Total material solutions elevating next-gen humanoid robots

As robots step into everyday environments, materials are becoming the defining factor of how reliably they perform

Lightweight strength for resilient robot housings

To move with human-like agility, humanoid robots need lightweight housings and frames that reduce overall mass while maintaining mechanical strength. 

With high impact resistance across a wide temperature range, our polycarbonate and polycarbonate blends solutions, including Makrolon®, Apec® XT, Bayblend® and Makroblend®, ensure robots withstand bumps, collisions and occasional falls in daily operation. At the same time, good weatherability and chemical resistance support indoor and outdoor environments, while high flowability and dimensional stability enable thin-wall parts, efficient assembly and precise, brand-consistent surface designs.

Thermal control for stable power and electronics

High-power motors, edge-computing processors and dense power electronics generate significant heat during continuous operation. Without effective thermal management, rising temperatures can reduce performance, shorten service life and cause safety risks.

To keep the electronics running effectively while maintaining signal integrity, our Makrolon® TC solutions help dissipate heat from the components. Its extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion ensures dimensional compatibility with precision components such as chips. The thermally conductive material can also be directly over-molded onto circuit boards, simplifying assembly and enabling more compact, lightweight passive-cooling designs compared to conventional aluminum heat sinks with thermal interface material (TIM) solutions.

For battery systems, our Makrolon® TC grades with high RTI help maintain uniform temperature distribution and reliable long-term operation, while high flowability enables thin-wall, space-efficient battery enclosures.

Beyond effective thermal management at the battery structure, battery safety also requires reliable protection at the cell level. Baysafe® BEF (Battery Encapsulation Foam) fills the tight spaces between battery cells, delivering lightweight yet mechanically strong cell encapsulation with excellent thermal insulation and electrical barrier properties, helping to prevent thermal runaway of the cells. With its exceptional adhesion to battery components, Baysafe® BEF enhances force transmission and torsional stiffness, ensuring the overall structural integrity of the battery pack.

Optical clarity and IR performance for robot perception

Vision and sensing systems are central to how humanoid robots perceive their surroundings and interact safely with people and objects. For critical components like camera covers and sensor covers, you need materials that won't distort the signal. Makrolon® transparent flame-retardant solutions and Makrofol® ST polycarbonate films deliver high optical clarity and infrared transmittance, ensuring sensors perceive the environment accurately. 

Together, these solutions support clear visible-light imaging and high-fidelity IR transmission across different lighting conditions. Their inherent flame retardancy supports compliance with electrical safety requirements, while their mechanical robustness provides durable protection for lenses and sensor assemblies.

Precision touch and silent motion for natural human-robot interaction

As humanoid robots work alongside people, the quality of every interaction, from the grip of a hand to the fall of a footstep, directly shapes trust and usability.

For dexterous robotic hands, Desmopan® TPU delivers excellent grip and tactile feedback with high wear resistance and skin-safe contact across a wide hardness range. Combined with Platilon® films, ultra-thin yet sensitive enough to detect the most delicate shifts in pressure, robotic fingers gain the precision to handle fragile items and respond to human touch through printable electronics with a skin-like feel.

In everyday interactions, the soft touch coat on robot surfaces can bring a warm, gentle comfort experience. The waterborne polyurethane soft-touch coating solution supports customized haptics. It is safe-to-use and environmentally friendly. It has long durability and can save the surfaces from fingerprints and stains. It is compatible with a variety of substrates.

Enable customizable muscle-like shapes cushioning operation, bearing weight and absorbing impact so that every step lands as smooth in motion as it is steady in performance.