Automatons have their very own gear called
Attachments. An automaton carries all of its attachments in its own inventory and can equip up to twelve different attachments. In order to use an attachment it must first be traded to
Tateeya in
Aht Urhgan Whitegate (I-7) where she will add it to your automaton's inventory. Once traded attachments cannot be removed from the automaton's inventory but it will never be consumed or otherwise lost. Although attachments do stack to 12 for crafting purposes an automaton can only have one of each type and once traded it is available to use on all head/frame combinations.