Schaeffler Has Humanoid Robots Assemble Components for Humanoids
At its 7,500 m² facility in Taicang, Schaeffler combines manufacturing and robot training. Six humanoid robots work at five assembly stations, and the company has received orders totaling approximately 400 million euros.
Schaeffler has opened a so-called “lighthouse factory” for humanoid robotics in Taicang, China. Across approximately 7,500 m², the company combines component manufacturing, robot training, data collection, digital twins, and computing capabilities. An unusual aspect of the concept: humanoid robots assemble components there for the next generation of humanoid systems.
At the heart of the facility is an assembly line developed by Schaeffler for linear and rotary actuators. Six humanoid robots work at five stations. They retrieve parts, sort and assemble them, perform testing and labeling tasks, and package the finished components. A digital twin virtually replicates the production processes. Among other things, it records assembly accuracy, processing times, energy consumption, and system status. This allows changes to be simulated first before they are implemented in actual production.
At the same time, Schaeffler operates a training and data collection center at the site. There, humanoid robots are trained for tasks such as visual inspection, material transport, packaging, assembly, and material replenishment. According to the company, the training environments are modeled after conditions in the group’s approximately 100 production plants.
