Industrial robots are sold as complete systems, but under the housing, they are assemblies of individually machined parts. Every joint, every actuator mount, and every end-of-arm tool starts as a block of metal on a CNC machine before it becomes part of a functioning robot.
This matters to robotics companies because the quality and lead time of these machined components directly affect how quickly a robot moves from prototype to production. A bearing housing that is 0.05mm out of spec creates play in a joint that compounds across the kinematic chain.
A gearbox casing with a poor surface finish wears faster under load. These are not theoretical problems. They are the kinds of issues that delay product launches and drive up warranty costs. [Read more…] about 7 CNC-Machined Components Every Industrial Robot Depends On