Schunk
Schunk is a German family-owned maker of gripping and clamping systems, founded in 1945 by Friedrich Schunk, who opened a mechanical workshop in Lauffen am Neckar with a second-hand lathe. It has more than 3,500 employees and is led by the third generation, siblings Henrik A. Schunk and Kristina I. Schunk. Its catalogue for robotics ranges from industrial grippers to the SVH, a five-finger servo-electric gripping hand. The SVH is described as the first five-finger hand produced in series, built at 1:1 human scale with nine drives that allow a wide range of complex motions and grips with high sensitivity. In 2017 the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) certified the SVH as the world's first gripper for collaborative operation. The SVH is used with research robots and has a ROS package. Note that the separate Schunk carbon technology group of Heuchelheim is a different company.
💡Notable Achievement: The SVH hand was certified by DGUV in 2017 as the world's first gripper for collaborative operation.
What Does Schunk Do?
Schunk is a family-run German maker of gripping and clamping systems, whose SVH is a series-produced five-finger hand certified for collaborative use.
“Gripper specialist with a five-finger hand.”
SVH Hand
Nine drives and 1:1 human scale.
Collaborative Certification
DGUV certified in 2017.
Family Owned
Third-generation leadership, 3,500+ staff.
What Can Schunk Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Robot grippers and hands.
Five-Finger Grasping
SVH provides human-like grasps.
Schunk Robot Hands
Showing 1 of 1 total model
Schunk SVH
Manufactured by Schunk
The Schunk SVH is a servo-electric 5-finger robotic hand designed to replicate human hand size, shape, and dexterity at a 1:1 ratio. Featuring 9 drives actuating 20 mechanically coupled joints (including passive DoF), it enables sensitive, adaptive grasping with elastic silicone fingertips for secure object handling in unstructured environments. Electronics, control, and power systems are fully integrated in the wrist for compact mobile use with lightweight robots.
Schunk Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
Friedrich Schunk opens a workshop in Lauffen am Neckar
Friedrich Schunk opens a mechanical workshop with a second-hand lathe in Lauffen am Neckar, the start of Schunk.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
SVH certified for collaborative operation
The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) certifies Schunk's SVH five-finger hand as the world's first gripper for collaborative operation.
Source: roboticstomorrow.com
Schunk Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
Shadow Robot Company
→Model: Shadow Dexterous Hand
Focus: Research dexterous hands
Wonik Robotics
→Model: Allegro Hand V5
Focus: Research robot hands
qb Robotics
→Model: SoftHand Research
Focus: Soft robot hands
TESOLLO
→Model: DG-5F-S
Focus: Dexterous humanoid hands
DH-Robotics
→Model: DH-5-6 Dexterous Hand
Focus: Grippers and dexterous hands
What Makes Schunk Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Trusted gripper brand with global reach.
- ✓Certified collaborative hand.
Core Strategic Focus
Grippers and hands for automation.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Low-cost Asian hands compete.
- •High price of SVH.
Schunk vs Key Competitors
Strategic capability matrix across platform categories, commercial readiness, and target markets
Category / Focus
- Schunk SVH
- Five-finger hand
- Shadow Dexterous Hand
- Research hand
- Allegro Hand V5
- Research hand
- DH-5-6
- Dexterous hand
Primary Use
- Schunk SVH
- Service robotics, AI grasping research
- Shadow Dexterous Hand
- Teleoperation, assembly
- Allegro Hand V5
- Teleoperation, assembly
- DH-5-6
- Not listed
Degrees of Freedom
- Schunk SVH
- 20
- Shadow Dexterous Hand
- 24 (20 actuated + 4 underactuated)
- Allegro Hand V5
- 9 (base, 3 fingers × 3 DOF); 16 (Plus, 4 fingers × 4 DOF)
- DH-5-6
- 6 active DOF, 12 total joints
Release Year
- Schunk SVH
- 2013
- Shadow Dexterous Hand
- 2004
- Allegro Hand V5
- 2025
- DH-5-6
- 2024 (based on "New Arrival" product launch references)
| Strategic Dimension | Schunk SVH | Shadow Dexterous Hand | Allegro Hand V5 | DH-5-6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category / Focus | Five-finger hand | Research hand | Research hand | Dexterous hand |
| Primary Use | Service robotics, AI grasping research | Teleoperation, assembly | Teleoperation, assembly | Not listed |
| Degrees of Freedom | 20 | 24 (20 actuated + 4 underactuated) | 9 (base, 3 fingers × 3 DOF); 16 (Plus, 4 fingers × 4 DOF) | 6 active DOF, 12 total joints |
| Release Year | 2013 | 2004 | 2025 | 2024 (based on "New Arrival" product launch references) |
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
Schunk Headquarters
HQLauffen am Neckar, Germany
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about Schunk
What is Schunk?
Schunk is a German family-owned company that makes gripping and clamping systems, including the SVH five-finger hand, founded in 1945 in Lauffen am Neckar.
What is the Schunk SVH?
The SVH is a five-finger servo-electric gripping hand at 1:1 human scale. Nine drives let it perform many complex motions and grips with high sensitivity.
Was the SVH certified for collaborative use?
Yes. In 2017 the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) certified the SVH as the world's first gripper approved for collaborative operation with people.
Who runs Schunk?
Siblings Henrik A. Schunk and Kristina I. Schunk lead the company as the third generation of the family, with more than 3,500 employees.
When was Schunk founded?
Friedrich Schunk founded Schunk in 1945, shortly after the end of the Second World War, starting with a workshop and one second-hand lathe.
Is Schunk the same as the Schunk Group in Heuchelheim?
No. The Schunk Group of Heuchelheim, founded in 1913, specialises in carbon technology. The gripping systems company Schunk SE is based in Lauffen am Neckar.
Does the SVH work with ROS?
Yes. A ROS package for the Schunk SVH five-finger gripping hand has been announced, which makes it usable with common research robot software.
What else does Schunk make?
Schunk makes industrial grippers, clamping technology and special grippers such as the SVH, serving automation and collaborative robot users worldwide.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official Schunk datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Information has been verified against official manufacturer documentation. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.