Start with the component stack: motor, reducer or direct drive, bearing, encoder, brake, drive electronics, thermal sensor, harness, and housing. Then use the report to decide whether the BOM is ready, conditional, or blocked before RFQ.
By Robotic Joint Module engineering team · Published 2026-06-16 · Research checked 2026-06-16
9
component groups checked
3
result states with next action
19
official and technical sources
Tool Layer
Select the components in a proposed actuator module for robots. The checker returns BOM readiness, sourcing risk, missing evidence, and the next action before RFQ freeze.
Report Summary
This page is intentionally narrower than a definition page and earlier than an integration guide. It answers one sourcing question: which key components must be visible before an actuator module for robots can enter supplier comparison?
[S1][S17][Tool]
Motor, torque path, bearing, encoder, brake, drive, thermal, harness, housing
The buying decision should assign responsibility for torque generation, reduction/direct drive, load support, feedback, holding, power electronics, heat, cabling, and mechanical datum before price comparison.
[S2][Architecture Matrix]
Harmonic, QDD, direct-drive, and linear stacks solve different failure modes
High stiffness and compact precision often favor strain-wave gearing; impact transparency often favors QDD; direct drive shifts burden to motor size and thermal path; linear modules move the risk into screw/load path.
[S5][S6][S14]
Primary feedback controls motion; safety-related encoder claims need separate evidence
Renishaw notes that high-quality encoder feedback is required for servo control of joint torque, velocity, and position. IEC 61800-5-3 adds a different bar when an encoder is claimed as safety-related.
[S1][S3][S4][S12][S13][S15]
Protocol files, fault tables, EMC, thermal, and functional safety boundaries become BOM evidence
Integrated actuator drives move the sourcing boundary from mechanics into electrical, thermal, EMC, fieldbus, firmware, and safety sub-function documentation.
[S7][S8][S9][S10][S11][S18]
ISO 10218-1/-2 were published in 2025; ISO/TS 15066:2016 remains current but is marked for revision
Industrial collaborative applications, service robots, wearable robots, and medical robots do not share one compliance route. The same actuator BOM can be acceptable in one context and blocked in another.
[Tool][Risk Matrix]
The checker adds penalties for brake, dual-feedback, harness, seal, and thermal gaps
A sample can move on a bench while still failing production use because hold state, cable bend radius, thermal derating, firmware version, or housing datum was outside the BOM.
Component Stack
Treat each row as an ownership question, not a part-name checklist. A supplier can provide the whole module, or the robot OEM can own part of the boundary, but the owner must be visible.
| Component group | RFQ evidence | Common failure | Freeze gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | Torque-speed curve, voltage, winding, continuous/peak duty | Peak torque accepted without thermal or drive limit context | Before supplier short-list |
| Reducer or direct-drive path | Ratio, backlash, stiffness, efficiency, rated life, direct-drive note | Architecture chosen by catalog label instead of axis behavior | Before mechanical envelope freeze |
| Output bearing | Axial/radial/moment load, preload, life model, mounting datum | Reducer torque passes but joint load path fails | Before sample drawing release |
| Encoder feedback | Resolution, accuracy, absolute/index behavior, mounting gap | Feedback resolution quoted without mounting and noise limits | Before controls interface freeze |
| Brake or hold strategy | Static hold torque, release time, heat, fail-safe behavior | Vertical axis uses motor torque as a substitute for hold design | Before safety and gravity-load review |
| Drive electronics | Voltage/current, protocol files, firmware revision, fault table | Integrated drive reduces wiring but leaves firmware behavior vague | Before controller integration sprint |
| Thermal sensing | Sensor location, derating curve, shutdown threshold, thermal run | Continuous torque assumed from datasheet without housing test | Before duty-cycle acceptance |
| Harness and connectors | Pinout, bend radius, strain relief, shield, cable life | Moving cable becomes the production failure point | Before pilot build |
| Housing and seals | Datum, stack-up, ingress target, coating/material, fasteners | Module fits CAD but fails assembly repeatability or sealing | Before tooling or volume PO |
Share the nine component rows, axis assumptions, and missing evidence list before freezing the RFQ.
Methodology
The scoring is deterministic for the same inputs. It is a screening model for RFQ readiness, not a certified safety, reliability, or performance approval.
| Step | Check | Logic | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Must-have coverage | Motor, torque path, bearing, primary encoder, drive/interface, and thermal path form 70% of readiness. | BOM readiness and blocking missing components |
| 2 | Context components | Secondary encoder, brake, harness, and housing/seal evidence add the remaining 30% because they decide real robot fit. | Conditional evidence gaps |
| 3 | Envelope plausibility | Continuous torque is divided by cylindrical package volume; peak/continuous ratios above 3.5x are flagged. | Torque density and duty-cycle warning |
| 4 | Application modifiers | Vertical load, backdrivability, stiffness, human-near use, architecture, and volume change sourcing risk. | Risk index and next action |
Architecture Comparison
Four common actuator module architectures carry different component priorities. The wrong architecture can look cheaper in BOM form and become expensive in validation.
| Option | Best fit | Component bias | Watchout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harmonic integrated rotary module | Compact precision joints, wrists, elbows, collaborative arms | Strain-wave reducer, motor, encoder, brake, integrated drive, high-stiffness housing | Backdrivability and impact transparency can be limited. |
| Quasi-direct-drive hollow-shaft module | Quadrupeds, humanoid limbs, impact-tolerant mobile robots | Low-ratio gear, large motor, hollow shaft, encoder, robust bearing, torque-focused drive | Hold state, thermal mass, and stiffness need direct evidence. |
| Direct-drive torque module | High precision, low maintenance, low backlash axes with room for motor diameter | Large torque motor, high-resolution encoder, bearing/housing stiffness, thermal path | Torque density and heat can dominate package size and cost. |
| Linear actuator module | Humanoid legs, compact force axes, high-load short-stroke motion | Motor, screw/roller screw, guide/load path, encoder, brake/lock, housing | Side load, screw life, lubrication, and shock loads must be explicit. |
Evidence Layer
The evidence below is used only for component-stack reasoning. It does not prove that a specific supplier part is safe, compliant, or suitable for a final robot. Supplier-specific test data remains mandatory.
Research update on 2026-06-16: the public-source review covers BOM rows, architecture options, protocol evidence, standard scope, thermal proof, functional-safety boundaries, EMC, wearable/service robot applicability, and claims where public data is not reliable enough. The rows below add those boundaries without changing the checker into a certification tool.
| Claim | Source | Date | Use on this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated actuator examples combine gearing, brushless servomotor, brake, magnetic encoders, integrated servo drive, and CANopen/EtherCAT options. | Harmonic Drive integrated actuators product page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Defines the baseline component stack for compact integrated rotary modules. |
| Strain-wave gearing is described as a three-part mechanism: wave generator, flexspline, and circular spline, with zero-backlash benefits. | Harmonic Drive strain wave gear technology page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Supports reducer rows and the warning that gear choice changes stiffness, backlash, and package tradeoffs. |
| EtherCAT targets short cycle times and low jitter and uses distributed clocks for synchronization. | EtherCAT Technology Group technology page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Supports protocol evidence requirements for synchronous multi-axis robot modules. |
| CiA 402 standardizes drive behavior through operation modes, finite state automaton, controlword, statusword, RPDOs, and TPDOs. | CAN in Automation CiA 402 profile page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Supports drive-interface evidence for CANopen and CoE actuator modules. |
| High-quality encoder feedback is required for servo control of each robot joint in torque, velocity, and position. | Renishaw encoders for robotics page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Supports the primary encoder must-have and dual feedback context decisions. |
| Rotary encoders report angular position for rotary motion such as a robot joint. | Renishaw encoder explanation page | Checked 2026-06-16 | Supports feedback component explanation for robot-joint modules. |
| ISO 10218-1:2025 treats the industrial robot itself as partly completed machinery, while ISO 10218-2:2025 addresses industrial robot applications and robot cells. | ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025 official pages | Published 2025-02; checked 2026-06-16 | Separates component readiness from robot/cell safety validation for industrial axes. |
| ISO/TS 15066:2016 supplements ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2 for collaborative industrial robot systems and was confirmed current in 2022, with revision activity visible on ISO. | ISO/TS 15066:2016 official page | Published 2016-02; confirmed 2022; checked 2026-06-16 | Prevents using a component checklist as a collaborative operation approval. |
| ISO/PAS 5672:2023 specifies methods for measuring and analyzing forces and pressures in physical human-robot contacts for professional collaborative applications. | ISO/PAS 5672:2023 official page | Published 2023-11; checked 2026-06-16 | Adds a measurable validation route for human-contact claims that cannot be proven from BOM rows alone. |
| ISO 13482:2014 covers personal care robots such as mobile servant, physical assistant, and person carrier robots, explicitly excludes industrial robots and robots as medical devices, and is marked current while ISO notes expected replacement by ISO/FDIS 13482. | ISO 13482:2014 official page | Published 2014-02; confirmed 2020; replacement note checked 2026-06-16 | Adds scope boundaries for service and care robots while warning buyers to re-check the active edition before final compliance planning. |
| IEC 61800-5-1:2022 covers electrical, thermal, fire, mechanical, energy, and related hazards for adjustable speed power drive systems and their elements. | IEC 61800-5-1:2022 official page | Published 2022-08-31; checked 2026-06-16 | Supports drive electronics, thermal path, and electrical safety evidence requests. |
| IEC 61800-5-2:2016 addresses functional safety considerations for safety-related power drive systems and safety sub-functions. | IEC 61800-5-2:2016 official page | Published 2016; checked 2026-06-16 | Separates normal drive operation from safety-rated drive behavior in RFQ evidence. |
| IEC 61800-5-3:2021 specifies functional, electrical, and environmental requirements for safety-related encoders used as sensors in a safety-related power drive system. | IEC 61800-5-3:2021 official page | Published 2021-02-23; checked 2026-06-16 | Prevents treating every encoder as safety-related without certification evidence. |
| IEC 61800-3:2022 specifies EMC requirements and specific test methods for adjustable speed power drive systems and machine tools. | IEC 61800-3:2022 official page | Published 2022-11-30; corrigendum included 2025-04; checked 2026-06-16 | Adds EMC evidence to integrated-drive actuator BOM reviews. |
| IEC 60529 classifies enclosure protection against dust and liquid ingress for electrical equipment through the IP Code. | IEC 60529 official page | Consolidated edition 2013; checked 2026-06-16 | Supports housing and seal evidence without inventing an IP target for every module. |
| ISO 22166-201:2024 defines a common information model for service robot modules to support interoperability, reusability, and composability. | ISO 22166-201:2024 official page | Published 2024-02; checked 2026-06-16 | Supports treating module evidence as structured attributes, not only a mechanical part list. |
| ISO 18646-6:2026 defines performance index and test methods for lower-limb wearable robots using an anthropomorphic test dummy robot, and excludes biosignal-operated lower-limb wearable robots. | ISO 18646-6:2026 official page | Published 2026-05; checked 2026-06-16 | Adds a current performance-test boundary for exoskeleton or wearable-robot actuator decisions. |
| Kollmorgen explains that servo motors generate heat from internal losses, continuous capacity depends on heat dissipation, and peak current often applies for limited periods such as milliseconds or several seconds depending on drive capability. | Kollmorgen PM AC servo motor overloads white paper | Document revised 2025-06; checked 2026-06-16 | Supports the checker warning against accepting peak torque without duty-cycle and thermal-time evidence. |
Standards Boundary
A component checklist is useful only when it says where the proof stops. ISO 10218-1/-2 were published in February 2025 for industrial robots and robot cells. ISO/TS 15066:2016 still supplements collaborative industrial systems, while ISO/PAS 5672:2023 adds professional human-contact force and pressure measurement methods. Service, care, wearable, and drive-electronics contexts add different evidence boundaries.
| Evidence layer | Public basis | Applies when | Decision use | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial robot or industrial cell | ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025 | The actuator is part of an industrial robot or integrated robot cell. | Treat BOM readiness as input to robot and cell risk reduction, not as finished safety approval. | [S7][S8] |
| Collaborative industrial application | ISO/TS 15066:2016 and ISO/PAS 5672:2023 | People share workspace or physical contact can occur in a professional collaborative application. | Require contact-force/pressure measurement planning and do not infer collaborative safety from torque or encoder rows. | [S9][S10] |
| Personal care or service robot | ISO 13482:2014 and ISO 22166-201:2024 | The module is used in mobile servant, physical assistant, person carrier, or other service robot module contexts. | Check service-robot scope and module information-model attributes before reusing industrial-only evidence. | [S11][S17] |
| Wearable lower-limb robot | ISO 18646-6:2026 | The actuator supports a lower-limb wearable robot and assistance/enhancement performance must be evaluated. | Add wearable-robot performance testing to the sample plan; do not treat a bench actuator run as user-assistance proof. | [S18] |
| Integrated power drive | IEC 61800-5-1, IEC 61800-5-2, and IEC 61800-3 | The module includes drive electronics, firmware, safety sub-functions, or EMC-sensitive cabling. | Request electrical/thermal, functional-safety, parameterization, and EMC evidence with the mechanical BOM. | [S12][S13][S15] |
| Safety-related encoder or enclosure claim | IEC 61800-5-3 and IEC 60529 | The supplier claims safety-related feedback or a specific IP rating. | Separate normal feedback/IP wording from certified encoder and enclosure evidence. | [S14][S16] |
Scenario Examples
Use these scenarios to catch false equivalence between modules that share torque numbers but carry different component risks.
| Scenario | Inputs | Likely stack | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humanoid elbow pitch | 86 N.m peak, 32 N.m continuous, 96 x 62 mm envelope | Harmonic integrated module, load-side encoder, brake, thermal sensor, CANopen/EtherCAT drive | Ready only when brake state, load-side feedback, thermal run, and harness route are in the RFQ. |
| Quadruped knee | High impact load, backdrivable behavior, compact hollow routing | QDD module, low-ratio drivetrain, large motor, high-current drive, robust bearing | Conditional until reflected inertia, torque control, heat, and cable-through-shaft life are tested. |
| Cobot wrist roll | Low backlash, human-near operation, compact flange package | Small harmonic module, dual feedback or diagnostic comparison, brake/hold review | Do not infer collaborative safety from module catalog data; carry feedback and safe-state evidence into system validation. |
| Medical support joint | Cleanable surface, low noise, limited heat near user | Sealed housing, encoder, brake, thermal sensor, material and cleaning evidence | Blocked if sealing, material compatibility, thermal surface temperature, or cleaning-cycle evidence is missing. |
Verification Plan
The checker flags missing components, but the RFQ should also ask how each present component was measured. Thermal overload, safety-rated feedback, brake state, moment load, and harness durability are where attractive catalog modules often lose production readiness.
| Component | Evidence request | Decision rule | If evidence is missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor and drive thermal path | Continuous torque curve, RMS duty-cycle calculation, thermal sensor location, derating curve, and overload duration. | Peak torque is usable only after matching drive current, speed, duty time, and housing heat path. | If only peak torque is public, mark continuous capability as待确认 and keep supplier comparison provisional. |
| Encoder feedback | Resolution, accuracy, absolute/index behavior, noise immunity, mounting gap, diagnostic path, and safety certificate if safety-related. | Primary feedback is a motion-control component; safety feedback needs separate IEC 61800-5-3 evidence. | If the supplier gives only resolution, do not infer accuracy, redundancy, or safety function. |
| Brake and vertical hold | Static hold torque, release/close time, heat, power-loss behavior, wear state, and manual recovery procedure. | Vertical axes need an explicit hold strategy independent of normal motor torque. | If brake data is absent, block quotation freeze for gravity-loaded or human-near axes. |
| Output bearing and load path | Axial/radial/moment load case, preload, lubrication, life model, shock load, and housing datum. | Reducer output torque does not prove the joint can survive moment loads or mounting error. | If moment-load evidence is missing, treat the package as a drive unit rather than a robot-ready joint module. |
| Harness, connector, and enclosure | Pinout, shield termination, bend radius, strain relief, cable-life target, IP test target, and seal material. | High annual volume moves harness and seal details from pilot issue to supplier nomination gate. | If IP or cable-life targets are not specified, display N/A rather than inventing an environment rating. |
| Topic | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Universal torque-density pass/fail threshold | 暂无可靠公开标准 | Use torque density only as a screening indicator; compare against supplier test data under the same voltage, cooling, housing, and duty cycle. |
| Generic actuator module MTBF across robot classes | 暂无可靠公开数据 | Request supplier field-return history, accelerated life test method, and sample acceptance criteria instead of quoting a generic MTBF. |
| Human-contact acceptability from BOM alone | 待确认 by application test | Plan force/pressure measurement and robot-level safety assessment; do not convert motor torque into a human-contact conclusion. |
| Medical-device suitability of a joint module | 不由本页面证明 | Treat medical robots as a separate regulatory and risk-management path; this checker only exposes component evidence gaps. |
Risks and Boundaries
The tool detects missing component evidence and mismatched architecture assumptions. It cannot replace robot-level safety assessment, supplier audits, life testing, or application validation.
| Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Mislabeling a component set as a complete actuator module | Wrong supplier owner and missing drive/feedback responsibility | Require a BOM owner matrix and block diagram before RFQ release. |
| Peak torque headline hides thermal limit | Axis passes demo but overheats in duty cycle | Ask for continuous torque test conditions and thermal derating curve. |
| Brake omitted on vertical load axis | Unsafe hold state or uncontrolled drop during power loss | Define brake, external hold, or verified safe-stop strategy. |
| Protocol support stated without object evidence | Controller integration stalls at state machine, PDO map, or fault recovery | Request ESI/EDS, object dictionary, PDO/SDO map, and firmware revision. |
| Harness and seal details left until pilot build | Cable damage, EMC issues, ingress leak, or assembly drift | Freeze connector, strain relief, shield, datum, and seal stack before volume quote. |
Internal Next Steps
Use this first if the team is still debating whether the package is a module, component, or subassembly.
Use this after BOM readiness to plan wiring, protocol files, software interfaces, and commissioning gates.
Move from component stack logic to product families, torque classes, frames, brakes, encoders, and protocols.
Use when the key components need custom shaft, housing, connector, firmware, validation, or volume planning.
Sources
Source checks were performed on 2026-06-16. Use current supplier documents for final purchasing decisions.
S1
Harmonic Drive integrated actuators
https://www.harmonicdrive.net/products/integrated-actuators
S2
Harmonic Drive strain-wave gear technology
https://www.harmonicdrive.net/technology/harmonicdrive
S3
EtherCAT Technology Group technology overview
https://www.ethercat.org/en/technology.html
S4
CAN in Automation CiA 402 profile
https://www.can-cia.org/can-knowledge/cia-402-series-canopen-device-profile-for-drives-and-motion-control
S5
Renishaw encoders for robotics
https://info.renishaw.com/Encoders-Robotics
S6
Renishaw what is an encoder
https://www.renishaw.com/en/what-is-an-encoder--47256
S7
ISO 10218-1:2025 industrial robot safety requirements
https://www.iso.org/standard/73933.html
S8
ISO 10218-2:2025 industrial robot applications and cells
https://www.iso.org/standard/73934.html
S9
ISO/TS 15066:2016 collaborative robot systems
https://www.iso.org/standard/62996.html
S10
ISO/PAS 5672:2023 human-robot contact measurements
https://www.iso.org/standard/82488.html
S11
ISO 13482:2014 personal care robot safety
https://www.iso.org/standard/53820.html
S12
IEC 61800-5-1:2022 power drive electrical and thermal safety
https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/62103
S13
IEC 61800-5-2:2016 functional safety for power drives
https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/24556
S14
IEC 61800-5-3:2021 safety-related encoders
https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/28614
S15
IEC 61800-3:2022 EMC requirements for power drives
https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/65056
S16
IEC 60529 enclosure ingress protection IP Code
https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/2452
S17
ISO 22166-201:2024 service robot module information model
https://www.iso.org/standard/82334.html
S18
ISO 18646-6:2026 lower-limb wearable robot performance tests
https://www.iso.org/standard/88497.html
S19
Kollmorgen servo motor overload and thermal limits white paper
https://www.kollmorgen.com/sites/default/files/2025-06/Managing%20PM%20AC%20Servo%20Motor%20Overloads%20WP_000325_RevB_FINAL.pdf
FAQ
For sourcing decisions, treat the stack as motor, transmission or direct-drive path, output bearing, encoder, brake or hold strategy, drive/interface, thermal sensing, harness/connectors, and housing/seals.
Usually no. Without feedback, drive/interface boundary, thermal evidence, and load path ownership, it is safer to call it a motor-reducer subassembly.
Motor, torque path, output bearing, primary encoder, drive/interface, and thermal path are the must-have rows in this screening model.
A brake can be optional for horizontal or externally held axes, but vertical, gravity-loaded, and human-near axes need an explicit hold strategy.
Mark continuous torque, safety-rated feedback, IP rating, cable life, and human-contact acceptability as待确认 when the supplier has not supplied test conditions, certificates, or application measurements.
Choose it when compact precision, torsional stiffness, low backlash, and packaged drive/feedback are more important than high backdrivability.
QDD is often better when impact behavior, backdrivability, and torque transparency matter, but it needs strong thermal, bearing, and hold-state evidence.
It divides continuous torque by estimated cylindrical package volume. It is a screening number for package plausibility, not a certified benchmark.
A high ratio can mean the peak torque is short-duration only. Robot joints need usable continuous torque under duty cycle and thermal limits.
No. This page treats universal torque-density pass/fail thresholds as暂无可靠公开标准. Compare modules only under the same voltage, cooling, housing, duty cycle, and test method.
QDD can help impact transparency, but human-near operation still needs robot-level safety assessment, measured contact behavior, brake/hold state, and validated control limits.
Request drawings, torque-speed data, thermal derating, encoder data, bearing/load data, brake behavior, protocol files, object maps, firmware revision, and harness pinout.
Integrated drives make firmware, object dictionaries, PDO/SDO maps, ESI/EDS files, and fault behavior part of the component boundary.
Primary feedback is a must-have. Dual feedback becomes context evidence for human-near operation, compliance, backlash monitoring, or motor/load-side diagnostic comparison.
Block quotation freeze when motor, torque path, bearing, primary encoder, drive/interface, or thermal path is missing, or when vertical hold and human-near risk have no documented strategy.
Normal encoder evidence supports motion control. If the supplier claims a safety-related encoder or safety sub-function, request IEC 61800-5-3 or equivalent safety documentation instead of accepting resolution alone.
Integrated drives put switching electronics, cable shields, grounding, and communication reliability inside the module boundary, so EMC evidence should be requested with drive and harness files.
No. The 2025 editions address industrial robots and robot applications/cells. They help define the robot and integration proof path, but a component BOM checker cannot certify the final robot.
No. ISO/TS 15066:2016 supplements industrial collaborative robot systems under ISO 10218. Service robots, personal care robots, and medical robots need their own scope review.
ISO 13482:2014 covers personal care robot hazards and excludes industrial robots and medical devices, but ISO currently notes expected replacement by ISO/FDIS 13482. ISO 22166-201 adds module information-model thinking for service robots.
ISO 18646-6:2026 introduces performance index and test methods using an anthropomorphic test dummy robot, and it excludes lower-limb wearable robots that operate based on biosignals such as electromyography.
No. Medical-device suitability is outside this checker. Use the component gaps as RFQ input, then follow the applicable medical regulatory, risk-management, and validation path.
RFQ CTA
Include target robot class, axis role, torque/speed, envelope, architecture preference, annual volume, protocol, brake need, encoder expectation, and the missing evidence returned by the checker.
Inquiry Email
Send target torque/speed, protocol, quantity, and delivery location.
