Case Study: Parker Hannifin achieves rapid Indego exoskeleton development with Protolabs

Parker Hannifin Brings Robotic Exoskeleton to Life with Digital Manufacturing

Parker Hannifin turned to Protolabs during development of its Indego robotic exoskeleton after traditional suppliers could not meet aggressive R&D timelines. The Human Motion & Control team needed rapid prototyping and low-volume molding to iterate on critical components—most notably a light-pipe indicator—and used Protolabs’ digital manufacturing services including liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing.

Protolabs delivered quick-turn LSR molded parts in days and an automated, interactive quoting workflow that enabled multiple low-cost design iterations, allowing Parker Hannifin to validate a more flexible, durable light pipe with excellent light transmission. The work saved an estimated one to two months of development time, supported thousands of parts for the program, and helped the team accelerate time to market while maintaining responsiveness to customer feedback.

Parker Hannifin

Ryan Farris

Parker Hannifin