White Paper on the Development of the Global and Chinese Humanoid Robot Joint Module Market in 2026

Writer：tilireducer Time：2026-06-29 08:45:41 Browse：2℃

Humanoid robots are rapidly entering the stage of large-scale mass production, with industrial value gradually shifting from complete machine manufacturing to core system components such as joint modules. Driven by the replication of the automotive Tier 1 model and the explosion in demand for dexterous hands, joint module enterprises with system integration and industrialization capabilities are expected to become the biggest industrial winners in the next decade.

Insight 1: 2026 marks the first year of large-scale commercial verification for humanoid robots, with an industrialization process significantly faster than market expectations. In 2026, the humanoid robot industry officially entered its first year of large-scale mass production.

Insight 2: The joint module is the core component where the value of humanoid robots is most concentrated, determining the performance boundaries and commercialization limits of the entire machine. The joint module accounts for approximately 35%-60% of the total BOM of the machine, and simultaneously determines the motion performance, reliability, and cost level. Its highly coupled mechanical structure, control system, and thermal management scheme make it the core system of the entire machine that is the most difficult to replace and has the strongest locking effect.

Insight 3: Hybrid joint architecture will become mainstream, and Quasi-Direct Drive (QDD) is the core direction for domestic humanoid robots. Insight 4: The domestic humanoid robot drive market accounts for 70% of demand, and China's supply chain is the largest joint module market globally. By 2025, the global demand for joint modules will reach approximately 720,000 units, with domestic humanoid robots accounting for 70% of the demand.

Insight 5: The value center of the humanoid robot industry is shifting: After 2030, joint module Tier 1 will dominate the industry, similar to the evolution of automotive Tier 1. The value chain of humanoid robots will undergo a three-stage migration: from full-chain self-research by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) (current stage) → joint OEM and joint module co-dominance (mass production stage) → joint module Tier 1 dominance (industry maturity stage). The breakthrough in mass production scale, cost pressure, and iteration speed jointly drive the OEM to transition to a chain master definition + Tier 1 integration model.

Insight 6: The core of competition is shifting from performance leadership to industrialization leadership. Replicable manufacturing capabilities have become the new competitive advantage. Joint modules have entered the stage of drive-control integration. Future competition will no longer focus on peak performance indicators, but on mass production consistency, delivery stability, yield levels, and cost control capabilities. Industrialization capabilities will become the most important dividing line between enterprises.

Insight 7: The Next Growth Curve: Dextrous Hand Micro Joints Will Be the Next High-Barrier, High-Value, High-Growth Sector. The humanoid robot industry is shifting from "competition in motion capability" to "competition in operational capability"; dexterous hands will become the main battleground in the next stage. Micro joints account for 40% to 60% of the cost of dexterous hands.