Peak Torque

The most torque a motor or joint can output briefly, but can't sustain.

Peak torque is the maximum torque a motor, reducer, or full joint module can produce for a short time, measured in newton-meters (N·m). It's mainly limited by the driver's maximum current, saturation in the motor's magnetic circuit, and heat: more current means more torque, but the windings also heat up faster, so peak torque can only be held briefly before thermal protection kicks in and cuts it back. It's listed alongside rated torque (the torque a joint can sustain continuously) on a joint's spec sheet. For legged and humanoid robots, dynamic moves like jumping, standing up from a fall, or recovering from a push rely on peak torque, while everyday standing and walking depend on rated torque — so choosing a joint by peak torque alone is a mistake.

ExampleWhen a humanoid jumps up from a squat, its knee joints must output far more torque than standing requires, for a fraction of a second — that's peak torque at work; if a joint had to sustain that torque for long, the motor would overheat and its output would be throttled.

Also called

Maximum Torque

Related

Rated Torque · Torque Density · Torque-Speed Curve · Motor Thermal Derating / Overheat Protection · Joint Actuator Module · Stall Torque / No-Load Speed

Sources

What's Continuous Stall Torque vs Rated Torque vs Peak Torque? - Parker
maxon motor: Key information (datasheet explanations)