Federwerk

Federwerk is a term of German origin used in mechanical design to describe a family of modular spring-based mechanisms. The word combines feder ('spring') with werk ('work' or mechanism), and in engineering contexts it denotes an assembly that stores and releases energy through interconnected springs.

Federwerk systems consist of repeating spring units connected by joints or pins, forming a configurable network. Each unit provides a controllable amount of stiffness and damping, and the network can be reconfigured to achieve different actuation modes, from simple linear motion to multi-axis compliant movement.

Core elements include spring modules with adjustable preload, connectors or linkages, and a control interface for synchronization. Some implementations integrate sensors and an active drive (electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic) to preload or modulate spring force.

Federwerk concepts appear in robotics for compliant actuation and safe human-robot interaction, in haptic devices that convey variable stiffness feedback, in soft robotics, architectural kinetic installations, and in prosthetics where natural-feeling resistance is desirable.

Benefits include compact energy storage, intrinsic safety through compliance, and versatility via modularity. Challenges involve nonlinear spring behavior, dynamic control, damping management, and wear at joint interfaces.

The term is used across German-language engineering literature as a general design principle rather than a single standardized product. Variants differ in spring type, configuration, and actuation method. Related concepts include compliant actuators, variable-stiffness mechanisms, and modular robotics.