The chaos in robot hardware has just passed its peak.

2025 is undoubtedly the first year of the explosion of the robotics industry.

In terms of popularity, at the recent WAIC and WRC events, the booths with "living" robots were crowded with people, and the audience showed great interest.

In terms of data, according to the data and analysis of MIR DATABANK, with the further improvement of mass - production capabilities, the production of humanoid robots in China will exceed 10,000 units in 2025, and the compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030 will be as high as 78.6%.

However, the first half of 2025 that has just passed was also the most "chaotic" period for the robotics industry, especially in the hardware field.

On the one hand, the low localization rate of core components and the insufficient dynamic control accuracy remain the key bottlenecks restricting the large - scale implementation of robot products. On the other hand, the customized demands in scenarios such as industry and service are surging, but there are differences in the technical routes of various manufacturers, and there is no obvious and mature solution.

During this period, robot manufacturers and upstream component supply chains moved forward through running - in, taking their first stumbling steps.

 01 What are the robot hardware components?

The physical capabilities of humanoid robots are built on their core hardware. These hardware components together constitute a complex execution and perception system. The execution system is responsible for generating and transmitting power, endowing the robot with the ability to move; the perception system acts as its "nerves", enabling it to interact with the outside world.

The movement of a robot starts with the drive system, the core of which is various high - performance motors. As a key power source, the frameless torque motor is usually directly integrated inside the robot's joints. Its compact structure and high torque density can provide strong and stable power for the rotating joints. When it is necessary to convert rotational motion into linear thrust, a high - precision screw transmission mechanism is used. Among them, the planetary roller screw has become the key to realizing linear actions such as limb extension and retraction because it can withstand huge loads and maintain extremely high motion accuracy and stability.

In order to make the high - speed and low - torque power generated by the motor effectively utilized by the joints, the precision reducer plays a crucial role as an intermediate transmission mechanism. It converts the high - speed rotation of the motor into low - speed and high - torque output, thereby achieving precise control of the strength and speed of the robot's actions. Depending on the joint load, different types of transmission schemes such as harmonic reducers or RV reducers will be used. Among all these moving joints, bearings are indispensable basic components. They support the mechanical rotating body and ensure the smoothness and precision of each movement of the robot by minimizing friction.

Perception ability is the prerequisite for robots to achieve intelligent interaction. Force sensors are one of the core perception elements, which can measure the force and torque generated when the robot contacts the outside world in real - time. Especially in key parts such as the wrists and ankles, a comprehensive six - dimensional torque sensor is installed. It can simultaneously detect forces in three directions and torques in three directions, providing complete force feedback for the robot. This information is crucial for the robot to maintain balance, achieve compliant force control, and interact safely with the environment.

In terms of cost proportion, motors, sensors, reducers, and screws account for the majority. According to the data of Mitou Consulting, screws account for 19.00%, frameless torque motors account for 16.00%, reducers account for 13.00%, force sensors account for 11.00%, coreless motors account for 8.00%, and bearings account for 5.50%.

 02 The dilemma and mismatch of localization on the supply side

In the first half of 2025, the localization of the robot supply chain advanced with perseverance.

The market for planetary roller screws is firmly controlled by European companies such as Rollvis and GSA, which occupy the vast majority of the market share. Chinese manufacturers represented by Xinjian Transmission and Shuanglin Co., Ltd. are catching up. Among them, Xinjian Transmission has received orders from North American customers. At the beginning of 2025, its industrialization project of producing 1 million planetary roller screws for humanoid robots annually started in Qingshanhu Science and Technology City, Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

The American company Kollmorgen leads in the technology of frameless torque motors, while brands such as the Swiss MAXON dominate the coreless motor market. In contrast, Chinese companies such as Buko Co., Ltd. and Mingzhi Electric Co., Ltd. are accelerating technological iteration and market penetration in their respective fields. Buko Co., Ltd. disclosed that the order volume of a humanoid robot customer for motors last year was between hundreds and thousands of units, while this year it has rapidly jumped to the "tens of thousands" level.

Harmonic Drive Systems and Nabtesco dominate the harmonic and RV reducer markets respectively. However, Chinese enterprises have made key breakthroughs in this field. Green Harmonic successfully broke the foreign technological monopoly and achieved large - scale production of harmonic reducers, and Double Ring Transmission has also made progress in the RV reducer field. It is estimated that the market increment of harmonic reducers in humanoid robot applications will reach 8.4 billion yuan by 2029.

In the field of six - dimensional torque sensors, companies such as the American ATI and the German Schunk occupy half of the global market. Chinese manufacturers such as Yuli Instrument, Kelichuang Co., Ltd., and Donghua Testing are catching up, and some enterprises have products that are connected to top - tier global robot manufacturers such as Tesla.

In addition to the gradual increase in the localization rate, more and more suppliers are changing from on - lookers to participants.

Previously, a relevant person in charge of Hengli Precision Industry, a reducer supplier, once said that the company would "intentionally select leading manufacturers in the industry" when accepting orders for humanoid robots, such as Xiaomi and XPeng. "After all, the entire industry is still in the early stage of development, and we are also afraid of wasting resources by expanding too early." Beit Special Technology, a supplier of Tesla, also said that "the company is full of confidence in the future development of the humanoid robot industry, but there are still many problems to be solved before formal mass production."

It was reported that in April, a manufacturer who had sent samples of core components such as drivers to leading manufacturers such as Unitree said that the components that can precisely match the needs of humanoid robots have not been widely promoted. "Currently, for the needs of some manufacturers, we will provide demo production solutions, but the production cycle will be about twice as long as that of standard products."

The wait - and - see attitude of suppliers is mainly affected by the shipment volume and application scenarios of the mid - and downstream. According to the data of First Financial, in 2024 and the beginning of 2025, the shipment volume of humanoid robot manufacturers was mainly in the range of dozens to hundreds of units. As of 2024, the delivery volume of Fourier's humanoid robot GR - 1 has exceeded 100 units; in 2025, Leju Robot announced that it had completed the delivery of 200 full - size humanoid robots. Ubtech also announced in March that Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co., Ltd. will complete the procurement and deployment of 20 Ubtech industrial humanoid robots in the first half of this year.

The growth of humanoid robot shipments accelerated after entering 2025. At the just - ended WRC, Wang Xingxing, the founder of Unitree Technology, said: "In the next few years, it is guaranteed that the annual shipment volume of humanoid robots in the entire industry will double. If there is a breakthrough in AI technology, it is even possible that hundreds of thousands or even millions of units will be shipped in a single year in the next 2 - 3 years."

In June, Zhibot and Unitree Technology jointly won a 124 million yuan procurement order for humanoid robots from China Mobile. Among them, Zhibot won the bid for the "full - size humanoid bipedal robot" package with 78 million yuan, and Unitree Technology won the bid for the "small - size humanoid bipedal robot, computing power backpack, and five - finger dexterous hand" package with 46.05 million yuan. In July, Ubtech won a 90.5115 million yuan procurement project for robot equipment from Miyi (Shanghai) Automotive Technology Co., Ltd.

When being interviewed, Yao Maoqing, a partner of Zhibot and the president of the Embodied Business Department, frankly said that the current bottleneck of the core supply chain is a major challenge: "The production capacity and consistency of upstream components such as the body mechanism, joints, and reducers are major challenges." Currently, the suppliers that Zhibot cooperates with are mainly small and medium - sized enterprises, and traditional electromechanical giants have not fully entered the market. "We are accompanying the suppliers to grow together," Yao Maoqing said. "With the participation of ecological partners, the humanoid robot industry is showing greater industrial opportunities than the new energy vehicle industry."

During the 2025 WRC, many complete machine manufacturers and component manufacturers revealed that the order volume, production capacity, and delivery rhythm had significantly improved. Some complete machine manufacturers of robots have achieved the delivery of hundreds of units, and the industrial chain has entered an accelerated implementation stage.

 03 Manufacturers are turning to the self - research + industrial collaboration model

The booming orders and the mismatch of the upstream supply chain have changed the business models of most robot manufacturers. On the one hand, self - researching hardware can reduce dependence on the supply chain and make the hardware better adapt to the software models of their own products. Therefore, more manufacturers are starting to regard self - researching hardware as their moat; on the other hand, actively arranging ecological cooperation with component suppliers is also crucial.

For example, while adhering to self - research on hardware, Kepler Robotics introduced listed companies in the industry such as Zhaofeng Co., Ltd., Hanwei Technology Group Co., Ltd., and Qiaofeng Intelligence Co., Ltd. as shareholders. More than 80% of Kepler's core components are self - developed. This vertically integrated model gives it significant advantages in hardware performance and cost control. In terms of industrial collaboration, Zhaofeng Co., Ltd. provides high - precision planetary roller screws for Kepler, shortening the delivery cycle from 6 months to 3 months; Hanwei Technology provides systematic and full - chain intelligent perception solutions; Qiaofeng Intelligence uses its high - end CNC machine tool manufacturing capabilities to ensure the processing accuracy of core components.

While adhering to self - research on core components, Unitree Technology cooperates with suppliers such as Zhongda Leader Drive Co., Ltd., Mingzhi Electric Co., Ltd., Orbbec Technologies Co., Ltd., and ChangSheng Bearing Co., Ltd., which provides significant support for its cost advantages. According to a research report from Industrial Securities, based on the cost calculation of components in each part, the total hardware cost of Unitree's humanoid robot G1 is about 86,000 yuan, and the total hardware cost of the advanced version (EDU) is about 190,000 yuan, far lower than the total hardware cost of Tesla's Optimus, which is about 368,000 yuan.

At the 2025 WRC, Chen Jianyu, the founder of Star Era, said that the company is developing general - purpose and modular robot products. Let the robot be like Lego, flexibly changing its form according to different scenario requirements, including bipedal, wheeled, and humanoid forms. In addition, since the current supply chain of robots is not perfect, "Star Era" starts self - research from the smallest unit of the robot body, such as joint modules, control units, motors, and reducers, to achieve vertical integration and stable control of the supply chain and ensure high - quality and efficient product delivery. In terms of commercialization strategy, Chen Jianyu talked about the concept of "laying eggs along the way". For example, he believes that once the dexterous hand of the robot is made, it can be sold first without waiting for the complete machine. This not only helps to gradually reduce the hardware cost but also can obtain certain data to form a data flywheel and feed back to the R & D.

 04 Conclusion

After surviving the most chaotic period of hardware, robot software has gradually received more attention. Wang Xingxing said at the 2025 WRC that the biggest bottleneck in the current robot industry is not the hardware, but the immaturity of the "embodied intelligence" AI model. He made an analogy: "The 'GPT moment' of robots has not yet arrived - only when robots can complete general tasks in an unfamiliar environment like humans (such as tidying up a room or bringing water) can it be considered a real breakthrough."

Chen Jianyu also said in an interview: "Software drives hardware, and scenarios drive software. Therefore, it is very important to connect the entire closed - loop and define the technology and products of Star Era. Next, we are also cooperating with many component suppliers to polish new - type components suitable for humanoid robots."

However, it is undeniable that the thinking for the progress of the industry is the same for both hardware and software, that is, technology must be transformed into usable products as soon as possible to further complete commercialization and marketization. Whoever launches products first and continuously iterates them will have a first - mover advantage. And the manufacturers that complete marketization first will win the favor of large - scale suppliers, thereby further ensuring their self - hematopoietic ability.

The chaos in the current robot hardware field is far from over. We are all curious about who will be the first to break through the chaotic competition.

This article is from the WeChat public account “Semiconductor Industry Insights” (ID: ICViews). Author: Junxi. Republished by 36Kr with authorization.