Tesla's Optimus Production Snagged by Hands, Equipment, and Suppliers
*Tesla’s Optimus production reached several hundred robots a week last month, up from a few dozen, as reported by The Information. This surge in production comes despite challenges in scaling reliable manufacturing.
Qianer Liu and Grace Kay, writing for The Information, revealed that issues with hands, factory equipment, and suppliers are hindering Tesla's progress.
According to the report, Tesla produced a few dozen Optimus robots per week during the second quarter, but has since increased output to several hundred weekly in recent months. The goal is to manufacture over 1,000 robots per week by the end of 2026. (TNW has not independently verified these figures.)
Small Parts, Precise Assembly
Tesla shifted focus from car manufacturing at its Fremont factory in May, redeploying workers and engineers to Optimus production. The latest Optimus V3 robot is lighter and equipped with more cameras than predecessors. However, equipment at various stations struggles to precisely align parts, leading to a higher need for post-line adjustments.
Delving into the Challenges:
- Each hand and forearm comprises over 100 screws and small parts assembled by hand, contributing to manufacturing complexity.
- Unreliable touch sensors prompted Tesla to develop a "sensing glove" that can be replaced. This feature is planned for next year's model.
- Software is still in development; Optimus requires programming and training for each job, with basic tasks taking several days to learn.
- Currently, most robots are used internally for testing, training, and data collection in tightly supervised areas.
Global Robot Landscape:
Tesla relies on Chinese suppliers for robot parts and plans to lease, rather than sell, the first batch of robots to commercial customers. This bet comes as China tightens regulations on humanoid robot IPOs and accounts for 59% of global new factory robot installations, according to the International Federation of Robotics.