Factory Humanoids · Part of The Humanoid Group

Collaborative Robots

Collaborative robots are built to work near people, with force limiting and simpler programming. Compare cobots from Universal Robots, FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa and Doosan Robotics, plus end-of-arm tooling from Schmalz.

By Lucas Schneider

Reviewed October 2026. Prices and availability are read live.

Buying advice

Buy for a collaborative application, not a label

The latest US robot safety standard changes the vocabulary. In A3's summary of ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025, which adopts ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025, the term collaborative robot gives way to collaborative application, so the label on a datasheet no longer settles the question. Material from ISO/TS 15066:2016 has been folded into Part 2. Use that framing when you compare the arms on this page. Ask each maker which collaborative modes its controller supports, such as power and force limiting, and what test data it provides so your integrator can validate the finished cell rather than the bare arm.

Look at the tool and fixtures first

A rounded arm carrying a sharp bracket, a hot glue nozzle or an exposed screw tip brings back the hazard the arm was designed to avoid. Look for places where a hand could be trapped between the arm and a fixed object, since being clamped can do more harm than a free collision. ISO/TS 15066:2016 gives guidance on collaborative robot systems, and ISO now lists it for revision and replacement by a new document, so confirm which edition your integrator works to. Tooling sold for cobots, such as the Schmalz Cobot Pump ECBPi on this page, deserves its own check of what happens to the part if power is lost.

Price the cell you will redeploy

In October 2026, published prices on this page sat between about $1,800 and $80,000, from the Schmalz Cobot Pump ECBPi to the KUKA LBR iiwa 14 R820, and not one was quote-only. The arm is only part of the bill. Add grippers and tool changers, a stable pedestal or mobile stand, any safety scanners your risk assessment calls for, software options and training for the people who will reteach it. If you plan to move the cobot between jobs, buy fixtures and docking plates that repeat their position, so each move needs a short recalibration rather than a full reteach. Ask makers which accessories run on their controller without custom code.

What to look for

Rated payload with your end-of-arm tool fitted, not the bare arm
Teach pendant, hand-guiding and software apps for quick changeovers
What your risk assessment requires, including speed and separation limits

Common questions

Can a cobot work without any guarding?

Sometimes, but not by default. Whether a cobot can run without fences depends on the whole application, including the tool, the part and the speeds involved. A risk assessment decides.

How quickly can a cobot be redeployed?

Cobots are generally easier to move and reprogramme than conventional arms, which suits high-mix, lower-volume production. Plan for new tooling and a fresh risk assessment each time the task changes.

Sources and further reading

ISO/TS 15066:2016 Robots and robotic devices: collaborative robots — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Technical specification on safety for collaborative robot systems, now listed by ISO for revision and replacement.
ANSI, A3 Publish Revised R15.06 Industrial Robot Safety Standard — Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
Summarises ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025, the US adoption of ISO 10218:2025, and its shift to collaborative applications.
ISO 10218-2:2025 Robotics: safety requirements, Part 2: Industrial robot applications and robot cells — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Safety requirements for integrating robots into applications and cells, from design and commissioning to decommissioning.

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