Company profile
Laifual Drive
Laifual is Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd., a Chinese maker of strain-wave (harmonic) reducers and robot joint modules, incorporated in 2013 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (03952.HK) in 2026. Its head office and factory are in Shengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang (sales@laifual.com).
| Legal name | Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd. (浙江来福谐波传动股份有限公司) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Owner / parent | Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 03952) |
| Headquarters | Shengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China |
| Employees | over 800 (company profile, 2026) |
| Stock listing | HKEX: 03952 |
| Website | laifual.com |
Laifual Drive contact details
Head office and factory
Laifual Industrial Park, No. 588 Zhenxing RoadShengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang
China
Telephone 400 969 0600 (harmonic reducers, China hotline)
Email sales@laifual.com
Website laifual.com
Shenzhen Laifual Motion Technology Co., Ltd.
Room 17A09, International Business Building, No. 19 Haixiu RoadBao'an District, Shenzhen
China
Joint Module R&D Centre
Building 2, 2nd Floor, Liandong U Valley Jiuhulong Smart Manufacturing Innovation PortNo. 3118 Jiyin Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing
China
Contact details as published by Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 03952), checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 03952).
Laifual Drive product lines
| FS Series | Cup-type strain-wave gears: FSS standard, FSG high-torque, FSD ultra-thin, FSN lightweight |
|---|---|
| FH Series | Hollow-shaft strain-wave gears: FHD, FHN, FHG, FHT |
| FB Series | Flat component-type strain-wave gears with two circular splines |
| Mini Series | Small strain-wave gears |
| AC high-voltage joint modules | M70–M190 harmonic joint modules for 220 V external drives |
| DC low-voltage joint modules | 48 V joint modules with integrated driver, L40I–L190I |
| Bearings and robot arms | Precision bearings, robotic arms and automation workstations |
Who Laifual is
Laifual (来福谐波) is one of China’s main makers of strain-wave gears, the compact, zero-backlash reducers used in robot joints. Strain-wave gearing is also widely known by the trademark Harmonic Drive, which belongs to Harmonic Drive LLC; strain-wave or harmonic gear is the generic term. Laifual makes the gears as components, in cup-type, hollow-shaft and flat forms. It also builds them into complete robot joint modules.
Laifual says it has shipped more than one million units worldwide. Its plant in Shengzhou covers 52,000 m², and it employs more than 800 people, over 100 of them in R&D. It reports more than 90 patents, including more than 50 invention patents.
History and ownership
Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd. was incorporated as a joint-stock company in 2013. The milestones it publishes are:
- 2015 and 2016: commercial sales of its LS and LH series.
- 2018: China’s second-largest domestic harmonic reducer brand, by its own account.
- 2022: robot joint module development starts, and the company receives national “little giant” recognition as a specialised SME.
- 2023: in-house FS and FH series completed, and high-voltage joint modules commercialised.
- 2024: low-voltage joint modules commercialised.
- 2025: double-circular-spline harmonic reducers and robotic arms commercialised.
- 2026: listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under code 03952.
Group companies include Shenzhen Laifual Motion Technology, a joint module R&D centre in Nanjing and a research institute with Chongqing University.
Product portfolio
Strain-wave gears
Laifual’s reducers cover sizes 5 to 58. Several types are described as equivalents of familiar CSF, CSG and CSD formats, which makes them easier to evaluate as second sources.
- FSS is the standard cup-type gear, sizes 5 to 40 and ratios 50 to 160. It is rated from 0.4 Nm to 294 Nm, with up to 647 Nm start/stop peak and 1,180 Nm momentary at size 40. Backlash is 20 arcsec or less from size 14, and design life is up to 15,000 hours.
- FSG is the high-torque type, sizes 14 to 40. It is rated up to 382 Nm, with 841 Nm start/stop peak and 1,510 Nm momentary at size 40, and backlash of 20 arcsec or less.
- FSD is the ultra-thin type, sizes 14 to 32 and ratios 50 to 100. It is rated 3.7 Nm to 96 Nm, with up to 420 Nm momentary.
- The FH series (FHD, FHN, FHG, FHT) has a large hollow shaft for cables and tubing. The FB series is a flat component-type gear with two circular splines, and the Mini series covers small sizes. Laifual publishes their ratings in downloadable specification sheets.
Joint modules
- AC high-voltage joint modules (M70 to M190, 70–190 mm diameter) combine motor, strain-wave gear, encoder and optional brake. They work with an external 220 V servo drive, use ratios of 51 to 121, and have 17-bit or 23-bit single-turn plus 16-bit multi-turn encoders over BiSS-C or Tamagawa.
- DC low-voltage joint modules (L40I to L190I, plus a high-torque T series) integrate the servo driver for 48 V systems. They use ratios of 51 to 121, with 17-bit single or dual encoders and CANopen, CAN FD, EtherCAT or Modbus.
Technologies
Laifual’s FS series uses a cup-type flexspline with a multi-segment continuous-arc tooth profile. The company says this engages five teeth and gives 15–30% more torque capacity than traditional profiles, an 8–10 °C lower temperature rise and a longer life. Those are the maker’s claims, so test against your own duty cycle. It also quotes ±15 arcsec positioning accuracy for 2025 production.
When you qualify any strain-wave gear as a second source, compare five things: rated torque at the same input speed (Laifual rates at 2,000 rpm input), start/stop and momentary limits, backlash and lost motion, torsional stiffness, and mounting dimensions. See harmonic vs planetary vs cycloidal, how to select a gearbox and how to select a harmonic actuator.
FSS or FSG?
At size 40 and ratio 160, the FSG is rated 382 Nm against 294 Nm for the FSS, about 30% more. Its start/stop peak is 841 Nm against 647 Nm. Choose the FSG when the joint is torque-limited and the envelope is fixed. Choose the FSS when you need a size below 14, where the FSG range starts, or when the standard rating is enough. In either case, compare the rated torque at the same 2,000 rpm input speed the catalogue uses.
Industries served
Laifual lists industrial robots, humanoid robots, CNC machine tools, semiconductor and 3C electronics manufacturing, imaging and medical equipment and special-purpose automation. It exports to Europe, the USA, Japan and South Korea. See robotics and cobots and semiconductor and electronics.
Global and UK presence
Laifual’s contact page lists offices only in China and names no overseas subsidiaries or UK distributor. UK buyers can contact Laifual directly through its English site, laifualdrive.com, or the sales email.
Specify Motion is independent of Laifual and is not a distributor for the company. Our engineers can help source Laifual products or propose equivalents from our supply network on published figures; see find a replacement or the gearboxes hub.
Laifual Drive history: key dates
- 2013Incorporated as a joint-stock company in Zhejiang
- 2015Commercial sales of the LS series begin
- 2016Commercial sales of the LH series begin
- 2018Becomes China's second-largest domestic harmonic reducer brand (company claim)
- 2022Robot joint module R&D starts; national 'little giant' SME recognition
- 2023FS and FH series completed; high-voltage joint modules commercialised
- 2024Low-voltage joint modules commercialised
- 2026Listed on the HKEX Main Board (03952.HK)
Laifual Drive gearboxes
FSS (FS standard)
Cup-type strain-wave gear in sizes 5 to 40 with ratios 50–160, rated 0.4–294 Nm, 647 Nm start/stop peak and 1,180 Nm momentary (series maximum), and backlash of 20 arcsec or less from size 14; Laifual lists it as the CSF-equivalent standard type.
FSG (FS high-torque)
High-torque cup-type strain-wave gear, sizes 14 to 40 and ratios 50–160, rated up to 382 Nm with 841 Nm start/stop peak and 1,510 Nm momentary (size 40), backlash 20 arcsec or less; listed as the CSG-equivalent type.
FSD (FS ultra-thin)
Flat, short-length cup-type strain-wave gear in sizes 14 to 32 with ratios 50–100, rated 3.7–96 Nm and up to 420 Nm momentary, backlash 20 arcsec or less; listed as the CSD-equivalent type.
Laifual Drive harmonic actuators
AC high-voltage joint modules
Harmonic-geared joint modules for 220 V AC external servo drives, from M70 to M190 (70–190 mm diameter), ratios 51–121, with 17-bit or 23-bit single-turn plus 16-bit multi-turn encoders over BiSS-C or Tamagawa and optional brake.
DC low-voltage joint modules
48 V harmonic joint modules with integrated servo driver, from L40I to L190I, ratios 51–121, 17-bit single and dual encoder options, and CANopen, CAN FD, EtherCAT or Modbus.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Laifual website?
Laifual's official website is laifual.com, in Chinese, with an English version at laifualdrive.com. It lists the FS, FH, FB and Mini strain-wave gear series with rating tables, the AC and DC joint modules, drawings and catalogue downloads, the company profile and a contact page.
What is Laifual's phone number and email?
Laifual publishes sales@laifual.com for sales and pr@laifual.com for media. Its China hotlines are 400 969 0600 for harmonic reducers, 400 088 5833 for joint modules and 400 9696 786 for bearings, open Monday to Saturday. These 400 numbers are China domestic lines.
Where is Laifual's headquarters?
Laifual's head office and factory are at Laifual Industrial Park, No. 588 Zhenxing Road, Shengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. It also has Shenzhen Laifual Motion Technology in Shenzhen, a joint module R&D centre in Nanjing and a research institute with Chongqing University.
Who owns Laifual?
Laifual is Zhejiang Laifual Harmonic Drive Co., Ltd., a joint-stock company incorporated in 2013. It lists its shares on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 03952. The website does not name controlling shareholders.
Does Laifual have a UK distributor?
Laifual's contact page lists no overseas offices or UK distributor, although it names Europe among its export markets. Specify Motion is independent of Laifual and can help source its strain-wave gears and joint modules or propose equivalents.
What does Laifual make?
Laifual makes strain-wave (harmonic) reducers in sizes 5 to 58, including cup-type, hollow-shaft and flat designs, plus robot joint modules for 220 V AC and 48 V DC systems, bearings, robot arms and automation workstations. Customers include robot, machine tool, semiconductor and medical equipment makers.
Sources
- Laifual: home page
- Laifual: company profile
- Laifual: contact us
- Laifual: FS series harmonic reducer
- Laifual: FSS
- Laifual: FSG
- Laifual: FSD
- Laifual: FH hollow shaft harmonic reducer
- Laifual: FB series harmonic reducer
- Laifual: AC high-voltage joint modules
- Laifual: DC low-voltage joint modules
Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.
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