Schaeffler

A German bearings and auto-parts giant now supplying joint actuators for humanoid robots.

Schaeffler was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, known for rolling bearings and automotive drivetrain components under brands such as INA and FAG. In recent years it has extended its precision-mechanics expertise into humanoid robots, launching an actuator platform built on planetary and harmonic (strain-wave) reducers. In November 2025 it formed a technology partnership with Germany's NEURA Robotics to supply actuators for its humanoids, with plans to deploy thousands of humanoid robots across its own global factories by 2035; in April 2026 it separately signed agreements with Switzerland's Hexagon Robotics and Vietnam's VinDynamics to supply reducers and actuators. It represents a broader pattern of traditional automotive-parts suppliers “selling shovels” to the humanoid-robot boom.

ExampleThe planetary-reduction actuators Schaeffler supplies to NEURA are used at rotating joints such as the shoulder, elbow, knee, and wrist, with a rated torque up to about 250 Nm.

Also called

Schaeffler Group

Related

NEURA Robotics · Actuator · Planetary Gearbox · Strain Wave Gear (Harmonic Drive) · Selling Shovels

Sources

Schaeffler and Neura Robotics launch future-oriented technology partnership
Schaeffler enters into strategic partnership with Hexagon Robotics

As of

2026-04