Humanoid Robots Now Build Their Kin: Figure Launches BotQ Factory to Produce 12,000 Units Annually

Figure’s BotQ Factory Begins Humanoid Robot Production

Figure has pulled back the curtain on BotQ, a state-of-the-art production hub dedicated to churning out humanoid robots en masse. Its inaugural assembly line can craft up to 12,000 robots a year, though the company insists this is just the opening act. In the years ahead, they plan to ramp up capacity significantly.

Over the past eight months, Figure’s engineers have reimagined the art of designing and building robots, forging a streamlined, scalable process. Now, they’re ready to share a glimpse of their progress.

The linchpin of this leap forward is a vertically integrated production system, giving Figure mastery over every step—from blueprint to final bolt. This, the company claims, ensures top-notch quality and slashes the time it takes to bring robots to market. In tandem, the past six months saw the creation of a robust software backbone to orchestrate the factory’s operations.

A standout feature of BotQ? Figure’s own humanoid robots will lend a hand—or a servo—in assembling their mechanical brethren. These tasks kick off this year, with automation’s role set to grow as more robotic workers join the ranks.

After dissecting the assembly cycles of the Figure 02 prototype, the team pinpointed the bottlenecks: too many parts and a reliance on sluggish CNC machines. While milling from blanks suited prototyping, it faltered for mass production. For Figure 03, the next-generation model, they pivoted to injection molding, metal injection casting, and stamping—slashing some component production times from a week to a mere 20 seconds. Though crafting the molds demanded a hefty upfront investment, the payoff is expected by 2026, fueled by projected output volumes.

This shift birthed two new teams: one for safety and another for reliability. The latter, housed at BotQ, puts components—from actuators to batteries—through grueling accelerated tests using specialized gear like high-temperature chambers and failure analyzers. The resulting insights refine the robots’ designs to meet rigorous durability standards.

With no off-the-shelf solutions for humanoid robots, Figure had to build nearly everything from scratch: actuators, motors, sensors, batteries, and electronics. They’ve kept core tech—like actuators, hand assemblies, and final integration—in-house, while tapping external partners for select parts. A newly hired squad of global supply chain managers has locked in collaborators capable of scaling to 100,000 robots or 3 million actuators by 2027.

BotQ doubles as a proving ground for innovation. Figure’s AI-powered Helix robots will tackle key assembly tasks and shuttle materials between stations, sidelining bulky conveyors. This hybrid dance of automation and human oversight, the developers argue, could set the blueprint for tomorrow’s self-sustaining factories.