In the rapidly evolving landscape of robotics, innovation continues to push boundaries, reshaping the future of automation. Among the latest breakthroughs, collaborative robots have taken center stage, transforming industries with their versatility and safety. As companies seek cutting-edge solutions, the quest for higher payload capacities, lightning-fast speeds, and expanded degrees of freedom has intensified.
Statzon has undertaken extensive research and released a comprehensive report aimed at providing a deep comprehension of key players in the global collaborative robot (cobot) market and their respective cobot models. The report serves as a valuable resource for comparing various models across a spectrum of parameters, including payloads, horizontal reach, repeatability, degrees of freedom, weight, speed, and pricing. The complete report can be accessed at your convenience here. This article serves as an overview of the insights presented within the report.
The market boasts over 60 collaborative robot producers, collectively offering a diverse selection of 200 models. Notable insights about these producers and models include the fact that more than half of the cobot producers originate from Asia. Among the standout models is the Comau Aura, which holds the distinction of having the highest payload capacity on the market at 170 kg. Additionally, the Comau Aura impresses with its extensive horizontal reach, spanning 2790 mm.
In terms of precision, the ABB CRB 11000 SWIFTI, Hitbot Z-Arm Mini, Fanuc CR7iA (L), and FANUC CR4iA (L) exhibit the lowest repeatability at a remarkable 0.01 mm. On the other end of the spectrum, the ABB Dual-Arm YUMI and Rethink Robotics Baxter shine with the highest degree of freedom, boasting a remarkable 14 degrees. For those prioritizing speed, the ABB SWIFTI CRB 1300 emerges as the fastest cobot available, capable of achieving a maximum TCP speed of 6.2 m/s.
Payload capacity represents the maximum amount of weight a robot arm can tolerate. Comau Aura is the model with the highest payload capacity on the market, 170 kg. The market's average payload capacity for all models remains at 7.8 kg.
The top models with the highest payload capacities are:
| Robot Model | Payload (kg) |
|---|---|
| Comau Aura | 170 |
| Precise Automation PAVS6 | 37 |
| Fanuc CR-35iA | 35 |
| Fanuc CR-35iB | 35 |
| Fanuc CRX-25iA | 25 |
| Yaskawa Motoman HC30PL | 30 |
| Doosan Robotics H2515 | 25 |
| Han's Robot S25 | 25 |
| AIRSKIN KUKA Cybertech Fenceless | 24 |
| Precise Automation PF3400 | 23 |
Horizontal reach defines the maximum distance obtained from the center of the robot base to its wrist. Comau Aura is the model with the biggest horizontal reach on the market, 2790 mm. The average horizontal reach of all models in the market is 935 mm.
Top models with the biggest horizontal reach are:
| Robot Model | Horizontal Reach (mm) |
|---|---|
| Comau Aura | 2790 |
| AIRSKIN KUKA Cybertech Fenceless | 2020 |
| Kinetic Systems 6 Axes Robot | 1900 |
| Yaskawa Motoman HC20DTP | 1900 |
| Fanuc CRX-25iA | 1889 |
| Fanuc CR-35iA | 1813 |
| Kassow Robots KR1805 | 1800 |
| Universal Robot UR20 | 1750 |
| Doosan Robotics E Series | 1717 |
Repeatability refers to a robot’s ability to return to the exact same position. It defines how precise a robot is. Repeatability is expressed in millimeters plus or minus the point of alteration to determine the robot’s margin of error. Repeatability of +/- 0.08 mm means its arm will fall within 0.08 mm of the programmed position with each cycle run. ABB CRB 11000 SWIFTI, FANUC CR7iA (L), FANUC CR4iA (L), and Hitbot ZArm Mini are the models with 0.01 mm repeatability, the lowest repeatability in the market. The average repeatability of all models on the market is 0.12 mm.
Top models with the lowest repeatability are:
| Robot Model | Repeatability (mm) |
|---|---|
| ABB CRB 11000 SWIFTI | 0.01 |
| Fanuc CR7iA | 0.01 |
| Fanuc CR7iA/L | 0.01 |
| Fanuc CR4iA/L | 0.01 |
| Fanuc CR4iA | 0.01 |
| Hitbot Z-Arm Mini | 0.01 |
A robot axis represents a degree of freedom. A degree of freedom determines the independent motion of the robot. The more axes a robot has, the more flexibility or movement it will be capable of. ABB Dual-Arm YUMI and Rethink Robotics Baxter are the models with the highest degree of freedom on the market, 14. The market's average degrees of freedom for all models stands at 6.
Top models with the highest degree of freedom are:
| Robot Model | Degrees of Freedom |
|---|---|
| ABB Dual-Arm YUMI | 14 (seven for each arm) |
| Rethink Robotics Baxter | 14 (seven for each arm) |
| Kawada Industries Nextage | 12 (six for each arm) |
| Kawasaki duAro 2 Dual Arm | 8 (four for each arm) |
| Kawasaki duAro 1 Dual Arm | 8 (four for each arm) |
Motion speed lists the degrees traveled per second to define the speed of each robotic axis. ABB SWIFTI CRB 1300 is the fastest model on the market with max. TCP speed of 6.2 m/s. The average speed of all models in the market is 1.5 m/s.
Top models with the highest TCP speed are:
| Robot Model | Speed (m/s) |
|---|---|
| ABB SWIFTI CRB 1300 | 6.2 |
| Comau Racer 5 0.80 Cobot | 6 |
| ABB SWIFTI CRB 1100 | 5 |
| Neura Robotics MAiRA Pro S | 4.5 |
| Neura Robotics MAiRA Pro M | 4.5 |
| Neura Robotics MAiRA Pro SL | 4.5 |
| AUBO i3 | 4 |
| Dobot CR10 | 4 |
| JAKA Zu 18 | 3.5 |
| Elite Robot EC612 | 3.2 |
Sources: Collaborative Robotics Trends, Unchained Robotics, Qviro, Top3dshop, RoboDK