Figure Decommissions F.02 AI Robots in Molten Steel Vat
U.S.-based robotics company Figure found an unconventional and creative way to clear out its old fleet of F.02 AI robots by melting them down in a 75-ton vat of molten steel.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
The Challenge of Decommissioning Proprietary AI Hardware
U.S.-based robotics company Figure faced a complex logistical challenge when deciding how to handle its older generation of machines. According to details shared by the company, maintaining the F.02 fleet no longer made sense as the numbers of its next-generation F.03 increased. Disassembling the older units internally would have pulled key personnel away from important ongoing projects, such as the development of the upcoming F.04 model. Furthermore, passing the task off to a third party was not an option because the units contained significant amounts of proprietary technology that the company needed to protect from falling into the hands of competitors. Further details are available from Tom's Hardware in the original source material.
To solve this conundrum, Figure CEO Brett Adcock turned to social media, taking to X to ask the public for ideas regarding a proper sendoff for the aging fleet. The call for ideas quickly garnered widespread attention and prompted an unexpected recommendation from action film icon and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who famously suggested melting them down in a fashion reminiscent of cinematic sci-fi history.
Executing the Terminator-Style Sendoff in Finland
Following the cinematic suggestion, the Figure team embarked on an elaborate preparation process that involved training the robots to jump from the second story of an office building onto an airbag, as well as searching for an industrial site willing to handle robots equipped with lithium batteries being dropped into high-temperature metal vats. After an extensive search, the team located a foundry site in Finland that agreed to accept the units, granting the company a strict 24-hour window and six melts to complete the operation.
The unusual decommissioning spectacle ultimately proved to be a success. The F.02 AI robots continued to function precisely as intended up until their final moments, despite enduring intense extreme heat from the molten steel alongside strong electromagnetic fields generated by the high-voltage electricity coursing through three giant graphite electrodes at the facility.
Recycling the Fleet into Limited-Edition Memorabilia
As the dramatic event unfolded, the company captured a real-life cinematic ending to the project. One of the F.02 robots was filmed performing a classic gesture, holding up a thumbs-up sign as it steadily sank into the glowing molten metal. Most of the fleet has now been successfully melted down and recycled, with only a small number of units retained in storage at the company's headquarters.
Following the completion of the melts, the resulting metal bars were transported back to the United States. Technical teams machined the recycled metal into specialized, limited-edition memorabilia designed to commemorate the operational lifespan and history of the F.02 robot fleet.
Broader Hardware Updates and Future Prospects
By clearing out the legacy hardware through this high-temperature recycling process, Figure has freed up valuable storage and operational space at its headquarters for newer iterations of its humanoid platforms. The company avoided the security risks associated with commercial third-party disassembly while preventing sensitive proprietary intellectual property from leaking into the wider market.
With the F.02 chapter officially closed in dramatic fashion, the engineering teams are able to direct their full attention toward scaling up the newer F.03 generation and advancing the ongoing development work surrounding the forthcoming F.04 robotic model.
Sources
- Tom's HardwareAI robot company decommissioned its robots ‘Terminator-style’ in a 75-ton vat of molten steel
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