Industrial Robotic Arms

Buying advice

Sort the listings by job before comparing

Looking at the listings in October 2026, anything priced on this page cost between roughly $250 and $120,000, the ROBOTIS DYNAMIXEL and the ABB IRB 6700 marking the two ends, and 25 more needed a quote. A range that wide means the page holds several different purchases. Some listings suit teaching, research and prototyping, others are production arms that will be guarded, integrated and run for years, and a few are components for building your own mechanism. Decide which of those you are buying first. For a classroom or test bench, software and community support matter most. For production, local service, spare parts lead times and your integrator's familiarity often outweigh a lower price.

Ask how repeatability and accuracy were measured

Datasheet repeatability figures are only comparable when they were tested the same way. ISO 9283:1998 sets out performance criteria and test methods for manipulating industrial robots, including pose accuracy and pose repeatability. Ask each maker whether its published figure follows that standard, at what load and speed it was measured, and whether accuracy is published as well as repeatability. The difference matters. Repeatability describes returning to a taught point, which suits jobs taught by hand. Accuracy matters when you programme offline from CAD or send the arm to points found by a vision system, and it may need calibration on site. Budget for that calibration if your cell depends on it.

Check the tool flange and the paperwork

ISO 9409-1:2004 standardises the circular mounting plate at the end of the arm so that end effectors can be exchanged and keep their orientation, but it leaves load capacity to the user. Check that your existing grippers, tool changers and welding torches match each arm's flange, and confirm payload separately. Then look at what arrives with the robot. ISO 10218-1:2025 treats an industrial robot as partly completed machinery, so the maker supplies safety functions and information for use, and the integrator completes the safety of the cell. For sites in the EU, ask for the documents required under Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery before the robot ships.

What to look for

• Payload at full reach, including the weight of your gripper or tool
• Repeatability and reach against the tolerances of your process
• Controller, programming environment and the skills your team already has

Common questions

What payload should I specify?

Add the weight of the heaviest part to the weight of the gripper or tool, then allow a margin. Payload ratings usually fall as the arm extends, so check the rating at the reach you need.

Does an industrial arm need guarding?

Typically, yes. Most industrial arms work inside fences or light curtains, and your risk assessment sets the safeguards. Collaborative robots are designed for closer work with people, subject to the same assessment.

Sources and further reading

• ISO 9283:1998 Manipulating industrial robots: performance criteria and related test methods — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
  Defines how pose accuracy, repeatability and related arm performance figures are tested, so datasheets compare.
• ISO 9409-1:2004 Manipulating industrial robots: mechanical interfaces, Part 1: Plates — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
  Standard dimensions for the mounting plate at the end of an arm, so grippers and tools can be swapped.
• ISO 10218-1:2025 Robotics: safety requirements, Part 1: Industrial robots — International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
  Safety requirements that makers build into industrial robots, treated as partly completed machinery before integration.