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Humanoid Robots: A Catalyst for Increased Steel Demand
release time:
2025-03-05 15:20
source:
The breakthrough in humanoid robot technology and the acceleration of commercialization have indeed brought structural demand opportunities to the steel industry, which are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. The demand for special steel is surging
High-precision cutting wire: The precision cutting wire (diameter 0.03-0.1 mm) required for core components such as harmonic reducers has extremely high requirements for the uniformity and surface finish of steel. It is estimated that this type of demand will increase by 35,000 tons in 2030, and the unit price is significantly higher than that of ordinary construction steel.
High-strength alloy steel: Servo motor housings, transmission shafts, planetary roller screws and other components require high-strength alloy steel (such as carburized steel with fatigue strength exceeding 1200MPa), and its unit price can reach 2-3 times that of ordinary steel.
High value-added market segments: It is estimated that by 2030, the global demand for special steel driven by humanoid robots will exceed 800,000 tons, with a market size of 12 billion yuan, becoming an important growth point for the transformation of steel companies.
2. Balance between lightweight and high strength
Application of special steel under the trend of lightweight: Although lightweight materials such as magnesium alloy and carbon fiber have replaced traditional steel in some structural parts (such as UBTECH Robots’ 30% weight reduction), high-load parts such as joints and gears still rely on special steel. For example, the leg joints of Tesla Optimus Gen 2 use a carbon fiber wrapped steel core structure, which takes into account both lightweight and torsional stiffness.
Technical path selection: Planetary roller screws are better than harmonic reducers in impact resistance, and their popularity may further drive the demand for special steel.
3. Process innovation and technology upgrade
Precision processing requirements: Humanoid robot parts (such as reducer flexible wheels and cycloid wheels) have strict requirements on steel processing accuracy, which promotes steel companies to transform to small-batch customized production.
Surface treatment technology: Nitriding, laser cladding and other processes can improve the wear resistance and life of steel, becoming the focus of competition. For example, the carburizing + low-temperature ion sulfurization process of Japan's Daido Special Steel extends the fatigue life of gear steel by 3 times.
Advantages of short-process steelmaking: The short-process process of electric furnace has more advantages in fine-tuning the composition, which can meet the production needs of special-shaped cross-sections and high-purity steel.
4. Green and low-carbon transformation opportunities
Hydrogen-based direct reduction iron (DRI) process: The ultra-high-strength steel produced (such as martensitic steel MS1180) has both low carbon and high performance, which meets the dual needs of lightweight humanoid robots and carbon reduction goals in the steel industry.
Summary
The demand for steel driven by humanoid robots is not a total expansion, but is concentrated in the field of high-value-added special steel, which promotes the steel industry to upgrade to a technology-intensive and green direction. In the short term, traditional construction steel may be under pressure, but the sub-markets such as high-strength steel and precision alloy steel will usher in explosive growth. Steel companies need to accelerate the layout of special steel research and development, cross-industry chain collaborative innovation and low-carbon processes to seize this structural opportunity.
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