Name

Harmonic Drive

Legal name

Harmonic Drive LLC

Website

https://harmonicdrive.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Motion Control Components

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Fluid Power Cylinder and Actuator Manufacturing (333995), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Ball & Roller Bearings (3562), Electronic Components, Nec (3679), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Actuators & Motion Devices (Linear, Rotary, Electric Actuators for Motion Control) (IMAHAGAG), Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis) (IMAGACAH), Linear Motion & Actuation (Linear Motors, Electric Cylinders, Actuators) (IMAGACAG)

Keywords

• Precision motion control
• Strain wave gearing
• Rotary actuators
• Servo gearheads
• Zero backlash gears

Headquarters

HQ city

Peabody

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Precision Motion Control Hardware Sales: Harmonic Drive generates revenue through the sale of precision motion control components and systems including rotary actuators, gear units, component sets, servo drives, linear actuators, and integrated actuator solutions. The company sells standardized product lines alongside custom-engineered solutions for specific application requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Harmonic Drive manufactures and sells precision motion control components including strain wave gears, rotary actuators, gear units, linear actuators, servo drives, and harmonic planetary gearheads. The company offers both standard product lines and custom-engineered solutions for applications requiring zero backlash, high torque density, and sub-arc-minute accuracy.

Product overview

Harmonic Drive is the inventor of strain wave gear technology, offering a comprehensive portfolio of precision motion control products organized around its core zero-backlash Harmonic Drive and Harmonic Planetary technologies. The product line spans multiple categories: (1) Rotary Actuators combining gearing with motors and encoders (FHA, SHA series), (2) Integrated Actuators with built-in servo drives supporting CANopen, (3) Gear Units including standard, miniature, hollow shaft, and Simplicity series (CSF, CSG, CSD, SHF, SHG, SHD), (4) Component Sets (cup type, pancake, silk hat) for custom integration, (5) Servo Mount Gearheads (Harmonic Planetary HPN/HPG series), (6) Linear Actuators delivering 49N to 12,000N force, (7) Servo Drives (AC and DC digital), (8) Direct Drive Motors with hollow shaft, (9) Phase Adjusters and Infinit Indexer for precision positioning, (10) Laser Scanning Actuators for optical scanning, (11) Micro Encoders, and (12) supporting products including HarmonicGrease lubricant and Custom Design Services. The portfolio is characterized by zero-backlash performance, high torque density, accuracy better than 1 arc-minute, and applications in robotics, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, and medical equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Harmonic Planetary: Registered trademark for Harmonic Drive planetary gear products

Products and services

• Rotary Actuators Family of rotary actuators including FHA-Mini, FHA-C Series, and SHA Series for precision motion applications.
• Integrated Actuators Integrated actuator packages combining harmonic gearing with motor/drive elements for turnkey motion subsystems.
• Gear Units Strain wave gear units across CSF, CSG, CSD, SHF, SHG, SHD, and HPF series for zero-backlash gear reduction.
• Component Sets Harmonic gearing component sets in Cup Type, Pancake, and Silk Hat configurations for OEM integration into proprietary housings.
• Harmonic Planetary Gearboxes HPN and HPG series planetary gearheads complementing the harmonic strain-wave product family for higher input-speed applications.
• Direct Drive and Hollow Shaft Units Direct-drive and hollow-shaft actuator configurations for applications requiring through-bore cable or shaft routing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Accuracy <1 arc-min for standard products
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MassRoboticsmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Harmonic Drive participates as a collaborator in MassRobotics' 4th annual Form and Function Robotics Challenge, a global university student competition. The challenge awards $10,000 for grand prize plus $1,000 second and third place awards and $1,000 Audience Choice Award. Harmonic Drive provides equipment, software, and technical support to student teams competing with innovative robotics projects. Live demonstrations scheduled at Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston on May 27-28, 2026.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nabtesco Precision Europe: Nabtesco is the other major global supplier of precision strain wave (cycloidal) reducers used in industrial robot joints. It competes head-to-head with Harmonic Drive in zero-backlash precision gearing, particularly in robotics and factory automation, and is the most direct comparable in the strain wave / harmonic gearing category.
• Kollmorgen (Regal Rexnord): Kollmorgen is a leading supplier of servo motors, servo drives, and integrated motion systems for robotics, medical, and factory automation. It competes with Harmonic Drive's servo drive and integrated actuator product lines for the same OEM customers in precision motion applications.
• Sumitomo Heavy Industries (Drive Technology): Sumitomo's drive technology division produces high-precision gear reducers, including harmonic and planetary gearheads, serving robotics, semiconductor, and factory automation. It overlaps directly with Harmonic Drive's product portfolio and target customers in precision motion control.
• Wittenstein: German manufacturer of low-backlash planetary gearheads and servo-mounted precision gear reducers for robotics, machine tools, and aerospace. Wittenstein is a direct competitor in the high-end precision gearhead market, with overlapping customer profiles in factory automation and medical equipment.

Broad incumbents

• Parker Hannifin (Motion & Control): Parker's Motion & Control group offers precision gearheads, servo drives, and electromechanical motion systems for industrial automation, aerospace, and medical markets. It is a broad incumbent competing with Harmonic Drive in integrated precision motion solutions.
• Siemens (Motion Control): Siemens is one of the largest global industrial automation providers, with motion control offerings including SINAMICS drives and SIMOTION controllers. Profiled alongside Harmonic Drive as a leading factory automation servo drive manufacturer, it is a broad incumbent and a key competitor in integrated motion systems.
• Nidec: Nidec is a global motor and motion control incumbent with a broad product portfolio spanning servo motors, gearheads, and integrated motion modules. It competes with Harmonic Drive in motors and motion subsystems and is increasingly active in robotics and humanoid actuator markets.
• Moog Inc. Moog designs and manufactures high-precision motion control products including servomotors, gearheads, and integrated electromechanical actuators for aerospace, defense, and industrial automation. It overlaps with Harmonic Drive in high-reliability precision actuation applications, particularly aerospace and defense.
• Bosch Rexroth: Bosch Rexroth is a major industrial automation incumbent offering servo motors, gear reducers, and integrated motion control systems. It competes with Harmonic Drive in factory automation gearing and motion components, and is significantly larger in scale and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• OnRobot: OnRobot provides integrated robotic end-effector and motion components, including collaborative robot joint modules, to industrial and collaborative robot manufacturers. It is an emerging player in modular and integrated motion architectures that partially overlap with Harmonic Drive's integrated actuator offering in robotics applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/semiexpos
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqZrcQZ_fcYILeN9Aixm2kw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harmonic-drive-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harmonic Drive