Schaeffler to deploy 1,000+ AEON robots

Hexagon Robotics and Schaeffler said on April 22 that Schaeffler plans to deploy at least 1,000 AEON humanoid robots across its global production system by 2032. The announcement moved the partnership from pilot work into a multi-year factory rollout and paired robot deployment with a supply agreement for Schaeffler actuators. The companies said the decision followed a joint pilot completed in 2025. Schaeffler separately tied the push to its broader humanoid component strategy after winning the 2026 Hermes Award for its actuator platform on April 19. ### What exactly did Schaeffler and Hexagon announce? April 22 is the key date. Hexagon said Schaeffler will deploy at least 1,000 AEON humanoids over seven years across its global factory network, while Schaeffler said the robots would be integrated into its production system within the next seven years. Both companies described the move as an expansion of an existing strategic partnership rather than a first-time deal. (hexagon.com) Zurich and Herzogenaurach were the locations attached to the announcement. Hexagon described AEON as moving from a successful 2025 pilot into broader deployment, and Schaeffler said the cooperation also covers development and supply of rotary actuators for the robots’ key joints, including shoulders and elbows. (hexagon.com) ### Why is Schaeffler involved on both the robot and component side? Schaeffler won the 2026 Hermes Award on April 19 for a platform of highly integrated actuators designed for humanoid robot joints. Hannover Messe said the award recognized a system that combines motors, power electronics and encoders and can be configured with different gear units depending on customer requirements. (hexagon.com) The actuator platform is central to the Hexagon tie-up. Schaeffler said it will supply high-precision strain wave and planetary gear actuators to Hexagon Robotics, while COO Jochen Schröder said the company was “not only” developing key components but also integrating Hexagon robots into its own plants. That makes Schaeffler both a supplier into the humanoid stack and an end user of the finished machines. (hannovermesse.de) ### What can AEON do on a factory floor today? Hexagon launched AEON on June 17, 2025, as a humanoid built for industrial tasks including manipulation, asset inspection, reality capture and operator support. The company said Schaeffler and Swiss aerospace group Pilatus would pilot the robot across different use cases and environments. (schaeffler.com) During the Schaeffler pilot, AEON operated a multi-machine station to load, unload and inspect parts in a real production setting, Hexagon said. The company added that additional applications, including automated part inspection, are targeted for rollout starting at the end of 2026. BMW is also testing the same platform. (hexagon.com) BMW Group said on March 9 that Plant Leipzig had begun its first European pilot involving a humanoid robot in the company’s production network in collaboration with Hexagon. BMW said AEON is 1.65 metres tall, weighs 60 kilograms, moves on wheels rather than feet and is being used for tasks including material delivery. (hexagon.com) ### Where do NVIDIA and Microsoft fit into this stack? Hexagon said in June 2025 that AEON was brought to market with partners including NVIDIA, Microsoft and maxon. The company said NVIDIA hardware and software power accelerated computing, simulation and onboard robotics functions, while Microsoft Azure supports scalable development and on-demand training of AEON’s capabilities. (bmwgroup.com) NVIDIA said AEON learns many of its skills through simulation powered by the Isaac platform and that Hexagon used Omniverse-based simulation environments to test and optimize models before deployment. Microsoft and Hexagon said on January 7 that they had formed a strategic partnership focused on deploying AI-driven humanoids for manipulation and inspection, initially targeting automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and logistics. (hexagon.com) ### What happens next in the rollout? The next dated milestone is the end of 2026. Hexagon said new AEON applications, including automated part inspection, are due to start rolling out then across multiple Schaeffler sites. BMW said its Leipzig pilot is part of a broader production test program in 2026, while Schaeffler’s own deployment plan runs through 2032. (hexagon.com) (blogs.nvidia.com)