Posted to News on 25th Aug 2026, 14:00
High-precision plug-and-play actuators for robotics and mechanical engineering
Nabtesco's strain wave gear actuators deliver maximum performance in the smallest of spaces and can be flexibly integrated via plug-and-play. They offer exceptional precision and dynamics combined with high reliability, significantly reducing engineering and integration efforts. This shortens development times and increases efficiency in automation.
In drive systems, the gear unit, motor, sensors, bearings, and interfaces must be precisely matched to one another and adapted to the specific application. The associated need for tuning and design ties up development resources and can prolong time-to-market. Nabtesco's high-performance strain wave gear actuators provide a solution. All components are already optimally coordinated with one another and integrated into a compact unit. The result is high functionality, a space-saving design, and ease of use.
Compact strain wave gear actuators with high power density
Actuators based on strain wave gears are particularly well-suited for applications that require a compact design, high precision, and zero backlash. The drive systems are fully assembled and combine a gear set, bearings, housing, an electric motor with an encoder, and an optional brake. They are characterised by high power density and deliver outstanding performance in limited installation space. Various sizes, gear ratios, and torque ranges, as well as hollow-shaft versions, allow for precise adaptation to different requirements. Various sensor types can be adapted, and additional components such as torque, temperature, or position sensors can be integrated. Full corrosion protection and IP65 protection rating eliminate the need for separate enclosures and seals in many cases.
The backlash-free strain wave gear actuators are produced at the Ovalo facility in Limburg (Lahn) in accordance with automotive standards (IATF 16949 certification). This ensures the highest quality, safety and reliability, combined with high-volume production, short development cycles, full traceability, and high cost-effectiveness - from one-piece flow to mass production.
From robotics to mobility
The actuators are used in numerous applications across robotics and automation, mechanical engineering, medical technology, and mobility. They demonstrate their strengths particularly where high positioning accuracy must be combined with a compact design and easy integration. Typical application areas include cobot and robot joints, handling and positioning systems, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and steer-by-wire solutions.
In addition to solutions based on strain wave gears, Nabtesco also manufactures actuators with cycloidal gears. These are designed for higher torques and reduce design complexity in applications involving high loads and demanding load scenarios.
Nabtesco's actuator solutions are backed by comprehensive system expertise in mechanics, electronics, and digitalisation - all bundled within the corporate group. Customers benefit from short development cycles and coordinated technologies from a single source.
