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Custom gears and robot components Custom gears

Exploded planetary gearbox, concept geometry Line drawing of a single-stage planetary gearbox separated along its axis. Parts: 01 Output flange; 02 Socket head cap screws, M4; 03 Front housing; 04 Output bearing: outer race, ball set, inner race; 05 Planet carrier with pins; 06 Planet gears, Z27, with needle bearings (3); 07 Sun pinion, Z18, with input shaft; 08 Ring gear, Z72; 09 Input bearing; 10 Rear housing. The sun pinion is highlighted.
Exploded planetary gearbox, concept geometry Line drawing of a single-stage planetary gearbox separated along its axis. Parts: 01 Output flange; 02 Socket head cap screws, M4; 03 Front housing; 04 Output bearing: outer race, ball set, inner race; 05 Planet carrier with pins; 06 Planet gears, Z27, with needle bearings (3); 07 Sun pinion, Z18, with input shaft; 08 Ring gear, Z72; 09 Input bearing; 10 Rear housing. The sun pinion is highlighted.

Robotics componentsPilot inquiries open

The parts behind your next robot. Robot components: gears, gearboxes and joint hardware

Pico Gears supplies custom gears, transmission parts and mechanical assemblies to robotics teams. Share your design, requirements and target volumes to scope a pilot build.

Discuss a project Explore components

Fig. 01 / Concept geometry Single-stage planetary study: sun input, carrier output, fixed ring. Tooth counts 18 / 27 / 72 give a 5 : 1 ratio. A design study, not a catalog product.

Our approach

Why run the whole mechanical stack as one program?

Pico gives robotics teams one path from robot design to production hardware.

Robotics teams usually source gears, housings, shafts and assemblies from separate shops, each with its own quote, drawing review and schedule. Every handoff adds time, and another place where a tolerance or a material choice can go wrong.

Pico runs the mechanical stack as one program. We review the design with you, choose the manufacturing route for each part, bring in outside suppliers where a specialized process such as gear cutting or heat treatment calls for it, and deliver an assembled, inspected pilot build against criteria agreed up front.

The result is one point of contact, clear technical data, and a path from the first prototype to repeat orders.

Components

What does Pico supply to robotics teams?

Pico supplies custom gears, planetary gearbox subassemblies, joint hardware and polymer gears for teams building humanoids, robot arms, grippers and mobile manipulators.

These are the project areas we can discuss today. Each one starts from your design and your requirements, not from a catalog, and can begin as a prototype or a small pilot batch.

Joint housing, bearing and bearing carrier Line drawing of a square-flanged joint housing with a bearing and a bolted bearing carrier separated along their axis. The carrier is highlighted.
Fig. 02 / Joint housing, bearing and bearing carrier

Joint hardware

Housings, bearing carriers, shafts, adapters, and mounting interfaces.

  • Joint housings
  • Bearing carriers
  • Shafts and adapters
  • Motor mounts
More on joint hardware Discuss this component
Spur gear pair with keyed bores Line drawing of a 36-tooth spur gear meshing with an 18-tooth pinion. The pinion is highlighted.
Fig. 03 / Spur gear pair with keyed bores

Gears and transmissions

Custom gear and transmission requirements, evaluated around the application and sourcing route.

  • Spur and helical gears
  • Internal ring gears
  • Planetary gear sets
  • Pinion shafts
More on gears and transmissions Discuss this component
Shaft and adapter kit Exploded line drawing of a kit: stepped shaft, bearing, retaining ring, key, flanged adapter and four cap screws. The adapter is highlighted.
Fig. 04 / Shaft and adapter kit

Mechanical assemblies

Component kits and gearbox subassemblies with defined assembly, inspection, and test requirements.

  • Gearbox subassemblies
  • Bearing and shaft kits
  • Actuator mechanics
  • Kitted parts sets
More on gearbox subassemblies and kits Discuss this component
Hybrid gear: metal hub, polymer rim Exploded line drawing of a hybrid gear: a lobed metal hub insert in front of a toothed polymer rim. The polymer rim is highlighted.
Fig. 05 / Hybrid gear: metal hub, polymer rim

Polymer and hybrid concepts

Explore weight, noise, and cost targets where polymer and metal combinations may fit the duty cycle.

  • Polymer gears
  • Overmolded metal hubs
  • Hybrid gear sets
  • Low-noise stages
More on custom plastic gears Discuss this component

Robot types

Which robots are these parts for?

  • Humanoids

    Joint reducers, output bearing carriers and housings for hips, knees, shoulders and elbows, where torque density and mass matter most.

  • Robot arms and cobots

    Joint gear trains, bearing carriers, motor adapters and the hardware that ties a reducer to the next link.

  • Grippers and hands

    Small gear sets, pinion shafts and polymer gears for finger and wrist transmissions.

  • Mobile manipulators

    Gearing for wheel and lift drives, plus the joint hardware of the arm on top.

Choosing a reducer? See how robot joint gearboxes and reducers are chosen, or start with custom planetary gearboxes for robot joints.

How it works

How does a program run from prototype to repeat supply?

Prove the parts on a small batch, then scale what works. Every program follows the same four steps.

  1. Requirement 01 / 04

    Share the requirement.

    Provide the application, available design information, target quantity, and timing. A sketch and a load case are enough to start the conversation.

    Planet gear, front view with dimensions Front view of a 27-tooth planet gear with its tip diameter, pitch circle diameter and bore dimensioned. Ø29PITCH Ø27 REFØ14 G6Z 27 m 1 α 20°BORE = NEEDLE RACEWAY, 58 HRC MIN
    Planet gear, front view with dimensions

  2. Engineering review 02 / 04

    Define the build.

    Review feasibility, materials, manufacturing route, inspection needs, and scope. You receive a written proposal before anything is made.

    Joint hardware, exploded for review Line drawing of a joint housing, bearing and bearing carrier separated along their axis. The carrier is highlighted.
    Joint hardware, exploded for review

  3. Pilot build 03 / 04

    Start with a pilot.

    Agree on a prototype or initial batch and the acceptance criteria before expanding production.

    Planetary gearbox, assembled (design study) Line drawing of the assembled planetary gearbox, seen from the output flange.
    Planetary gearbox, assembled (design study)

  4. Repeat supply 04 / 04

    Scale what works.

    Move proven parts into repeat orders at the volumes your program needs, with the same drawings, inspection plan and point of contact.

    Planet gears, a batch of identical parts Line drawing of six identical planet gears laid out in two rows.
    Planet gears, a batch of identical parts

Gear calculator

Calculator drawing: sun 18, planets 27, ring 72

Free gear tools

Work out a planetary stage before you send it: the ratio for any held member, the assembly checks, output speed and torque, and a drawing you can export.

Open the planetary gear calculator

Sourcing

Can we specify US manufacturing?

Tell us your country-of-origin requirements alongside your performance, quantity, and delivery targets. We will evaluate the manufacturing route as part of the proposed scope.

Some processes, such as gear cutting, heat treatment, or molding, may come from outside suppliers. The proposed route, and where each step happens, is stated in the scope we send you.

Add your sourcing requirements

Design brief

  • Application What the part does in the robot
  • Requirements Loads, motion, interfaces, environment
  • Design data Sketch, CAD model, or drawings
  • Quantity First build and expected annual volume
  • Timing When the first parts are needed
  • Country of origin No requirement, US required, US preferred, or another requirement

The inquiry form lets you mark US manufacturing as required or preferred.

Start a project

What are you building?

Tell us which components you need, what they must do, and when you need them.

Helpful to include

  • The application and what the part must do
  • Loads, motion, interfaces, and environment
  • Design data you have today
  • Quantities for the first build and per year
  • Timing and any country-of-origin requirement

Partial information is fine. We will ask for what is missing.

Direct email
[email protected]
The project

What the part or assembly does, the loads and motion involved, materials, interfaces, and what design data exists today (sketch, CAD, drawings).

Volumes and timing

For example: 5 prototype sets, then 50 units

For example: about 500 units per year

When you need the first parts.

Sourcing

For example: US-made housings required, gears open to discussion

Your details

No upload needed now. How drawings and CAD files are exchanged is agreed when we follow up. Do not send export-controlled technical data with a first inquiry.

Prefer email? Write to [email protected].

Questions

Common questions.

Can we start with a prototype or small batch?

Yes, that is the usual starting point. Tell us the quantity you need for the first build. We review it with the design and confirm what the pilot includes, and how it will be accepted, before discussing production volumes.

Do you sell catalog gears or gearboxes?

No. Pico does not keep a catalog of stock gears or standard gearboxes. Every custom part is made to your design and requirements, starting with a prototype or pilot batch; purchased parts such as bearings are listed with their source in the proposal.

Do you work from our drawings?

Yes. Send what exists today: a sketch, a CAD model, or released drawings. We review the design information and list anything still needed to quote and build. The way to exchange drawings and CAD files is arranged during follow-up, so the first inquiry needs no attachments.

Can you evaluate polymer or hybrid components?

We can evaluate them for pilot projects. Polymer and polymer-metal designs can help with weight, noise, or cost in some applications, and they also bring limits on load, temperature, and wear. We review the duty cycle and your targets before recommending a material or a build route.

Can we specify US manufacturing?

Yes. Mark it as required or preferred in the inquiry, along with any other country-of-origin requirement. We evaluate the manufacturing route against it as part of the proposed scope and state clearly which requirements the proposal meets.

What information should we provide first?

The application, what the part or assembly must do, the design data you have, quantities for the first build and per year, your timing, and any sourcing requirement. Partial information is fine. We will ask for what is missing.