ACTUATORS BUILT AROUND YOUR ROBOT

Bearings, motors, gearboxes, brakes, encoders, and drives—freely combinable, mechanically engineered to fit your machine, and supported by Synapticons’ supply chain all the way through to mass production.‍‍

What is a custom actuator?

A custom actuator is not a modified standard product. It is an actuator module that is freely assembled from six components and developed specifically for a particular application—incorporating the mechanical components, sensors, and drive electronics that the application actually requires.

To achieve this, Synapticon brings three worlds together under one roof:

Mechanical Design

Bearings, housings, flanges, mounting, thermal paths

Component Sourcing

High-quality motors, gearboxes, brakes, and encoders from an established supply chain

Drive Integration

The SOMANET platform or Custom Drive as the electrical and software foundation

The result is an actuator that is mechanically, electrically, and commercially compatible with your machine—and is designed for high-volume production.

This high-performance integrated servo motor is designed for demanding motion control applications. Synapticon's servo drive technology ensures precise and reliable operation for this motor.

ANY QUESTIONS?

We’d be happy to advise you on our custom actuator solutions. Feel free to reach out—we’re here to help.
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The six modules of customization

ModuleOptionsTypical specifications
BearingBall bearings, spherical roller bearingsDesigned for load conditions, stiffness, and installation space
EnginePMSM, BLDC50 W to 2 kW, flexible pole configuration, custom connectors
TransmissionPlanetary, Strain Wave, CycloidalOptimized for backlash, torque, and service life
BrakeClutch brake, static friction brake, microcoilnormally closed, integrated control
EncoderOptical, magneticup to 24-bit resolution, single-turn or multi-turn
HousingCNC-machined, die-castCustom flange and mounting geometries


Plus optional custom torque sensor integration—including dual-channel architecture with functional safety, if required by the application.

When is a custom actuator a good choice?

  • Form Factor
    Standard products are too large, too heavy, or mechanically unsuitable for your design
  • Mass Production
    Your robot is moving into high-volume production, and you need an actuator designed for high-volume production
  • Industrial Design
    The actuator becomes part of the visible product and must fit your design concept
  • Specific interfaces
    , Power, Bus, Mounting, or Sensors—differ from the standard
  • Torque Measurement
    Do you need an integrated torque sensor with safety architecture?
  • Application-specific mechanics
    Hollow shafts, unusual torque-speed combinations, special bearings

If you're still in the prototyping stage:

Start with one of our standard actuators— ACTILINK-S, ACTILINK-JD, or ACTILINK-JP. The platform is designed so that you can switch to a custom version later without changing the architecture.


How we build it

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  • 1. Concepts
    We analyze motion profiles, load cases, installation space constraints, and industrial design. This results in an initial actuator specification.
  • 2. Requirements-
    : Torque, speed, design, interfaces, safety level, service life, and quantity are refined until the specifications are clear.
  • 3. System Design
    Mechanical, electronic, and wiring systems are developed in parallel. This is the stage at which decisions regarding motor topology, transmission type, and drive selection are made.
  • 4. Rapid Prototyping
    First hardware in weeks instead of months, based on the existing platform. Initial validation on the test bench.
  • 5. Sourcing
    : Components are qualified, suppliers are selected, and long-life bills of materials are created. Synapticon handles the procurement process behind the scenes.
  • 6. Productization + Testing
    , tooling, pilot run, validation tests, pre-series. Then transition to mass production.

Examples of use

AMR Drive Units and Lift Systems

Mobile robots require different mechanical components for each axis: drive, lift, and steering. Custom Actuators enable a unified drive and software concept across mechanically diverse designs—while remaining fully suitable for mass production.‍‍



's humanoid joint actuators: Joint-specific actuators with housings integrated into the robot's frame. No redundant material, no redundant weight. The hip joint and wrist joint can vary in cost and weight.‍‍

an image of a machine connected to wires
Cobot joints in the Volume

catalog are ideal for cobot prototypes. For mass production, the cobot joint becomes a custom actuator that is seamlessly integrated into the arm’s mechanical design—at significantly lower BOM costs.‍‍

Robot Dogs and Quadrupeds

Highly dynamic actuators that fit into flat, weight-optimized housings. Using ACTILINK-JD as the platform base and custom mechanics for the specific leg design.‍‍

Precision Robotics with Integrated Torque Measurement

Custom Actuators with dual-channel torque sensors and SIL3 PLe safety architecture for medical robotics, semiconductor equipment, and collaborative applications requiring high force accuracy.‍‍

FAQ

Q: How do Custom Actuators differ from ACTILINK-JD or ACTILINK-JP?
A: ACTILINK-JD and ACTILINK-JP are our standard actuators—immediately available, well-documented, and perfect for prototypes and medium-volume production. Custom Actuators are developed when mechanical requirements, interfaces, or production volumes exceed the capabilities of our standard products.

Q: Can we provide our own motor?
A: Yes. We also integrate customer-supplied or third-party motors, provided they can be electrically and mechanically connected to our drive platform.

Q: What types of gearboxes are available?
A: Planetary, strain wave, and cycloidal are the established options. Direct-drive solutions without a gearbox are also possible if the torque-to-speed ratio allows it.

Q: What about integrated torque measurement?
A: Yes. Custom Actuators can have a torque sensor integrated directly into the actuator—optionally in a dual-channel architecture suitable for safety-critical applications.

Q: What level of functional safety is possible?
A: Up to SIL3 PLe according to IEC 61508, IEC 61800-5-2, and ISO 13849. The safety architecture can be differentiated depending on the joint—critical joints (hip, knee) receive full safety, while less critical ones (wrist, fingers) can manage with Cat 2 PLd.

Q: Who handles production?
A: Synapticon. We operate electronics manufacturing facilities in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, and China; mechanical manufacturing facilities in Germany and China; and systems assembly operations on four continents.