German company Mubea, a specialist in lightweight automotive structures, receives production order for fifth-generation carbon fiber exoskeleton system

German company Mubea, a specialist in lightweight automotive structures, 

receives production order for fifth-generation carbon fiber exoskeleton system

Mubea, an automotive supplier based in Attendorn, Germany, recently announced that it has signed a partnership agreement to begin producing robotic exoskeletons for German Bionic (Augsburg, Germany), a developer of intelligent power packs.

A family-owned company with 44 offices in 20 countries, Mubea specializes in the development and manufacture of innovative lightweight products and manufacturing technologies. Under this agreement, Mubea says it is entering an industry with a projected market size of $12.5 billion by 2030.

German Bionic's Cray X Power Suit uses a carbon fiber composite frame to help workers lift heavy loads by actively amplifying their movements, thereby protecting their lower backs from overstretching.

Dr. Thomas Muhr, Managing Partner of Mubea, explains, "Mubea is a specialist in high quality lightweight components, and many of its products are 'stealth champion' world market leaders. Over the past decades, our body, chassis and powertrain products have evolved into a leading supplier to the automotive industry, and together with German Bionic we are expanding our new business area of micro mobility and future areas including robotic exoskeletons."

"German Bionic, much like Mubea, is a successful German company whose high-tech products are in high demand worldwide, and while still in its early stages, our intelligent Cray X power suit is already the most advanced robotic exoskeleton on the market," German Bionic CEO and co-founder Armin G. Schmidt said. "As global demand for our state-of-the-art 'Made in Germany' technology continues to grow, we are now working with our partners in Mubea to scale up production for growing markets in the U.S., Europe and Japan."

German Bionic marked its entry into the U.S. market earlier this year with the successful launch of its fifth-generation Cray X robotic exoskeleton at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Since then, it has steadily grown its business in North America.

The company has opened additional factories in Japan and, more recently, in the United Kingdom, focusing on Western industrialized countries where there is a structural shortage of skilled workers, particularly in the manual labor sector, for demographic reasons. It is here that smart power suits are designed to improve working conditions and prevent overexertion and the associated subsequent injuries and illnesses. Demand for German Bionic's exoskeletons is said to be particularly high in industries such as logistics, production and healthcare.

In 2020, German Bionics introduced the fourth generation of the Cray X. By using a carbon fiber design, it serves as the newest workplace exoskeleton that can be worn on a worker's back to provide support.The Cray X counteracts this weight by actively extending the worker's range of motion and protecting the lower back from undue stress when lifting up to 62 pounds, thereby providing providing support.

Cray X is made of carbon fiber and designed with an integrated cloud interface for easy connectivity to the Industrial Internet of Things (iIot) and smart factories. German Bionics worked with SGL Carbon to develop the Cray X carbon fiber load-bearing structure, and the fourth-generation Cray is the lightest version yet, adding comfort to the wearer and making the suit stronger and more durable. The exoskeleton can be worn like a backpack with a harness strapped to the front. The frame extends above the hips to provide additional mechanical support. the Cray X can run for up to eight hours on a single charge, with an easily replaceable battery pack.