Swiss CNC Machining for Robotics Components
Precision joint shafts, harmonic drive housings, encoder mounts, and end-effector pins machined to ±0.005 mm on CITIZEN and Tsugami Swiss-type platforms. IATF 16949 + AS9100D certified. Proven on Hyundai robot accessories in production.
Precision Machining Across the Full Robotics Drive Train
From slender joint shafts running through harmonic reducers to compact pogo pins in POGO-contact end-effectors, Richconn's Swiss and multi-axis CNC platforms cover every rotating and sliding element in a robotic system.
Rotary Joint Shafts
Solid and hollow output shafts for harmonic drives, RV reducers, and planetary gearboxes. Sub-micron roundness on bearing seats; matched ID/OD concentricity ≤0.003 mm.
Harmonic Drive Housings
Precision-bored circular spline and wave generator housings. Bore tolerance held to IT6; surface finish Ra≤0.4 μm on flex-spline mating surfaces. Hard anodize available.
Encoder Mounts & Hubs
Optical and magnetic encoder mounting flanges with positional tolerances ≤±0.005 mm on datum surfaces. Sub-micron runout ensures the 0.001° angular resolution is not lost in the mount.
End-Effector Pins & Contacts
CITIZEN A20-machined pogo-type pins for gripper contact arrays, force-torque sensor adapters, and tool-changer coupling pins. Ø0.5 mm minimum, ±0.003 mm length tolerance.
Motor Mounts & Servo Housings
Servo motor mount plates and housings with ≤0.02 mm co-planarity across bolt faces. Misalignment between motor shaft and gearbox input generates vibration that limits pick-and-place cycle time.
Link Arms & Structural Brackets
Lightweight 4-/5-axis milled aluminum arm links, gripper bodies, and sensor brackets. Stiffness-to-weight optimized via DFM review; anodize or hard-coat finishing coordinated in-network.
Component-Level Tolerance Capabilities
Each component family has its own tolerance regime. The specifications below reflect standard production capability on our CITIZEN A20 and Tsugami B206 Swiss-type lines — not the engineering ceiling.
Joint Actuator Shaft
Solid / hollow / splined output shaft
- OD RangeØ2 – 120 mm
- OD Tolerance±0.005 mm
- Roundness≤ 0.002 mm
- Bearing Seat Ra≤ 0.4 μm
- Concentricity (ID/OD)≤ 0.003 mm
- Max L/D Ratio20 : 1
The Swiss guide bushing supports bar stock within 1–2 mm of the cutting zone, enabling long slender shafts without deflection — critical for hollow joint shafts in humanoid and collaborative robots.
Harmonic Drive Housing
Circular spline · wave generator outer race
- Bore ToleranceIT6 (H6 / js6)
- Bore Roundness≤ 0.003 mm
- Bore Surface Ra≤ 0.4 – 0.8 μm
- Flange Co-planarity≤ 0.02 mm
- Typical MaterialsAl 6061 · SS 303 · 7075
- Finishing OptionsHard anodize · EN
Concentricity of bore to mounting flange is CMM-verified every lot. Housing eccentricity above 0.003 mm directly degrades joint positioning accuracy and increases gear-mesh noise.
Encoder Mount Hub
Optical / magnetic · flange or clamp style
- Bore DiameterØ3 – 30 mm
- Datum Position Tol.±0.005 mm
- Shaft Runout≤ 0.003 mm TIR
- Bolt Circle PCD±0.005 mm
- Face Squareness≤ 0.005 mm
- Typical MaterialAl 6061 · Brass
Encoder mounts with runout above 0.003 mm degrade effective angular resolution below the encoder's rated bit-count. Our CMM sign-off ensures the encoder performs to its specified resolution.
End-Effector Contact Pin
Pogo · gripper · tool-changer coupling
- Diameter RangeØ0.5 – 6 mm
- OD Tolerance±0.003 – 0.005 mm
- Length Tolerance±0.003 mm
- Surface RoughnessRa ≤ 0.2 μm
- Tip GeometryFlat / crown / cone / radius
- PlatingNi + Hard Au · Pd + Au
The CITIZEN A20 fleet (×15 units) gives capacity for millions of pins per month — the same production line that supplies Hyundai robot accessories and RED Cinema products at volume.
Why Swiss-Type CNC Outperforms Conventional Turning for Robot Parts
Guide Bushing Eliminates Deflection on Long Slender Parts
The guide bushing supports the workpiece within 1–2 mm of the cutting zone. A joint shaft at 10:1 L/D that deflects 0.01 mm on a conventional lathe holds ±0.005 mm on a CITIZEN — no special fixturing required.
Live Tooling Completes Milling & Drilling in One Setup
Keyways, cross-holes, and spline features on the same shaft are finished without re-chucking. Eliminated setups eliminate stack-up errors — critical when a motor shaft must align to 0.02 mm in its housing.
Sub-Spindle Machines Both Ends in One Cycle
Mazak and CITIZEN turn-mill centers transfer the part to the sub-spindle automatically. Complete OD, bore, and face features in one uninterrupted cycle — tighter total length tolerance, faster throughput.
Ø0.5 mm Minimum for Humanoid Micro-Actuator Parts
The CITIZEN A20 starts at Ø0.5 mm bar capacity — smaller than most conventional lathes can hold reliably. Humanoid finger mechanisms and micro-actuator pins machined to full ±0.005 mm spec.
Equipment on the Robotics Production Floor
| Machine | Bar / Work Range | Tolerance | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| CITIZEN A20 Swiss | Ø0.5–25 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×15 |
| CITIZEN A16 Swiss | Ø0.5–15 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×4 |
| CITIZEN BNC40 | Ø5–120 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×4 |
| Tsugami B206 Swiss | Ø1–20 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×20 |
| YM LM-06Y Turn-Mill | Ø5–150 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×2 |
| Mazak Turn-Mill CNC | Up to Ø150 mm | ±0.005 mm | ×18 |
| FUYU 4-Axis Machining | — | ±0.005 mm | ×15 |
| DFM High-Speed Center | — | ±0.005 mm | ×8 |
Production Tolerance Capabilities
Standard capability on the production floor — not the engineering limit. All critical dimensions verified on Mitutoyo CMM with ±0.001 mm measurement uncertainty before shipment.
Standard production tolerance on shaft OD and bore ID for bearing and gear-mesh fits across all Swiss-type platforms.
Bearing seat roundness critical for joint preload and smooth rotation. Verified with CMM profile scan, not just two-point diameter measurement.
Encoder hub and shaft runout verified every lot. Runout above 0.003 mm degrades angular resolution and creates joint tracking error at high speeds.
Harmonic drive and bearing bore finish. Consistent Ra prevents fretting fatigue at cycling frequencies across millions of joint actuation cycles.
Mitutoyo CMM measurement uncertainty. Critical features signed off with full dimensional report; Cpk ≥1.33 required for series production release.
Smallest bar stock capability on CITIZEN A20 and Tsugami B206. Full ±0.005 mm tolerance maintained at minimum diameter, no special handling surcharge.
Alloys Selected for Robotics Performance Requirements
Robotics components demand stiffness-to-weight ratio, fatigue life, corrosion resistance, and machinability simultaneously. These are the most-specified alloys on our robotics production lines.
Aluminum 6061-T6
UNS A96061
- Tensile Strength310 MPa
- Density2.70 g/cm³
- MachinabilityExcellent
Link arms, motor mounts, sensor brackets, gripper bodies. Hard anodize for wear resistance. Best all-round choice for non-bearing-critical structural components.
Aluminum 7075-T6
UNS A97075
- Tensile Strength572 MPa
- Density2.81 g/cm³
- MachinabilityGood
High-stress joint housings, end-of-arm structural brackets, drive spline hubs where 6061 stiffness is insufficient at the required cross-section.
Stainless Steel 303
UNS S30300
- Tensile Strength620 MPa
- HardnessHB 262 max
- MachinabilityVery Good
Encoder hubs, shaft couplings, bearing sleeves requiring corrosion resistance and clean Swiss machining. Standard choice for food-grade and clean-room robot parts.
Stainless Steel 316L
UNS S31603
- Tensile Strength485 MPa
- Corrosion ResistanceExcellent
- WeldabilityExcellent
Surgical robot arms, medical end-effectors, and components requiring passivation and USP Class VI biocompatibility documentation for regulated environments.
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Grade 5 · AMS 4928
- Tensile Strength950 MPa
- Density4.43 g/cm³
- Fatigue LimitHigh
Weight-critical joint shafts in humanoid and exoskeleton programs. Superior stiffness-to-weight vs. steel; fatigue life for million-cycle robotic joints.
Free-Cutting Brass C360
UNS C36000
- Conductivity26% IACS
- Machinability100 (reference)
- HardnessHRB 78
End-effector contact pins, pogo plungers, electrical connectors in tool-changer systems. Maximum volume output at minimum cycle time on CITIZEN platforms.
From CAD File to Verified Shipment in 6 Steps
DFM Review
Free Design-for-Manufacturability check within 24 h. Identify tolerance stack-ups and feature conflicts before any tooling is cut.
Quoting & APQP
Firm price + lead time. For series production, PPAP / APQP planning and control plan generated per IATF 16949.
Prototype & FAI
First-article inspection with full CMM report. All critical dimensions measured against drawing; Cpk calculated for each KPC.
Production
Swiss CNC and multi-axis machining with in-process SPC monitoring. 100% OTD commitment; PPM ≤1000 target.
Finishing
Anodize, EN, passivation, hard chrome, and gold plating coordinated through partner network — single-source delivery.
Inspect & Ship
Outgoing CMM inspection, CoC, material certs, and PPAP documentation packaged with every shipment on demand.
Robotics Segments We Serve
Richconn's certified robotics supply track record spans collaborative arms to humanoid programs — backed by Hyundai robot accessories production running on our CITIZEN lines today.
Industrial & Collaborative Robots
6-axis articulated arms, cobot joints, and SCARA drive trains. IATF 16949 quality system aligns with tier-1 automotive robot OEM requirements for repeatability and documentation.
Humanoid & Exoskeleton Robots
Weight-critical titanium and 7075-T6 parts for next-generation humanoid programs. Ø0.5 mm pins to Ø120 mm hollow shafts within one supply chain and one quality system.
Surgical & Medical Robots
SS 316L and titanium components for minimally invasive surgical arms. Passivation and biocompatibility documentation; AS9100D and ISO quality management system standard.
AGV & Warehouse Automation
Drive wheel shafts, steering pivot pins, and motorized roller axles for AMR/AGV platforms. Sub-micron roundness required; consistent dimensionality across high-volume production batches.
Semiconductor & Electronics Assembly
Pick-and-place end-effectors, vacuum chuck pins, and wafer handler shafts. Sub-micron surface finish prevents particulate generation in cleanroom environments.
Defense & Aerospace Robotics
AS9100D-certified machining for robotic manipulators on UAV, satellite servicing, and ground vehicle programs. Material traceability from mill cert to CMM sign-off.
Six Reasons Robotics Engineers Choose Us
Proven Robotics Track Record
Our partner factory supplies Hyundai robot accessories in production today — not a pilot program. Established process controls, not prototyping guesswork, are the starting point for your project.
Ø0.5 mm to Ø150 mm, One Source
Finger-scale pogo pins on CITIZEN A20 and large harmonic drive housings on Mazak turn-mill centers — the full robotics diameter range, all qualified under one quality system.
AS9100D + IATF 16949 Dual Certification
The dual certification is rare. It covers both the high-mix discipline of aerospace and the high-volume SPC discipline of automotive — exactly what scaling robotics OEMs need as programs grow.
39+ Swiss Lathes on the Floor
CITIZEN A20 ×15, A16 ×4, BNC40 ×4, Tsugami B206 ×20 — depth of Swiss capacity means no single-machine bottleneck and headroom for production ramp without lead time surprises.
DFM Feedback Within 24 Hours
We flag tolerance stack-up issues, under-constrained feature callouts, and finishing conflicts before a single chip is cut. Early DFM catches problems that would otherwise delay robot assembly.
Full Documentation on Every Shipment
Certificate of Conformance, material certs, CMM dimensional reports, and PPAP documentation available per shipment. Audit-ready from day one for robotics OEMs under IATF and AS9100 compliance.
Common Questions from Robotics Engineers
What file formats do you accept for robotics component quotes?
STEP (.stp / .step), IGES, DXF, Parasolid (.x_t), and SolidWorks / CATIA native files. 2D drawings in PDF or DWG are accepted alongside 3D models. For parts with GD&T callouts, a dimensioned PDF drawing is required in addition to the 3D model to ensure all tolerance specifications, especially positional and runout callouts, are captured fully.
Can you hold ±0.005 mm on long slender joint shafts with L/D ratio above 10?
Yes — this is exactly where Swiss CNC outperforms conventional turning. The guide bushing supports the workpiece within 1–2 mm of the cutting zone, virtually eliminating deflection. Our CITIZEN A20 and Tsugami B206 machines hold ±0.005 mm OD tolerance on shafts up to 20:1 L/D in standard production, not special or premium runs.
Do you machine harmonic drive housings and wave generator outer races directly?
Yes. We machine custom circular spline housings and wave generator outer races to IT6 bore tolerance with Ra≤0.4 µm finish. If you're using off-the-shelf harmonic drives, we machine the mating casings and interface flanges to your specific motor, encoder, and joint structure. Bore concentricity relative to the mounting flange is CMM-verified every lot.
What is the minimum order quantity for robotics components?
For prototyping and first-article inspection, MOQ is typically 5–10 pieces depending on part complexity and setup amortization. For series production we generally run in batches of 100–500 pieces per delivery, with blanket orders covering 12-month rolling forecasts. Contact us to discuss the right order structure for your production ramp schedule.
Can you provide First Article Inspection reports and PPAP documentation?
Yes. We issue AS9102B-compliant First Article Inspection reports with full CMM dimensional data and Cpk calculations for every Key Product Characteristic. PPAP Level 2 and Level 3 submissions are standard for series production under our IATF 16949 quality system. Process Control Plans and PFMEA documents are available on request.
What surface treatments do you offer for aluminum robot housings and link arms?
Anodize (Type II and Type III hard coat), electroless nickel plating, chromate conversion coating (Alodine 1200), and powder coat are all available through our in-network finishing partners. Hard anodize is most common for joint housings and link arms where wear resistance is required. All finishing is coordinated as part of the turn-key delivery.
Do you machine titanium Ti-6Al-4V for humanoid robot joint shafts?
Yes. Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5 / AMS 4928) is a standard material on our production floor. Swiss CNC is well-suited to titanium because the guide bushing setup provides excellent chip control for this gummy alloy. We machine titanium to the same ±0.005 mm tolerance as aluminum and stainless steel. Material mill certificates are provided as standard; XRF composition verification is available on request.
What is typical lead time from drawing approval to first article delivery?
Prototype first-article delivery is typically 7–15 business days from drawing approval, depending on part complexity and material availability. For titanium or Inconel with special tolerances, allow 15–20 business days. Series production lead times after FAI approval are 15–30 days per batch depending on volume. Rush prototyping (5–7 business days) is available for a surcharge on standard materials.
Request a Quote for Robotics Components
Send us your drawing or CAD file. We provide a DFM review and firm quote within 24 hours for most robotics components.