Industrial Robot Arm Housing & Covers
Axis covers and joint housings for industrial robot arms, formed to follow the arm profile with cable routing inside the cover and fastener positions that stay reachable in every joint position — the difference between a cover that is maintained and one that is left off. Made by WERIX Metal from AL5052-H32 1.5mm to a tolerance of ±0.1mm, finished with powder coat or anodizing. Typical order volume is from 10 to 2000+. Free DFM quote within 24 hours.
Engineering drawing available on request
Send your target specifications — we reply with a drawing and a DFM quote within 24 hours.
Industrial Robot Arm Housing & Covers
Axis covers and joint housings for industrial robot arms, formed to follow the arm profile with cable routing inside the cover and fastener positions that stay reachable in every joint position — the difference between a cover that is maintained and one that is left off.
| Part number | P-081 |
|---|---|
| Product type | Robot Arm Cover |
| Industry | Robotics & Drones |
| Material | AL5052-H32 1.5mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.1mm |
| Surface Finish | powder coat or anodizing |
| Manufacturing processes | precision laser · CNC bending · riveting |
| MOQ / Volume | from 10 to 2000+ |
Industrial Robot Arm Housing & Covers: manufacturing notes
Industrial Robot Arm Housing & Covers has to survive its application, not just its inspection report. This page sets out how the part is actually made — the material decision, the forming sequence and the tolerance strategy — so a buyer or engineer can judge whether the specification matches the application before a drawing is even sent.
Why this part is made in aluminium
Industrial Robot Arm Housing & Covers is specified in AL5052-H32 1.5mm. Aluminium buys weight reduction and thermal conductivity, at the cost of stiffness: a section that is stiff enough in 1.5 mm steel needs either a thicker gauge or formed stiffeners in aluminium. It anodises rather than paints when a hard, non-flaking surface is wanted, and it needs dedicated tooling and fixturing because the soft surface marks easily during handling.
How the part is formed
The production route for this part is precision laser, CNC bending, riveting. Bending is where most tolerance stack enters a sheet metal part. We set the bend allowance from the part’s own material and radius using the K-factor the press is running, then verify the first article on the machine rather than from the drawing, because springback moves with material batch and grain direction. Riveting joins dissimilar materials and coated sheets without the heat of welding, so it protects a finished surface and avoids galvanic concerns at the joint. It is also the standard way to attach components to a part that has already been painted.
What ±0.1mm actually requires on the shop floor
The drawing calls for ±0.1mm. On a part like this that is a process decision, not an inspection decision: it fixes which machine holds the critical features, how the part is fixtured for each operation, and whether a formed feature can be checked after coating or has to be measured before it. We confirm the first article against the drawing and record the values, so the tolerance is demonstrated rather than assumed. If a dimension in your drawing is tighter than this part needs, it is usually worth relaxing it — over-toleranced features are one of the quietest cost drivers in a sheet metal quote.
Finishing: powder coating
powder coat or anodizing. Powder coating builds a film of roughly 60–120 µm per face and cures at 180–200 °C. Two consequences get designed for: the film adds to every mating dimension, and the cure temperature is high enough to move an unsupported panel, so stiffening or return flanges go in before the part reaches the oven. Colour is matched to the RAL range given on the drawing.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the minimum order quantity for industrial robot arm housing & covers?
- The order range for this part is from 10 to 2000+. Below the low end of that range the tooling and setup are spread over too few pieces to be economic, so if you are prototyping we would normally build the first units from the same process route and quote the production quantity separately.
- Can the material be changed to reduce cost or weight?
- Yes, and it is worth asking before the design is frozen. The current specification for this part is AL5052-H32 1.5mm; depending on the service environment, a different grade or a lighter gauge with formed stiffening can meet the same requirement. What we would not do is change the material without re-checking the bend radii, the welding process and the coating system, because all three move with the substrate.
- What finishing options are available for this part?
- The current finish specification is powder coat or anodizing. Powder coating, anodising, zinc or nickel plating, brushing and blasting are all available in-house, so the finish can be changed without changing supplier — and where the part will be seen, we match colour to the RAL or Pantone reference on your drawing.
- How long does production take, and what do you need from us to quote?
- Prototypes are typically 3–7 business days and production runs 7–15 days once the drawing is released and the finish is confirmed. To quote we need the drawing or CAD file (STEP, DXF, DWG, IGES or PDF), the material and finish, the quantity and the destination — and any tolerance or inspection requirement that is not already on the drawing. You get a DFM review with the quotation, not after it.
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