Summary
Maxon (maxon group), headquartered in Sachseln, Obwalden, Switzerland, is the world’s leading manufacturer of precision brushed DC and brushless DC (BLDC) motors for demanding applications in robotics, medical devices, aerospace, and industrial automation. Founded in 1961, the private company employs approximately 3,200 people globally (~1,300 at headquarters) and generates roughly $572 million in annual revenue. Maxon has supplied over 100 drives to NASA Mars missions — including 10 drives for the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter — establishing its reputation as the precision motor standard for the most demanding environments on Earth and beyond. In response to the humanoid and collaborative robot build-out, maxon launched a new 15-actuator robotics drive systems portfolio (two families: High Efficiency Joints and High Precision Joints) targeting robot integrators building full joint assemblies.
Key Facts
- Founded: 1961
- HQ: Sachseln, Obwalden, Switzerland
- Type: Private
- Revenue: ~$572M (D&B/Craft.co estimate; company-reported figures not publicly disclosed)
- Employees: ~3,200 globally; ~1,300 at headquarters
- CEO: Eugen Elmiger (Board member since 2006; long-tenured CEO)
- Key products: EC frameless DT motors (brushless DC, torque-dense); EC 32 flat / EC 20 flat (for Mars rovers); GP planetary gearheads; new High Efficiency Joints (15 actuators); High Precision Joints (strain-wave based)
- Key customers / programs: NASA Mars rovers (Curiosity, Perseverance, Ingenuity); ANYbotics ANYmal; surgical robot OEMs; industrial robot OEMs; Boston Dynamics (actuator supply relationship noted in industry sources, not officially confirmed by either company)
What It Is / How It Works
Maxon’s core product is the precision brushed and brushless DC motor: small (typically 6mm to 90mm diameter), high efficiency, and capable of operating precisely across demanding temperature and vibration conditions. The company’s EC (electronically commutated) motor series uses slotless winding configurations that eliminate cogging torque — a key requirement for precision positioning in surgical robots, collaborative arms, and space hardware. The flat motor designs (EC 32 flat, EC 20 flat) used on Mars rovers are optimized for low mass and compact packaging, critical for interplanetary payloads where every gram is monetized.
The critical differentiator for maxon motors in precision robotics is zero cogging, high continuous torque-to-weight ratio, and a long track record of qualifying to aerospace and medical regulatory standards. These properties come at a cost premium: a single maxon actuator unit can cost 10–50x more than a comparable-size commodity BLDC motor from a Chinese supplier. This price premium makes maxon economically rational for surgical robotics, space, defense, and high-value inspection robots (like the ANYbotics ANYmal), while typically not competitive for consumer or lower-cost industrial AMR applications where BLDC motor quality requirements are lower.
The new robotics actuator portfolio (launched ~2023) signals maxon’s strategic response to the humanoid and collaborative robot boom. The 15 actuators span two families. The High Efficiency Joints integrate frameless DT motors with planetary gears, electronics, encoders, and an IP67-rated structure into a fully integrated actuator module capable of up to 86% efficiency and active cooling for sustained high-power output. The High Precision Joints pair strain-wave gearboxes (competing with Harmonic Drive Systems’ product category) with high-resolution output encoders, targeting collaborative robot OEMs and surgical robot integrators who need sub-arcminute joint repeatability. This product direction positions maxon to compete not just as a motor supplier but as an actuator module supplier — moving up the value chain into the assembled joint level.
The ANYbotics partnership (strategic, 2020) is illustrative: ANYbotics’ ANYmal legged robot uses maxon drive systems for its 12 joints, leveraging the zero-cogging, high-efficiency properties that are critical for legged locomotion where joint torque ripple creates gait instability.
Notable Developments
- ~2023: Maxon launches new 15-actuator robotics drive systems portfolio — High Efficiency Joints (planetary gear, active cooling, IP67) and High Precision Joints (strain-wave gearbox, high-res encoder) targeting humanoid and collaborative robot OEMs. (The Robot Report)
- 2021-02: Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter land on Mars with 10 maxon drives aboard — nine EC 32 flat and one EC 20 flat brushless motors with GP 22 UP planetary gearheads. (The Robot Report)
- 2020-09: ANYbotics strategic partnership for drive systems in ANYmal legged inspection robot. (The Robot Report)
- 2012: Curiosity rover lands on Mars with maxon drives.
- 1961: Founded in Sachseln, Obwalden, Switzerland.
Key People
Eugen Elmiger — CEO
- LinkedIn: bloomberg.com/profile/person/17758625 (Bloomberg profile; LinkedIn not confirmed)
- Education: Not publicly disclosed
- Career (reverse-chronological):
- Maxon Group (1991–present): CEO; Board member since 2006; International Sales & Marketing lead from ~late 1990s
- Notes: Long-tenured insider CEO. Joined maxon in 1991 and built the Asian sales network; transitioned to Board in 2006 and to CEO role subsequently.
People — Last Reviewed: 2026-03-31
Supply Chain Position
Maxon operates as a Component-Subsystem Supplier at the precision motor and actuator layer — not a platform OEM. Maxon sells to robot OEMs (Boston Dynamics, ANYbotics, surgical robot makers) who integrate maxon motors into joint assemblies. With the new High Efficiency and High Precision Joints product line, maxon is moving toward the actuator module level, where it competes more directly with Harmonic Drive Systems (at the gearbox layer) and with integrated joint module suppliers.
⚑ Rare earth dependency: All BLDC motors use NdFeB permanent magnets in the rotor; Chinese rare earth supply chain applies even for Swiss-assembled precision motors. This is an inherent vulnerability for maxon and all precision motor makers regardless of assembly geography.
⚑ Component cluster: Maxon GP planetary gearheads and Harmonic Drive Systems strain-wave gearboxes serve the same joint application; some maxon customers use both (maxon motor + Harmonic Drive gearbox) in the same joint, creating a compound rare-earth + Japanese precision supplier dependency.
Claim Verification
Claim: Maxon has supplied 100+ drives for Mars missions
Status: Verified
Supporting sources:
- The Robot Report Perseverance article — Documents specific motors on Perseverance (10 drives: EC 32 flat and EC 20 flat) and Ingenuity helicopter
- Curiosity rover (2012) also used maxon drives; Spirit and Opportunity earlier
- Maxon group website — “more than 100 drives on Mars” stated in company marketing
Refuting / questioning sources:
- None identified; multiple independent engineering sources confirm Mars mission motor content
Summary: The 100+ Mars drives claim is well-documented across multiple NASA missions spanning two decades; specific motors are documented in engineering publications.