Can Schaeffler prove humanoid robots are ready for factories?
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German industrial technology company Schaeffler has opened a factory in Taicang, China, where humanoid robots are assembling components for other humanoid robots. The facility marks a step toward commercial production as manufacturers assess how humanoid robots could perform industrial tasks.
The 7500-square-meter facility combines component manufacturing, robot training, data collection and digital twin technology. Six humanoid robots currently operate across five assembly stations, performing tasks such as sorting parts, joining components, inspection and packaging.
Schaeffler said the facility also marks the start of mass production for key humanoid robot components, including linear and rotary actuators that control movement. The company reported approximately €400 million in global incoming orders for its humanoid robotics business after securing two new customers in Greater China during the third quarter of 2026.
The announcement comes as humanoid robot production is growing rapidly, although widespread industrial adoption remains limited. By combining robot development with manufacturing operations, Schaeffler aims to assess whether humanoids can perform factory tasks reliably enough for wider deployment.
The new factory links robot training with industrial production
At the center of Schaeffler’s new facility is an assembly line designed to manufacture joint modules for humanoid robots. These components include actuators, which convert energy into the movement needed for robotic arms, legs and other joints.
The six humanoids working on the production line perform several stages of assembly. Their duties include preparing and sorting parts, joining components, checking quality, applying labels and packaging finished products.
The facility also uses digital twin technology to create a virtual model of the production line. Sensors collect information on assembly accuracy, processing times, energy consumption and equipment condition. Engineers can use this information to test changes digitally before applying them to physical production.
According to Schaeffler, this process is intended to shorten development times while improving production stability and reliability.
The factory also includes a training and data collection center where humanoid robots learn tasks based on conditions found across Schaeffler’s approximately 100 manufacturing plants.
Training activities include visual inspection, material handling, packaging, container movement and delivering materials to assembly stations. Robots can then move from these controlled training environments to the production line, where their performance is assessed under operating conditions.
This approach could help address a persistent problem in industrial robotics. A robot that performs well during a demonstration may struggle when exposed to changing production schedules, different components or unexpected conditions.
Testing robots on an active manufacturing line gives engineers access to operational data that controlled demonstrations may not provide. It also allows Schaeffler to assess whether skills developed at one facility could eventually be used across its wider manufacturing network.
However, the success of this approach will depend on whether the robots can maintain consistent performance over extended operating periods.
Humanoid robot production is growing faster than industrial adoption
Schaeffler’s investment comes during a period of rapid growth in humanoid robot manufacturing, particularly in China.
According to research published by Interact Analysis in June 2026, global humanoid robot production exceeded 20000 units in 2025, compared with fewer than 2000 in 2024.
Despite this growth, only around 10% of the humanoid robots produced in 2025 were deployed in real-world applications. Most were used for research, data collection and entertainment rather than commercial work.
The figures show a significant gap between manufacturing robots and putting them to productive use.
China accounts for much of this activity. Interact Analysis estimates that Chinese manufacturers produced more than 90% of the world’s humanoid robots in 2025, with approximately 75% of robots delivered to customers in China.
For Schaeffler, establishing a dedicated facility in Taicang places component production and robot testing close to a major center of humanoid robot development.
The company is also building partnerships to support its expansion into the market.
In January 2026, Schaeffler announced a strategic partnership with British robotics company Humanoid. The agreement covers the development and supply of actuators, alongside plans to introduce several hundred humanoid robots across Schaeffler’s global manufacturing network over five years.
The arrangement gives Schaeffler a role on both sides of the developing market. It supplies components to robot manufacturers while also preparing to use humanoid robots in its own production operations.
This position could provide useful feedback on component performance, maintenance requirements and the practical limits of humanoid automation.
It also reflects a wider commercial challenge. Manufacturers need dependable robot hardware, while component suppliers need customers willing to invest in systems that have yet to demonstrate consistent economic benefits at scale.
Manufacturers still need evidence that humanoids can work at scale
While Schaeffler’s factory represents progress in the industrial use of humanoid robots, several questions remain unanswered.
The company has not disclosed production volumes, robot uptime, defect rates or the cost of operating its humanoid assembly line. It has also not provided figures showing how the robots compare with conventional industrial automation or human workers performing similar tasks.
These measures will be important for manufacturers considering similar investments.
Industrial robots are already widely used for repetitive manufacturing tasks. Humanoid robots may offer advantages in facilities designed around human workers, particularly where tasks change frequently or equipment must operate in spaces that are difficult to redesign.
However, those potential advantages must be measured against cost, speed, reliability, safety and maintenance requirements.
Research from Interact Analysis suggests that many humanoid deployments remain small pilot projects. The firm expects near-term industrial use to rely heavily on semi-autonomous systems, with some tasks still requiring human control.
For Schaeffler, the new factory provides an opportunity to collect the operating evidence needed to assess whether more advanced humanoid systems can compete with established automation methods.
Its reported €400 million in global incoming orders suggests commercial interest in the company’s humanoid robotics business. However, that figure does not establish the profitability or productivity of humanoid robots working on assembly lines.
The next test will be whether Schaeffler can demonstrate consistent output, acceptable operating costs and dependable performance beyond the initial six-robot installation.
If those results can be achieved and repeated across other factories, the Taicang facility could offer a model for broader industrial deployment.
For manufacturers assessing humanoid robotics, the most useful evidence will come from production data showing what the robots can accomplish over months of operation, rather than from the number of robots installed.
Source:
Schaeffler
