“How much does an industrial robot arm cost?” has no single answer, because a working robot is much more than the arm. The catalogue price of the robot is only part of the total cost of a robot cell doing real work on the shop floor. In this article we explain the items that make up a robot arm budget, what pushes the price up or down, and what to check when buying a second-hand robot.
Items in the budget
| Item | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Robot arm and controller | Arm, controller cabinet and teach pendant. |
| End effector | Welding torch, gripper, vacuum or a job-specific tool. |
| Fixture and positioner | Clamping that holds the part in the same place every time; a positioner that turns the part if needed. |
| Safety | Fencing, interlocked doors, light curtains; welding curtains and fume extraction for welding. |
| Sensors and machine vision | Cameras, lasers, seam tracking; systems that compensate part differences. |
| Integration and software | Communication with the PLC and other machines, operator screen, programming. |
| Commissioning and training | On-site installation, tuning, trial production and operator training. |
What pushes the price up?
- Payload and reach: Heavy loads and long arms mean bigger motors and gearboxes.
- Axis count: 6 axes cost more than 4; extra track or positioner axes add cost.
- Precision and speed: Jobs needing high repeatability and short cycle times.
- Environment: Protection against dust, water, heat or food-grade requirements.
- Part variety: Many different parts mean more fixture and programming work.
What brings it down?
- Sizing to the job: Do not buy a bigger robot than the job needs. Sometimes 4 axes or a Cartesian system is enough.
- Simpler fixtures: When machine vision compensates small offsets, millimetre-precise fixtures become less necessary.
- Less programming: Systems where the operator can define a job without calling a programmer for every new part.
Buying a second-hand robot arm
- Operating hours and maintenance history: Check gearbox backlash and motor health.
- Controller generation: Spare parts and service get harder to find for older controllers.
- Software options: Are options such as the welding package included with the robot?
- Cable and hose packages: A worn dress pack means frequent failures.
- Commissioning: Who will install and program the robot? This item is often forgotten.
Hidden costs
- Programming time: In small batches, writing a program for every new part eats production hours.
- Waiting: Time the robot spends waiting for parts is a cost too; two-station cells reduce it.
- Dependence on one expert: If only one person can run the robot, it stops when that person is away.
How fast does it pay back?
With robot investments the real question is payback rather than price: total investment divided by the net monthly saving. For the detailed calculation see how many months does a welding robot take to pay for itself?, and to use your own figures try the calculator on our welding robot price page.
Getting a quote from DKT
We build robot arms to your needs or source them; machine vision, software and commissioning come from us. For a quote we need photos and dimensions of the part, daily or monthly quantity, and information on your existing machines and PLC.
Summary
- The robot arm price is only part of the total cost.
- End effector, fixture, safety, vision, software and commissioning belong in the budget.
- With second-hand robots, controller generation and commissioning need careful thought.
- Decide on payback period, not on price alone.
Get a price for your project
Send photos and dimensions of your part; we will come back with the right solution and an approximate budget.
For our services see the industrial robot arm page.