Shipyard welding is an overhead-arm problem, not a lifting problem. Passive shoulder systems fit; powered back units mostly do not. Specs and gaps compared.
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Editorial QA
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For shipyard welding, a passive shoulder exoskeleton is the correct product class: welding in hull blocks and confined compartments is sustained arm-elevation work, not back-loaded lifting. Among the systems in the ExoSelect database, MATE-XT (Comau) and Skelex 360 (Skelex) are the two documented shoulder-support options, while the powered Cray X (German Bionic) addresses lifting and forward bending and is a poor match for a welding torch held overhead.
Shipyard welding rarely involves lifting a 30 kg load. It involves holding a torch, a helmet and often a grinder at or above shoulder height for minutes at a time, in awkward postures, inside a compartment where a rigid frame can catch on stiffeners and staging. That distinction decides which exoskeleton category you should even be evaluating. Buyers who search for a "welding exoskeleton" are usually looking for shoulder support, and the database reflects that: the passive shoulder systems carry the relevant specs, and the powered back system carries the lifting specs.
The database's own summaries make the split explicit. Skelex 360 is described as "a passive shoulder exoskeleton for sustained overhead and precision work"; MATE-XT as "a passive upper-limb exoskeleton for overhead, repetitive and precision work"; AIRFRAME as "a passive shoulder-support exoskeleton for sustained arm elevation." Cray X, by contrast, is "a connected powered back exoskeleton for lifting, carrying and forward-bending tasks." A welder working overhead is doing sustained arm elevation, so the shoulder systems match the task description and the powered back system does not.
That matters commercially because the wrong category is expensive in both money and adoption. Cray X lists from 9,900 USD and weighs 7.6 kg with a battery. A shoulder system lists from 2,950 USD (AIRFRAME) to 5,900 USD (MATE-XT) and weighs between 1.5 kg and 4.2 kg. If you buy a powered back unit for a welding cell, you are paying a premium for assistance the task does not use, and asking welders to carry a battery and a 7.6 kg frame into a compartment.
| System | Maker | Drive | Weight | Assist force | Assist torque | Lift support | Certifications | Price from | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATE-XT | Comau | Passive | 4.2 kg | 100 N | 15 Nm | 5 kg | CE, ISO 13482 | 5,900 USD | 4–8 weeks |
| Skelex 360 | Skelex | Passive | 1.6 kg | 70 N | 12 Nm | 5 kg | CE | 4,900 USD | Contact maker |
| AIRFRAME | Levitate Technologies | Passive | 1.5 kg | 60 N | 10 Nm | 5 kg | CE | 2,950 USD | Contact maker |
| Cray X | German Bionic | Active | 7.6 kg | 300 N | 30 Nm | 30 kg | CE, ISO 13482 | 9,900 USD | 6–10 weeks |
Read the table by task, not by headline number. Cray X's 300 N and 30 kg lift support are the largest figures here, but they describe lifting assistance. For a welder holding a torch, the relevant figures are the shoulder systems' assist force and torque, and the trade-off is weight against support: MATE-XT offers the most shoulder assist force (100 N) at the highest weight (4.2 kg), while AIRFRAME offers the least (60 N) at the lowest weight (1.5 kg).
Several parameters that decide a shipyard welding deployment are simply not in the database, and you should treat their absence as a procurement risk rather than a detail.
Warranty. Skelex 360 states 24 months. Cray X, MATE-XT and AIRFRAME list warranty as undisclosed or unknown. For a fleet of shoulder units exposed to weld spatter, grinding dust and daily handling, warranty terms drive the maintenance line of the total cost of ownership as much as the list price does. Ask each maker for written warranty terms before you compare quotes.
Standards referenced. MATE-XT and Skelex 360 name ISO 13482, and Cray X names ISO 13482 and EN 614-1. AIRFRAME lists CE only, with standards marked unknown. If your shipyard's HSE function requires a declared standard for the equipment register, that gap is a blocker until the maker supplies it.
Welding-specific validation. No system in the database discloses heat resistance, spark resistance, arc-flash suitability or a shipyard reference. This is the single most important unknown for this keyword: none of the five systems documents that it has been evaluated for welding environments. Do not assume a CE mark covers it.
Shipyard welding happens in hull blocks, tanks and confined compartments where movement is restricted and the floor is uneven. The database lists max walking speed and stair/slope capability as not applicable for every system here, which tells you these are not mobility products. What it does not tell you is how each shoulder frame behaves when a welder has to crouch, twist or pass through a manhole. That is a fit question for a supervised trial on your own staging, not a datasheet question.
Lead time is a second constraint. MATE-XT quotes 4–8 weeks and Cray X 6–10 weeks; Skelex 360 and AIRFRAME say "contact maker." If you are equipping a crew for a docking schedule, an undisclosed lead time is a scheduling risk. Get a dated delivery commitment in writing.
MATE-XT is listed as available in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Skelex 360 and Cray X are listed for Europe and North America. AIRFRAME is listed for North America only. If your yard is in Asia-Pacific, that narrows the shoulder options to MATE-XT on the database's own regional data. Confirm regional availability and local service before you shortlist.
Do not choose a passive shoulder exoskeleton for a welding task that is actually dominated by lifting and carrying heavy plate or stiffener sections; that is the Cray X use case, and a shoulder unit will not help. Equally, do not choose Cray X for overhead welding on the strength of its 300 N assist force. It is a back exoskeleton for lifting and forward bending, and its 7.6 kg weight and battery are liabilities in a compartment.
And do not commit to any of these systems for a welding environment until the maker confirms, in writing, suitability for heat, sparks and arc exposure. The database does not contain that confirmation for any system, so a buyer who skips that question is buying on assumption, not evidence.
Start with the task split: if the job is sustained arm elevation, compare MATE-XT against Skelex 360 on the weight-versus-assist trade-off (4.2 kg and 100 N against 1.6 kg and 70 N). Use the compare tool to line them up side by side, and see the full industrial category for context. Then request the missing parameters from each maker: written warranty, declared standards for AIRFRAME, and welding-environment suitability for all of them.
No. The database contains passive shoulder systems (MATE-XT, Skelex 360, AIRFRAME) and a powered back system (Cray X). None is described as welding-specific, and none discloses welding validation.
AIRFRAME at 1.5 kg, followed by Skelex 360 at 1.6 kg. MATE-XT is 4.2 kg. Lighter units carry less assist force, so weigh that against the duration of overhead work.
No. Cray X is a powered back exoskeleton for lifting and forward bending, weighs 7.6 kg and lists from 9,900 USD. Its lift support does not address torch control overhead.
Send a documented parameter request to Comau and Skelex for MATE-XT and Skelex 360 covering warranty terms and welding-environment suitability, then contact the ExoSelect selection desk with your task profile so we can flag which unknowns remain open before you commit to a trial.
Editorial note
This analysis is based on published specifications and named sources. No first-party physical evaluation was performed.
Reviewed by the ExoSelect editorial desk
