ABB IRB 8700 vs Yaskawa Motoman PL500: Robot Comparison
Updated: 10 hours ago
IN A NUTSHELL
🔎 THE KEY DIFFERENCE ABB IRB 8700 has the higher stated load capacity and longer stated reach. Those figures help shortlist it for heavier loads or wider layouts, but do not prove a faster production cycle. Their 6- and 4-axis mechanisms also offer different movement options. |
→ CONSIDER ABB IRB 8700 Consider it when additional load capacity and reach matter. This article compares 550 kg with a published reach of 4,200 mm; include the gripper and part in the load. |
→ CONSIDER Yaskawa Motoman PL500 Consider it when its stated load and reach already cover your task and its controls fit your equipment. This article compares 500 kg with a published reach of 3159 mm; include the gripper and part in the load. |
💡 THE TAKEAWAY Check the required tool angles and approach path: different axis counts change movement options. Choose only after both suppliers demonstrate the loaded task and quote the same complete installation. |
ABB IRB 8700 vs Yaskawa Motoman PL500 is an engineering buying comparison for palletizing versus articulated handling. Yaskawa Motoman PL500 is a four-axis palletizer; the other candidate is a six-axis handling robot. A level-product pallet cycle and a part requiring roll or pitch are different tasks. The choice begins with required orientation and process equipment.
The starting-price references in the linked reviews are USD 160,000 for ABB IRB 8700 and USD 125,000 for Yaskawa Motoman PL500. The ABB figure is a family starting reference, not a quotation for the worked variant. The analysis distinguishes tool load, geometry, process equipment, controller ownership and installed cost. Neither a review price nor a robot-only specification defines a complete commissioned cell.
Quick verdict
ABB IRB 8700: Very heavy handling where the installed structure and loaded workspace are primary design constraints. The standard 800 kg / 3,500 mm and 550 kg / 4,200 mm variants are distinct. LeanID reduces the corresponding payloads to 630 and 475 kg.
Yaskawa Motoman PL500: Palletizing and pick-and-pack with 500 kg capacity and 3159 mm horizontal reach. The four-axis PL mechanism is intended for level-product transfer, not arbitrary six-axis orientation.
ABB IRB 8700 vs Yaskawa Motoman PL500: technical specifications
Specification | ABB IRB 8700 | Yaskawa Motoman PL500 |
|---|---|---|
Configuration used | IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard | Yaskawa Motoman PL500 |
Attached-load reference | 550 kg | 500 kg |
Horizontal reach / arm length | 4,200 mm | 3159 mm |
Position repeatability | ±0.08 mm | ±0.05 mm |
Controlled axes | 6 | 4 |
Arm / installation mass reference | Variant-specific mass: confirm exact order code | 2390 kg |
Arm protection | IP67 | Confirm exact protection package |
Controller | ABB IRC5 or OmniCore | YRC1000 |
Indicative review starting reference | USD 160,000 (family reference) | USD 125,000 |
The table uses IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard as the worked ABB configuration. It is one documented configuration for explaining the tradeoffs, not an automatic recommendation or a claim that the family has only this version. The linked reviews describe the underlying data. Confirm the exact mechanical generation, controller revision, installation orientation, environmental package and load chart against the supplied order code.
ABB variant map: keep load and reach together
Documented configuration / example | Payload and reach | Repeatability reference |
|---|---|---|
IRB 8700-800/3.50 standard | 800 kg / 3,500 mm | ±0.05 mm |
IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard | 550 kg / 4,200 mm | ±0.08 mm |
The standard 800 kg / 3,500 mm and 550 kg / 4,200 mm variants are distinct. LeanID reduces the corresponding payloads to 630 and 475 kg. The starting price does not establish the price of every listed configuration. Where the review gives only a family precision range, this article leaves the exact-variant value for supplier confirmation rather than assigning the best family figure to every arm.
Start with the process, not the payload headline
Yaskawa Motoman PL500 is a four-axis palletizer; the other candidate is a six-axis handling robot. A level-product pallet cycle and a part requiring roll or pitch are different tasks. The choice begins with required orientation and process equipment. The acceptance case for this pair should be: The real infeed, farthest pallet corner, top layer, full gripper load, pallet change and failed-release response. The useful outcome to measure is stable completed pallets per hour, load margin and safe exchange downtime. A supplier demonstration must use the same workpiece range, tool mass, fixtures and normal operating conditions for both proposals.
A dedicated process arm and a general-purpose manipulator can sometimes perform similar motions, yet require very different integration. A torch needs process utilities and seam access; a spot gun imposes mass, inertia and clamp requirements; a pallet tool needs stable grip and stack coverage. Include those differences before comparing robot-only prices.
Payload, wrist moments and the complete end effector
For the worked configurations, the load references are 550 kg and 500 kg. Count fingers, adapters, cameras, valves, cables carried by the wrist and the actual workpiece. A nominally permitted part can become an excessive load once its gripping hardware is added. Use the relevant load diagram rather than assuming the maximum payload is allowed at every centre of gravity.
Check moments and inertia at the worst tool orientation and during the required acceleration. Long, offset parts can create a wrist problem while staying below the mass limit. For a welding gun, include the complete utilities and balancing arrangement. For a pallet gripper, include the full layer or multiple picked cases and a credible grip-loss condition.
Workspace, axis count and required orientation
ABB IRB 8700 has 6 controlled axes and the worked reach is 4,200 mm; Yaskawa Motoman PL500 has 4 axes and 3159 mm. The axis-count difference changes feasible orientation or posture. Do not treat a four-axis palletizer, five-axis small arm, six-axis manipulator and seven-axis spot robot as geometrically interchangeable. Check every required pickup, process, reject and recovery pose with the tool attached.
Use a tool-centre-point layout and include the carried-part envelope, machine doors, fixture walls, hose loops and neighboring equipment. Horizontal reach is not the same as vertical reach or useful reach below a shelf. A reachable endpoint can still fail because the wrist cannot attain the required approach angle or retreat without a collision.
ABB IRB 8700: engineering assessment
The foundation, lifting method, tool inertia and recovery plan should be costed at concept stage. A long-reach heavy arm can change the entire factory layout; compare a complete engineering proposal rather than only purchase price. In this comparison, the worked configuration is IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard, with 550 kg, 4,200 mm and the stated repeatability reference of ±0.08 mm. Its practical benefit should be demonstrated at the intended operating load rather than inferred from the family label.
The standard 800 kg / 3,500 mm and 550 kg / 4,200 mm variants are distinct. LeanID reduces the corresponding payloads to 630 and 475 kg. Identify who owns the final RAPID program, RobotStudio project, safety settings and backups. Existing ABB experience is useful when the actual maintenance team can restore a stopped application, identify a failed component and keep the cell supported through its planned service life.
Yaskawa Motoman PL500: where the alternative adds value
Measure the whole pallet pattern, infeed approach and tallest loaded layer. Yaskawa Motoman PL500 must carry the complete gripper and goods; stack stability, pallet exchange and a loss-of-grip response belong in the acceptance cycle. Its reviewed combination is 500 kg, 3159 mm and ±0.05 mm positioning repeatability. The four-axis PL mechanism is intended for level-product transfer, not arbitrary six-axis orientation. Establish what that configuration adds to the actual task: a useful orientation, smaller workspace, longer path coverage, specific process equipment or a more familiar controller.
The source identifies YRC1000 for Yaskawa Motoman PL500. INFORM and MotoSim form the programming and simulation route described in the review. Compare the local team's ability to create, diagnose, back up and recover the finished application rather than judging software only by a short sales demonstration.
Precision and process quality
The two positioning references are ±0.08 mm and ±0.05 mm. These concern returning to a pose under stated conditions; they are not a finished-part tolerance guarantee. Absolute accuracy, path behavior, fixture stiffness, calibration, tool wear, thermal change and workpiece variation remain separate. Where a variant-specific precision value is not documented, obtain it for the quoted order code.
Measure stable completed pallets per hour, load margin and safe exchange downtime. For welding, inspect the accepted seam or spot result using a qualified process. For handling, count stable pickup and placement throughout the fixture range. For palletizing, test stack stability and top-layer clearance. A faster unloaded movement or one successful prepared sample does not establish sustained production quality.
Controller, interfaces and error recovery
ABB IRC5 or OmniCore and YRC1000 are the controller references for the reviewed configurations. Controller generation affects the program format, available interfaces and support plan. Confirm the actual pendant, network roles, protocol options, external-axis support and software licences; a capability mentioned in a brochure is not proof that it is enabled in the starting package.
Prepare an I/O and network schedule for the PLC, gripper, machine, process equipment, vision and protective devices. Specify acknowledgement timeouts, safe state and restart sequence. Demonstrate a lost grip, missing part, rejected result, interrupted machine cycle and communication loss. Retain editable programs, calibration files, controller backups and a recovery guide suitable for the intended operators.
Guarding, environment and installation
These are industrial robot applications. Design the complete safeguarding concept around the robot, tools, carried part, stored energy, machine and process hazards. Safe access, stopping behavior, interlocks, isolation and restart belong in the cell design. A newer controller or an additional axis does not make an industrial application suitable for unrestricted human access.
The arm protection references are IP67 for the reviewed ABB package and Confirm exact protection package for Yaskawa Motoman PL500. An unspecified value requires exact-package confirmation. Check the cabinet, tool, connectors and dress pack separately. Ingress protection alone does not approve every coolant, abrasive exposure, chemical or high-pressure cleaning method.
Obtain the installation mass and floor reactions for IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard; the alternative's review gives 2390 kg. Keep carried payload separate from installation mass and cabinet weight. Design the support, anchoring, lifting plan, cooling space and service route using the exact drawings. Shelf-mounted and very heavy arms can make structural work a significant part of total installed cost.
Starting price and installed-cost comparison
The numerical starting references are USD 160,000 and USD 125,000. The first is a family-level review reference; it is not assigned to the selected variant as a firm offer. New, legacy, refurbished and process-package quotations can have different scope and condition. Confirm the supplied revision, warranty, support, delivery and commissioning responsibilities before using either number in a payback calculation.
Request comparable bills of materials covering robot and controller, tool, fixtures, process utilities, sensing, safeguarding, machine interfaces, support structure, integration, simulation, commissioning and training. Include freight, tax and on-site work where applicable. Assign responsibility for faults spanning vendors. A lower arm price can be outweighed by an extra positioner, unsuitable fixture, structural change or software maintenance burden.
Decision gates for the actual cell
Gate | This pair | Evidence to require |
|---|---|---|
Process fit | Palletizing versus articulated handling | The real infeed, farthest pallet corner, top layer, full gripper load, pallet change and failed-release response. |
Configuration | IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard versus Yaskawa Motoman PL500 | Full order code and matched load drawing |
Load | 550 kg versus 500 kg | Tool, part, moments and inertia |
Workspace | 4,200 mm versus 3159 mm | All required orientations and a loaded path |
Quality | ±0.08 mm versus ±0.05 mm | Stable completed pallets per hour, load margin and safe exchange downtime. |
Installed value | USD 160,000 versus USD 125,000 | Aligned quotation, scope and support plan |
Begin with the actual process: palletizing versus articulated handling. Very heavy handling where the installed structure and loaded workspace are primary design constraints. Palletizing and pick-and-pack with 500 kg capacity and 3159 mm horizontal reach. Eliminate a candidate if it cannot meet the complete load, pose, quality or safeguarding requirement. If both pass, compare useful throughput, operator changeover and the maintenance burden of the supplied system. A different robot category can be appropriate only when the whole cell concept changes with it.
Give both suppliers the same tool CAD, part range, fixture model, target output and access pattern. Agree measurable pass criteria before the trial. Use representative variation and normal safety settings; include replenishment, rejects, process interruptions and recovery after power loss. Keep the tested configuration, program and acceptance record as part of the delivered system.
Complete product reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which should I choose: ABB IRB 8700 or Yaskawa Motoman PL500?
Yaskawa Motoman PL500 is a four-axis palletizer; the other candidate is a six-axis handling robot. A level-product pallet cycle and a part requiring roll or pitch are different tasks. The choice begins with required orientation and process equipment. Choose the complete proposal that passes the real load, process-quality, workspace and safeguarding requirements, then compare installed cost and the skills needed to maintain it.
Which ABB configuration is compared with Yaskawa Motoman PL500?
IRB 8700-550/4.20 standard is used as the worked configuration, with 550 kg and 4,200 mm. The standard 800 kg / 3,500 mm and 550 kg / 4,200 mm variants are distinct. LeanID reduces the corresponding payloads to 630 and 475 kg. Confirm the full order code and generation with the supplier.
What starting prices are used?
The linked review references are USD 160,000 for ABB IRB 8700 and USD 125,000 for Yaskawa Motoman PL500. The ABB value is a family starting reference, not a quote for every variant. Confirm the current supplied package, condition, controller, process equipment, safeguarding, delivery and integration scope.
Does payload include the tool?
Yes. Include the complete end effector, adapters, attached equipment and workpiece, then verify the permitted centre of gravity, wrist moments and inertia. The worked references are 550 kg and 500 kg. A part below the mass headline can still violate an eccentric-load or inertia limit.
Are the reach and axis counts directly interchangeable?
No. The comparison uses 4,200 mm with 6 axes and 3159 mm with 4 axes. Check tool offset, required orientation, joint limits, vertical or below-base access and the full loaded path. A four-axis or five-axis mechanism does not offer every six-axis orientation.
Does repeatability guarantee process quality?
No. The positioning references are ±0.08 mm and ±0.05 mm. Measure the finished result with representative fixtures, tooling and part variation. For this comparison, the process criterion is stable completed pallets per hour, load margin and safe exchange downtime.
What is the main limitation of Yaskawa Motoman PL500?
The four-axis PL mechanism is intended for level-product transfer, not arbitrary six-axis orientation. Measure the whole pallet pattern, infeed approach and tallest loaded layer. Yaskawa Motoman PL500 must carry the complete gripper and goods; stack stability, pallet exchange and a loss-of-grip response belong in the acceptance cycle.
What should be demonstrated before purchase?
The real infeed, farthest pallet corner, top layer, full gripper load, pallet change and failed-release response. Include machine or process interlocks, normal guarding, missed grip or rejected part, communication loss, changeover and safe restart. Retain the exact configuration, controller backup, program and agreed acceptance record from the trial.
