Optics & photonics
Precision positioning for optical measurement, interferometry, and metrology systems.
Company
Swiss engineering for compact, fully integrated motion control. Founded in Winterthur in 2015.
About us
Henschel Robotics GmbH is a Swiss engineering company based in Winterthur. We design and manufacture ultra-compact, fully integrated servo drives that combine power electronics, sensors and motion planning in a single unit.
We build some of the smallest fully integrated servo drives on the market. Each HDrive combines motor, drive electronics, encoder and controller in one compact Swiss-made unit, with no separate drive cabinet. Field-oriented control and in-house firmware provide position, velocity and torque modes with sub-degree accuracy.
Two product lines cover two use cases: HDrive17-ETH for developers and researchers (Python / PC, no PLC), and HDrive-ETC for EtherCAT-based industrial automation. Our customers work in precision optics, medical simulation, research and industrial automation.
Mission
Advance servo drive technology with highly power-efficient integrated drives that connect directly over Ethernet and EtherCAT. We get the most out of the motor by compensating its non-ideal behaviour in the control loop, so that a compact unit delivers servo-class results.
Key features
- Fully integrated: motor + electronics + encoder + motion planner in one housing
- Two architectures: Ethernet (PC/Python) and EtherCAT (PLC / CiA 402)
- Compact form factors: NEMA17 (42×42×88 mm) and NEMA23 (56×56×120 mm)
- Servo-class control: FOC, torque ripple compensation, field weakening (R&D), ±0.1° accuracy
- Swiss-made, CE: designed and manufactured in Switzerland
Research & partners
Product development is backed by applied research in cooperation with the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and supported by Innosuisse projects (formerly CTI/KTI). Joint work has included torque ripple compensation for field-oriented control and field weakening for higher motor speeds. The results feed directly into HDrive firmware and performance.
Markets
Where HDrive is in use.
Medical technology
Surgical simulators and diagnostic instruments that need high-precision motion (HDrive is not certified as a medical device).
Industrial automation
PLC-based multi-axis machines, pick-and-place systems and compact robots (HDrive-ETC).
Research & prototyping
Labs and universities controlling motion from a PC with Python (HDrive17-ETH).
Textile & manufacturing
Automation axes in winding, textiles, and production equipment.
Robotics
Compact articulated and custom-built robots using integrated servo modules.
Company milestones
From the first WiFi stepper concepts to today’s EtherCAT and Ethernet HDrive family.
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Innosuisse project: field weakening
Completed an Innosuisse project on field weakening in stepper motors. Lab tests achieved speeds over 3000 RPM; integration into products is planned as a firmware update.
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EtherCAT and EtherCAT-P
Announced a NEMA17 servo with EtherCAT-P support: power and EtherCAT data in a single cable, simplifying multi-axis wiring.
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NEMA23 servo with higher torque
New power stage for larger motors (10 A continuous class in R&D), used in NEMA23 / NEMA24 drives and for tests with larger flange sizes.
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Torque ripple compensation
ZHAW bachelor thesis by M. Bill and L. Wyssling on torque ripple compensation for FOC on the HDrive17. Trajectory accuracy improved by almost 50% at around 50 RPM, demonstrated with a laser projector following a printed path.
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HDrive17-ETH-i launched
Industrial Ethernet servo launched; first production batch of 250 units shipped.
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Maker Day Winterthur
Participated in Maker Day at the Stadtbibliothek Winterthur.
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Swiss Robotics Industry Day
Presented the product and a 6-DOF painting robot arm at the Swiss Robotics Industry Day 2018 in Lausanne.
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CE conformity
EMC/EMI and safety tests passed after two days of measurements at Eurofins.
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Kickstarter campaign
Ran a Kickstarter campaign that did not reach its funding goal, but clarified market needs and target customers.
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Swiss Robotics Industry Day
Presented the product and a 6-DOF painting robot arm at the Swiss Robotics Industry Day 2016 in Lausanne.
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Hannover Messe with ams
Joint booth with ams (austriamicrosystems) on magnetic position sensing. The collaboration significantly improved drive accuracy.
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Henschel Robotics GmbH founded
Company established in Winterthur, Switzerland.
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Venture Kick stage 1
Passed Venture Kick stage 1, an important early step both financially and organisationally.
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First WiFi stepper drive, EU project AVERT
The idea originated during work on the EU project AVERT. A mock-up with eight mecanum wheels was used to validate the kinematics and was controlled directly from Matlab, so the models could be tuned live.
Technology approach
Our long-term strategy is to get servo-class performance out of compact electromechanical cores through advanced control: FOC, torque ripple compensation, thermal monitoring and field weakening. The goal is motion quality close to conventional high-end servo systems, in a unit that stays small and easy to integrate.
Henschel Robotics is an independent Swiss company and not a direct continuation of the historic Henschel & Sohn. More on the industrial heritage: Family history.