Figure sends retired F.02 humanoid robots into a 75-ton molten steel furnace in Finland after transitioning to its newer F.03 fleet

Retiring advanced robots can create unusual concerns when the machines contain specialised components and proprietary technology. For robotics company Figure, the solution for its aging F.02 humanoid robots was remarkably dramatic, sending them into a furnace of molten steel.

Figure transported its F.02 units to a foundry in Imatra, Finland, where the robots autonomously jumped into a 75-ton electric arc furnace and were melted down. The unusual disposal operation followed the company's shift to its newer F.03 fleet.

Why Figure Melted the F.02 Robots

After moving to the F.03 generation, Figure decided that keeping its older F.02 machines operational was no longer practical. Manually dismantling the robots might consume engineering resources that the organization needed to use for its next-generation F.04 robot.


There was also a technology challenge. Figure required to destroy proprietary hardware without exposing its custom components or intellectual property, making conventional disassembly unsuitable for much of the fleet.

Foundries in the United States and Mexico reportedly rejected the robots as they contained lithium-ion batteries. Figure eventually discovered a Finnish facility prepared to accept them.

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Schwarzenegger's Terminator Connection

The search for a disposal approach even involved former MythBusters members.

The breakthrough happened after Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose film career included the Terminator franchise, encouraged Figure to melt the robots. Schwarzenegger subsequently became involved with the project.

The resulting approach offered the retirement process an unmistakably cinematic appearance, although the robots' furnace jumps were carried out as an actual engineering operation.

Training Robots to Jump

The furnace operation needed extensive preparation. Engineers initially had to teach the F.02 machines how to jump efficiently.

At Figure's headquarters, huge airbags or mattresses were positioned beneath the robots as they practiced jumping from a second-floor building. Stunt performers offered movement references, while engineers made a control model through simulation.

The system required to direct each robot toward a precise landing place inside a Finnish foundry the machines had never earlier encountered.

That left little room for error. Figure had only six melting cycles available in a 24-hour period, with each cycle lasting roughly 20 minutes before the molten steel cooled enough to form a solid crust.

Extreme Conditions at the Foundry

The facility's electric arc furnace utilized three large graphite electrodes to melt steel scrap.

The environment featured additional challenges. Extreme temperatures impacted electronics, while electromagnetic fields around the furnace disrupted equipment. Cameras and other electronic systems failed during the operation.

Despite those failures, Figure said the robots remained executing their trained movement policies.

The F.02 units eventually got into the furnace and were reduced to molten metal. The company highlighted that the robots physically travelled to Finland and performed the jumps themselves rather than the footage being digitally produced.

What Happened to Metal?

Although the robots were destroyed in Finland, their resulting material was sent back to the United States.

Figure currently plans to machine the recovered metal bars into a limited run of F.02 commemorative artifacts. Most of the F.02 fleet has been destroyed, while a small number of units remain at the company's headquarters.

From F.02 to F.03

Figure's unusual disposal project followed the arrival of its newer F.03 humanoid platform.

The F.03 robots showcase an updated set of sensors and a redesigned hand developed for Helix, Figure's own system as per the "vision-speech-action" model.

The newer platform also has modifications intended for home use, that includes softer exterior materials, wireless charging, an enhanced audio system and increased battery safety for operation around people.

The F.02 furnace operation therefore signified more than an unusual end for a retired robot fleet. It also demonstrated Figure's approach to autonomous control in an unfamiliar and technically challenging industrial environment, while the recovered material is being offered a fresh purpose through planned commemorative artifacts.

Source: Interesting Engineering and Mezha