Chinese car manufacturer XPeng unveiled its humanoid robot IRON at its AI Day event and then revealed parts of its structure live. The focus was on 3D-printed, photopolymer-based lattice structures that sit inside the limbs and function as soft actuators. The manufacturer is thus replacing classic joint and linkage concepts in several places with geometrically programmed mechanics.
Information and detailed analyses of this approach come from the Chinese 3D printing service provider FacFox. FacFox points out that IRON relies on digital light processing (DLP), i.e., projection-based curing of low-viscosity resins with high area coverage. The grids function as a bionic muscle/skeletal structure. They deform elastically, carry loads, and do not require classic joints.
The mechanical properties are not created by material changes, but by geometry. The stiffness can be finely graded via cell topology, orientation, and relative density – roughly between 20 and 80 percent. A single photopolymer approach can thus achieve elasticity modules of approximately 0.05 to 5 MPa within a single component. The same structure can thus provide muscle-like flexibility and tendon-like stiffness without a laminated multi-layer structure.
For humanoid systems, weight is just as important as development time. Organic, load-path-compatible structures reduce mass, while DLP projection enables high throughput and short iteration cycles. New actuator geometries can be designed, printed, and tested within a few days, without mold making. Monolithic builds reduce the number of parts and eliminate gluing or screwing points, simplifying assembly and maintenance.
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