Behind the rise of the six-dimensional force sensor track: segmented tracks, technology empowerment... domestic manufacturers show their talents

Touch is one of the important abilities to perceive the world.

Torque can help robots form tactile functions by measuring the contact force and pressure of robots. Among them, one-dimensional force sensors and six-dimensional force sensors can be said to be very common in torque sensors.

Generally speaking, one-dimensional force sensors are often used in robot joint modules. As the application scenarios become more complex, the industry's requirements for robot perception capabilities are also increasing, and six-dimensional force sensors have emerged. At present, six-dimensional force sensors are widely used in collaborative robot terminals, aerospace wind tunnel testing, medical fields, and sports and health fields. They are also responsible for the flexible wrists of emerging humanoid robots.

Six-dimensional force sensors are relatively complex in structure and more difficult to develop. Overseas companies have always been in a strong position in core robot components such as six-dimensional force sensors. According to relevant data, the Chinese force sensor market will still be dominated by foreign capital in 2022, with domestic share less than 30%.

However, with the implementation of the "Robot+" Application Action Implementation Plan, domestic robot manufacturers have stepped up their R&D and innovation efforts, seeking technological breakthroughs to help increase the localization rate of robots. As an important part of the robot supply chain, six-dimensional force sensors have appeared in the main products of many domestic manufacturers.

In this article, Gaogong Robotics has compiled information about some domestic six-dimensional force sensor companies. (The following rankings are in no particular order)

Kunwei: Aerospace-grade technology empowers civilian-grade products

Kunwei Technology is a company dedicated to providing force sensors (six-axis force sensors) and force control solutions. Its main products are multi-dimensional force sensors.

According to Gaogong Robot's research, the core advantage of Kunwei Technology's six-dimensional force sensor lies in the fact that its product technology comes from the aerospace and military industry.

According to Xiong Lin, the founder of Kunwei Technology, the core members of its founding team are all from the 11th Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Kunwei Technology's six-dimensional force sensor technology was first used in the aerodynamic performance parameter testing of high-speed aircraft such as rockets and missiles. Compared with civilian-grade competing products sold in China by overseas manufacturers such as AXI and Oxrobot, Kunwei Technology's six-dimensional force sensor technology has obvious advantages.

From the perspective of market layout, in the future, Kunwei Technology's six-dimensional force sensor will focus on the collaborative robot, service robot and humanoid robot markets, while expanding into the medical market and sports health market.

Yuli Instruments: From car crash dummies to robot polishing

Yuli Instruments is a technology-intensive enterprise integrating R&D and production. It is rooted in the field of torque sensors. Its main products cover from one-dimensional force sensors to six-dimensional force sensors, totaling 9 series and more than 300 models.

From the perspective of application fields, Yuli Instruments started out in the field of automobile collision dummies. Due to the lack of performance of domestic high-end sensors, the field of automobile collision dummies has been monopolized by foreign brands. In 2007, Yuli Instruments became one of the few companies in my country with the ability to produce multi-axis force sensors for automobile collision dummies. It cooperated with automobile companies such as SAIC and Volkswagen, allowing the automobile collision dummy industry to break away from the monopoly of the American brand Humanecs and have other options.

(Image source: Yuli Instruments official website)

At present, Yuli Instruments' six-axis force sensors have expanded to the field of robot grinding. It has cooperated with ABB to develop ten series of six-axis force sensors and floating grinding heads. At the same time, Yuli Instruments has cooperated with KUKA to launch the force-controlled grinding integrated application package KUKA rey2_grinding, which integrates force sensors, displacement sensors and inclination sensors. It can sense parameters such as grinding force, floating position and grinding head posture in real time, and can automatically compensate for the robot's grinding posture.

Hyberson Technology: Achieve multi-scenario implementation

Haiberson Technology is a high-end intelligent sensor manufacturer that integrates mechanics,,,, and technologies. Its main products include 3D flash measurement, high-speed industrial cameras and other types of visual sensors and six-dimensional force sensors.

According to Wang Guoan, chairman of Hybersen, sales of its visual sensor products account for a relatively large proportion, while sales of six-dimensional force sensor products only account for about 15% of the total sales. Although there are customers who need both six-dimensional force sensors and visual sensors, Hybersen rarely sells solutions and mainly sells standard products.

Wang Guoan believes that the current application scenarios of six-dimensional force sensors are relatively scattered, and they are used in the bathroom industry, metal processing industry, and precision workpiece assembly. Therefore, at present, the downstream market of Haiberson's six-dimensional force sensors covers 3C electronics, precision workpieces, medical, scientific research and other industries.

Xinjingcheng Sensor: Started from 3C, with controllable cost

Xin Jingcheng Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Xin Jingcheng Sensor") focuses on the research and development and innovation of industrial-grade products such as micro pressure, weighing, multi-axis force, torque and other diversified intelligent sensors and control instruments.

Xin Jingcheng Sensor started from the 3C industry in the early years and has received orders from large customers such as Apple, Foxconn, and Huawei. At present, Xin Jingcheng sensor products involve 3C automation equipment, precision medicine, agriculture, lithium batteries, robots, aviation and railways and other fields.

In 2022, the customers of Xin Jingcheng Sensor's six-dimensional force sensor are still concentrated in the 3C industry. Its main advantage is that the cost is controllable. Currently, the average price of a set of sensor + data acquisition card + software is only 13,000-15,000 yuan/set.

In addition, according to insiders of Xin Jingcheng Sensor, the company's revenue exceeded 100 million yuan in 2022.

Shenyuan Bio Intelligence: The R&D team comes from China Southern Airlines

Nanjing Shenyuansheng Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Shenyuansheng Intelligent") is committed to the research and industrialization of force testing technology. Its main products include multi-dimensional force sensors, torque sensors, friction and wear testing machines, force measuring platforms, stiffness meters, etc., which have been used in aerospace, robotics, automation, education and scientific research and other industries.

According to an insider of Shenyuan Bio Intelligence, the company's R&D team comes from China Southern Airlines, and all of the company's products, except for those imported, are domestically developed.

Data from Shenyuansheng Intelligent's business plan shows that its six-dimensional force sensor products cover an ultra-large range from 1N to 100MN, and are ultra-low 1%, stable and reliable.

Ruierte Measurement and Control: High cost performance, vertical application field

Ruierte Measurement & Control Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Ruierte Measurement & Control") is a high-end force control and weighing system solution provider. Its core products include pressure, force measurement, and tension sensors.

The Ruierte measurement and control team is streamlined. According to the "2021 Annual Report of Changzhou Ruierte Measurement and Control System Co., Ltd." by iQiCha, in 2021, the actual number of Ruierte measurement and control participants was only 26. In addition, the company's official website shows that Ruierte's measurement and control R&D team currently has 4 people and 5 quality inspectors.

(Photo source: Aiqicha)

Ruier sensors are mainly used in the weighing process. The "Love Purchasing" website shows that its six-dimensional force sensor products are priced at only 1,280 yuan. Compared with the ten-thousand-yuan-level six-dimensional force sensors of manufacturers such as Zhongke Midian, Ruier can be said to have a high cost-effectiveness.

(Photo source: Aicaigou website)

Ali Intelligence: Rooted in the field of sports and health

Anhui Aili Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Aili Intelligent") is committed to the research and development and production of equipment in the field of sports biomechanics. Its main products include pressure distribution, surface electromyographs, force platforms, six-dimensional force sensors and sit-stand-walk integrated gait and balance assessment training systems. Its products mainly serve the fields of medical health and sports.

From the perspective of product application, its six-dimensional force sensor is mainly used in the field of rehabilitation robots and the collaboration of upper and lower limb exoskeleton robots.

From a capital perspective, in early 2021, Shanghai Fourier Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., which focuses on the medical and health field, acquired Eli Intelligence, which has nearly 20 years of R&D experience in the sensor field. This move may accelerate the medical and health field into the era of intelligent rehabilitation 2.0.