision automation
challengerSilencer frameless brushless motors provide compact direct-drive actuation for precision robot mechanisms
nicheASDA servo drives and frameless torque motors support robot axes and machine automation
majorECH11017 slotless motor, encoder and gearbox assemblies target dexterous fingers; robot customer names remain undisclosed
challengerCoreless micro-motors and miniature transmissions reach robot-hand sampling; named humanoid customers are unverified
emergingFrameless torque motors and iFMH integrated joint modules target cobots and humanoid platforms
challenger48V ARES frameless motors target robot joints, AGVs and AMRs with integrated servo options
challengerIntegrated robot joint modules combine motor, controller and reducer; robotics is an early business
emergingK-series frameless motor kits integrate into compact servo axes and custom robotic motion systems
majorRexroth ctrlX DRIVE and MS2N servo motors provide scalable multi-axis robot and machine motion control
majorPrecision miniature and frameless motors target robot fingers and joints alongside established industrial motion
majorFrameless torque motors and integrated rotary/linear joint actuators target humanoid and service robots
challengerSANMOTION G servo systems synchronize robot axes and support Universal Robots MotionPlus integration
majorAZ closed-loop stepper motors with absolute encoders drive every axis of its compact OVR robots
majorFM2 frameless motors and integrated joint modules address cobots, humanoids and industrial motion
challengerAlpha i and Beta i servo motors provide position-controlled motion for robot cells and CNC automation axes
majorAC/DC servo motors and geared servo modules supply controlled motion for robot joints and automation
majorProNet Plus drives and EM3 servo motors combine with TRIO controllers for synchronized factory motion
major
Sources: yaskawa.com, kollmorgen.com, maxongroup.com, higenrnm.com, samhyun.co.kr, orientalmotor.com
Dexterous Hands & Tactile Skin
Hands combine compact actuation with touch feedback to handle varied objects and tools. Independent finger control, durability and useful tactile data matter more than raw joint count or unsourced humanoid customer lists.
SVH five-finger servo hand complements industrial grippers and standardized robot end-of-arm tooling
leaderDexterous Hand and DEX-EE research hands; DEX-EE was developed with Google DeepMind
majorRH56 and RH5D dexterous hands use miniature actuators; company reports 10,000 hand deliveries in 2025
majorWonik Robotics Allegro Hand V5 Sense supplies dexterous manipulation and touch research platforms
majorDG-5F five-finger hands provide 20 independently actuated degrees of freedom for manipulation research
challengerLinker Hand L20 and other linkage, tendon and direct-drive hands serve manipulation developers
challengerDexH13 combines multidimensional tactile sensing with an eye-in-hand camera for object manipulation
challengerRevo bionic robot hands integrate finger actuation, industrial interfaces and tactile feedback
challengerDIGIT and GelSight Mini optical tactile sensors generate contact data for learned manipulation
nicheDHEF adaptive-shape grippers and robot tooling handle objects with varying geometry
nicheMiniature geared drives and dexterous-hand mechanisms target robot integration; customer identities remain undisclosed
emerging2F and Hand-E adaptive grippers add object detection and controlled gripping to collaborative robot arms
majorRG2 electric fingers and VGC10 vacuum grippers provide configurable end-of-arm tooling for cobots
majorLEH electric grippers control position, speed and gripping force for automated handling
majormGrip soft fingers handle delicate food products; vacuum tooling supports industrial robot picking
majorHRC electric grippers and long-stroke parallel jaws support human-robot collaboration and machine tending
majorRightPick combines compliant fingers, suction and sensing to grasp varied fulfillment items
challengerDM-Tac optical fingertip sensors and DM-Hand1 integrate contact feedback into dexterous manipulation
challengerPapillArray sensors measure contact force, slip and friction to adapt robotic grip control
nicheATI six-axis force/torque sensors provide contact feedback for compliant gripping, insertion and hand research
major
Sources: schunk.com, shadowrobot.com, en.inspire-robots.com, en.tesollo.com, ati.novanta.com, businesswire.com
Force, Vision & Position Sensing
Contact sensors, encoders, depth cameras and lidar close the loop between robot actions and the physical world. Integration, latency and calibration decide whether robots can move safely and manipulate reliably.
ATI six-axis force/torque sensors include FANUC-ready units; Celera adds encoder and motion feedback
leaderD400 depth-camera family and perception software serve robot navigation and manipulation after the Intel spinout
leaderJT128 compact 3D lidar has a disclosed Thoro.ai supply agreement for commercial and industrial robots
majorOS0 lidar and acquired StereoLabs ZED stereo vision provide near-field robot perception
majorGemini 330/335 stereo depth cameras support AMRs, cobots and mobile manipulation
challengerAC1 active camera fuses depth, RGB and motion data for robot navigation and hand-eye coordination
challengerPregius global-shutter, ToF and event-based image sensors supply robot and industrial camera builders
majorVision-sensing modules for Atlas are under joint development with Boston Dynamics under a disclosed agreement
emergingMiniature AFT force/torque sensors measure wrist and finger loads; ATT tactile arrays remain under development
challengerRFT capacitive six-axis force/torque sensors integrate with collaborative robot arms
nicheSix-axis sensors equip Botler humanoids in Zeekr pre-job testing; the trial does not establish series-production supply
emergingFlexible tactile and pressure arrays support robot skin development; named humanoid series-supply wins are unverified
emergingRESOLUTE absolute optical encoders measure rotary joint angles and linear-axis position with non-contact feedback
majorECA and AMO modular encoders measure robot joint angles and linear-axis position
majorSensONE six-axis force/torque kits retrofit UR, Franka and KUKA robots for compliant handling
nicheQMA154 digital six-axis force/torque sensors measure contact loads in compact robot end-effectors
niche9306A piezoelectric six-axis sensors measure contact force and torque in automated machining and assembly
majorM2210 robot-joint torque sensors and six-axis load cells provide force feedback for cobots and iGrinder finishing
niche
Sources: ati.novanta.com, realsenseai.com, investors.ouster.com, bostondynamics.com, botasys.com, kistler.com
Motor, Power & Sensing Chips
Robot joints require fast control loops, efficient power switches and reliable current and position feedback. These semiconductor suppliers provide catalog building blocks; humanoids remain a small end market for all of them.
C2000 control, DRV gate drivers and current-sensing signal chains run humanoid joint motor loops
leaderTrinamic motor control, ADMT position sensing and precision converters support robot feedback loops
majorMOSFETs, gate drivers, MCUs and magnetic sensors support humanoid joint power and control electronics
majorSTM32 and STSPIN32G4 integrate MCU and motor control for compact brushless robot-joint drives
majorRZ/T2H multi-axis motor control and RZ/V vision processors provide robot control and perception
majori.MX RT1180 distributed motor-control reference design synchronizes robot joints over EtherCAT or TSN
majorAR0234 global-shutter sensors, NCD83591 motor drivers and MOSFETs support autonomous mobile robots
majorA33020 and other low-latency magnetic angle sensors provide robot-motor position feedback
nicheTriaxis angle sensors and Tactaxis three-axis force sensing support robot joints and touch surfaces
nicheMP6540 brushless motor power stages and magnetic angle sensing supply compact robot-joint electronics
majordsPIC33 motor-control DSCs provide field-oriented control and encoder feedback for robot servo drives
majorBrushless motor-driver ICs and power MOSFETs support robot movement with integrated protection
majorTC78 motor-driver ICs and power MOSFETs drive small robotic axes and industrial brushless motors
majorSiliconix MOSFETs and current-sense components provide power switching and feedback in robot drive circuits
nicheNSM current and angle sensors plus isolated gate drivers provide feedback and power control for servo electronics
challengerIntegrated BLDC and stepper-motor drivers support servo controls and robot-vacuum reference designs
nicheTAD2141 TMR angle sensors measure motor rotation for precise robotic joint-position feedback
majorBridgeSwitch integrated half-bridges and SCALE-iDriver isolation drive BLDC motors and industrial servo power stages
niche
Sources: ti.com, analog.com, infineon.com, st.com, power.com
Batteries & Motor Magnets
Robot batteries balance runtime, weight and peak joint power, while permanent magnets set motor torque density. Existing EV and industrial demand dominates most suppliers; robot supply agreements and prototype programs are distinguished from capacity plans.
NdFeB magnets and rotor assemblies serve industrial servo motors and emerging humanoid joints
majorCells power Galbot S1 heavy-duty robots deployed on CATL module and battery-pack production lines
major2170 cylindrical-cell supply agreement covers Bear Robotics Servi Plus and Carti 100 robots
majorRobot energy portfolio spans cylindrical cells, packs and BMS; no named humanoid customer is asserted
majorReported pouch-type solid-state samples target physical-AI robots; mass production is planned for H2 2027
emergingReported solid-state robot-battery development targets high-temperature use; commercial supply remains unverified
emergingHigh-performance NdFeB grades target servo and frameless joint motors alongside larger EV demand
majorGrain-boundary-diffused NdFeB magnets target robot drive and auxiliary motors
majorN-series NdFeB magnets provide compact motor torque; robot demand is a small part of the group
majorIndependence sintered NdFeB production builds domestic motor-magnet supply; no robot OEM award is asserted
challengerStillwater Phase 1a magnet manufacturing is commissioned; humanoid orders remain unverified
emergingEuropean sintered magnets enter EV production; robotics customers remain in development
challengerNdFeB motor magnets under VACODYM and eVAC brands gain additional US production capacity
majorEcoFlux sintered NdFeB magnets have a confirmed ABB industrial-motor supply agreement
challengerReported iron-nitride magnet and Bimotal motor prototypes target mobility and robotics; commercial scale is unverified
emergingKorean sintered and bonded magnet operations are expanding; no named robot OEM supply is disclosed
emergingMt Weld feed and Malaysian separation produce NdPr oxides for magnets; no robot-specific customer is inferred
majorRare-earth separation, metals and magnetic materials supply the upstream NdFeB motor-magnet chain
majorRare-earth separation, metal processing and recycling supply feedstock for permanent-magnet manufacturers
majorNEOMAX sintered NdFeB grades from Proterial Magnetics serve compact industrial and servo motors
majorDaido Electronics NEOQUENCH-DR ring magnets reduce cogging in industrial-robot servo motors
nicheNEOREC neodymium magnets provide high-coercivity motor material; robot-specific sales are not disclosed
majorSintered and bonded NdFeB magnets supply industrial motor and precision-control applications
majorEuclid produces rare-earth metals and alloys; expanded magnet manufacturing remains a reported development plan
emerging
Sources: catl.com, news.lgensol.com, samsungsdi.com, proterial.com, noveon.co
Glossary
- Reducer
- A gearbox that reduces motor speed and increases torque at a robot joint.
- Roller screw
- A threaded mechanism that converts motor rotation into high-force linear motion.
- Frameless motor
- A rotor and stator supplied without a housing for integration into a robot joint.
- Force/torque sensor
- A sensor measuring contact loads so a robot can manipulate objects safely.
Heat, spend, exposure and shares are editorial estimates. How to read the map ↗