Industrial Robots

Buying advice

Compare within a class, not across the page

This page mixes articulated arms, SCARA and delta robots, cobots, vision sensors, a vacuum pump, servo motors and warehouse vehicles, so a single price ranking tells you little. Group the listings by class first, then compare reach, payload and cycle time inside each group. Components such as Cognex In-Sight, Keyence XG-X or the Schmalz Cobot Pump ECBPi are parts of a cell rather than alternatives to an arm, and they belong in your cell budget alongside the robot. As of October 2026, the 59 listings carrying a published price ranged from about $250 for the ROBOTIS DYNAMIXEL up to about $120,000 for the ABB IRB 6700, and 33 of the 92 had no published price.

Check performance claims against ISO 9283

Datasheets quote repeatability and speed, but those figures only compare fairly when makers test the same way. ISO 9283:1998 sets performance criteria and test methods for manipulating industrial robots, so ask each maker whether its published accuracy, repeatability and cycle figures were measured to it, and under what load. An arm whose numbers were measured with no load may need slower moves or a larger model once it carries your gripper and part, which eats into any saving. Get the test conditions in writing before paying extra for a tighter figure.

Weigh cobot savings against output per hour

ISO/TS 15066:2016 gives the safety guidance for collaborative robot applications, where people and the robot share the working space and the robot's power and force are limited. Those limits often mean slower movement when someone is nearby, so a collaborative cell can produce fewer parts per hour than a fenced industrial arm doing the same job. Work out the cost per part for both layouts over the expected life of the cell, including operator time saved and floor space released, before assuming the collaborative option is the cheaper one. On high-volume lines, a guarded arm can still win on value.

What to look for

• Arm only, or arm with controller, teach pendant and gripper
• Payload and reach margin for the heaviest part you'll handle
• Integration and safety costs that sit outside the robot price

Common questions

Why do some industrial arms have no listed price?

Arms are often sold as part of a configured cell, so makers quote per project. Request a quote with your application, payload and cycle time.

Is a cobot cheaper than an industrial arm?

Not always on the robot itself, but cobots can reduce guarding and setup costs where a risk assessment allows. Compare the full project cost, not just the arm.

Sources and further reading

• ISO 9283:1998 Manipulating industrial robots: Performance criteria and test methods — International Organization for Standardization.
  Defines how industrial robot accuracy, repeatability and other performance figures are tested.
• ISO/TS 15066:2016 Robots and robotic devices: Collaborative robots — International Organization for Standardization.
  Safety guidance for collaborative robot applications where people and robots share a workspace.