一、Tesla has achieved multiple innovative breakthroughs in the application technology of Lead Screws in the fields of automobiles and humanoid robots. In the automotive field, the application of ball screws in cars is mainly for steering, parking brakes, service brakes, and other aspects such as seats, sliding doors, and high-end shock absorption systems. REPS uses ball screws and can output a thrust of up to 16KN. Currently, the market's EPB brake calipers mainly use two transmissions: threaded and ball screws. Ballscrews have high efficiency, long service life, and stable movement but they are relatively high in cost. ?
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Technological breakthroughs by domestic enterprises are expected to drive an increase in the penetration rate. One box and EMB products will both use ball screws. In the future, an increase in penetration rate will promote the application of roller screws. Overall, in the future, the unit value of ball screws for automobiles is expected to reach 1,000 yuan, and the market for ball screws at the vehicle end is expected to exceed 10 billion yuan. If the use in areas such as seats, sliding doors, and suspensions and safety redundancy are considered, and if spare parts also use ball screws, the unit value of ball screws will be even higher.
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In terms of humanoid robots, Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus selects a harmonic reducer solution for rotating joints, while for linear joints, it selects a planetary roller screw + trapezoidal screw solution. Among the 14 linear joints, 10 joints select the planetary roller screw solution, and 4 joints select the trapezoidal screw solution. As one of the core reduction components of humanoid robots, planetary roller screws play a crucial role in walking movements. Its structural design is reasonable and mainly consists of parts such as screws, rollers, nuts, inner gear rings, cages, and elastic retaining rings.
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Through the rolling of planetary rollers on the screw, rotational motion is converted into linear motion, thereby achieving precise displacement of the robot. It has performance characteristics such as high precision, high load-bearing capacity, long service life, and low noise.
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In addition, with the introduction of Tesla's Cybercab and Robovan, under the leadership of new models and Robotaxi, the company's innovation cycle is approaching, and the automotive sector will usher in a turning point. The new version of Tesla's dexterous hand has debuted, with a significant increase in degrees of freedom. It is expected that hollow cup motors and brushless slotted motors will become mainstream in driving devices. The transmission device is currently at a critical time point of switching from tendon ropes to lead screws. The value of both hands is 55,000 - 106,000 yuan, which is beneficial to suppliers in the screws industry chain.
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In conclusion, Tesla has achieved performance enhancements and technological breakthroughs through innovative applications of lead screws in the automotive and humanoid robot fields.
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二、Where are the ball screws of Tesla cars applied?
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Ball screws of Tesla cars are widely applied in multiple aspects. In the steering system, REPS using ball screws can output a thrust of up to 16KN, which is more advantageous than the traditional DP-EPS with a maximum thrust of 12KN. In terms of parking brakes, currently, the market's EPB brake calipers mainly use two transmissions: threaded and ball screws. Ball screws have advantages such as high efficiency, long service life, and stable movement, but they are relatively high in cost. In the future, with technological breakthroughs by domestic enterprises, it is expected to drive an increase in penetration rate. In service brakes, one box and EMB products will both use ball screws. In the future, an increase in penetration rate will promote the application of roller screws. In addition, ball screws are also expected to be used in seats, sliding doors, and high-end shock absorption systems. Overall, in the future, the unit value of ball screws for automobiles is expected to reach 1,000 yuan, and the market for ball screws at the vehicle end is expected to exceed 10 billion yuan. If the use in areas such as seats, sliding doors, and suspensions and safety redundancy are considered, and if spare parts also use ball screws, then the unit value of ball screws will be even higher.
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三、What are the advantages of ball screws in Tesla cars?
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Ball screws in Tesla cars have multiple advantages. Firstly, their transmission efficiency is high, reaching up to 90%. They can ensure precise positioning at high speeds and have low friction. Secondly, in automotive applications, ball screws show stronger performance than traditional transmission methods in systems such as steering and braking. For example, in the steering system, the output thrust is greater; in terms of parking brakes, it has characteristics such as high efficiency, long service life, and stable movement. In addition, Tesla's ball screws are homologous with electric vehicle technology, which is beneficial for cost reduction. The mature supply chain can be directly transferred. At the same time, Tesla's humanoid robot shares data sources with electric vehicles. The release of supercomputing Dojo can conduct large-scale AI training and accelerate the iteration of FSD, which also provides support for the technological development of ball screws.
