Yaskawa Motoman GP4 vs DENSO VP-5243: Robot Comparison
Updated: 4 hours ago
IN A NUTSHELL
🔎 THE KEY DIFFERENCE Yaskawa Motoman GP4 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 5-axis mechanisms also offer different movement options. |
→ CONSIDER Yaskawa Motoman GP4 Consider it when additional load capacity and reach matter. This article compares 4 kg and a 550 mm stated reach; include the gripper and part in the load. |
→ CONSIDER DENSO VP-5243 Consider it when its stated load and reach already cover your task and its controls fit your equipment. This article compares 3 kg and a 430 mm stated reach; 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. |
Yaskawa Motoman GP4 vs DENSO VP-5243 is a choice about assembly and machine tending. Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and DENSO VP-5243 differ in their working envelope, loading assumptions and engineering ecosystem. A useful decision starts with the exact mechanism and process, then checks whether either robot can execute the required path with the real tool attached. This comparison separates documented specifications from application-level engineering judgments.
Yaskawa Motoman GP4 vs DENSO VP-5243: quick verdict
Shortlist Yaskawa Motoman GP4 for 4 kg industrial handling within the documented 550 mm working reference. Shortlist DENSO VP-5243 for light handling with a verified five-axis orientation sequence. Neither is a universal winner: a robot that can carry the load may still fail the fixture-access, controller or maintenance requirements.
The numerical comparison below uses Yaskawa Motoman GP4 against DENSO VP-5243. The stated model scope matters when comparing later revisions or differently equipped installations. Published repeatability describes return to a taught position under specified conditions; it does not establish complete-cell accuracy or prove a faster production cycle.
Specifications and exact configuration scope
Criterion | Yaskawa Motoman GP4 | DENSO VP-5243 |
|---|---|---|
Comparison configuration | Yaskawa Motoman GP4 | DENSO VP-5243 |
Payload used for comparison | 4 kg | 3 kg; wrist-orientation limits apply |
Reach / motion-area reference | 550 mm | 430 mm |
Axes | 6 | 5 |
Repeatability for this scope | ±0.01 mm | ±0.02 mm |
Controller reference | YRC1000 / YRC1000micro | Confirm offered DENSO controller |
Purchase-price basis | Configuration-specific quotation | Configuration-specific quotation |
Purchase pricing | From $13,000 (arm list price) | From $18,000 (arm list price) |
Read the reach row together with the geometric notes below. Manufacturers may specify an arm-link sum, a wrist-centre motion area or reach to the flange; those dimensions are not interchangeable. The table does not establish access to every point at every tool angle. Controller references identify reviewed packages, and actual compatibility must be confirmed by model, software version and region.
Yaskawa Motoman GP4: design and configuration
The Yaskawa Motoman GP4 uses 6 arm axes with 4 kg payload, 550 mm working reference and ±0.01 mm repeatability in the reviewed configuration. It is paired with YRC1000 / YRC1000micro. This is the named general-purpose GP handling configuration. Its rated load includes the end effector and carried component; wrist moment, inertia, mounting reactions and the full loaded path can constrain the application before nominal payload is reached. Match the offered YRC controller and process interfaces rather than transferring options from another GP model.
DENSO VP-5243: design and configuration
The DENSO VP-5243 is a very small 5-axis articulated robot with a 3 kg payload, a 430 mm reach and ±0.02 mm repeatability. It is built for light assembly, handling and inspection tasks where installation space is tight, and reaches a standard cycle time of 0.99 s. The payload is 2.5 kg when the wrist is tilted down by more than ±45°. The arm weighs about 13 kg.
For this pair, DENSO VP-5243 offers 3 kg over the stated 430 mm reference, compared with 4 kg and 550 mm for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 example. Yaskawa Motoman GP4 has the larger stated distance by 120 mm, but this difference is only a preliminary layout indicator because reference points and joint envelopes can differ. Locate the actual fixture in each manufacturer model before treating this as usable extra working space.
Payload, tooling and a worked load example
Consider an illustrative total wrist load of 2.4 kg: a 0.6 kg tool and adapter package carrying a 1.8 kg part or product group. This arithmetic leaves 1.6 kg below the Yaskawa Motoman GP4 example’s nominal limit and 0.6 kg below DENSO VP-5243’s nominal limit. These are mass differences, not safety factors or a validated load approval. A heavy camera, valve block or retained material must be included before recalculating the total.
The example exposes the practical question: is the application limited by mass, by tool offset or by wrist rotation? DENSO VP-5243 is the lower-or-equal nominal payload choice in this pair. Yaskawa Motoman GP4 offers more or equal headline mass capacity, but that alone cannot approve an eccentric fixture. Moving the same mass farther from the flange increases the moment, and spreading it increases rotational inertia. Manufacturer load diagrams and the actual centre of gravity govern the final allowable motion.
Model the empty, partly loaded and fully loaded tool states separately. A vacuum layer gripper, a weld torch with hoses or an inspection head may change its effective loading during the cycle. Set the controller’s load data for each supported state and validate the transition logic. A payload table cannot predict acceleration derating, cable pull or transient reactions at a machine interface.
Reach, orientation and fixture access
Build the same cell model for both candidates: base height, machine opening, fixture datum, maximum part size, tool extension and access for maintenance. Yaskawa Motoman GP4 provides a stated 550 mm reference, while DENSO VP-5243 provides 430 mm. Check the deepest production pose and the return path with the loaded tool. An arm that just touches the target at full extension may have little freedom left to turn, retract or avoid a door.
For assembly and machine tending, test the gripper jaws in their open and closed positions. Include feeder replenishment, rejected-part disposal and tool changes. Check wrist flips and singularity avoidance along the whole path. A compact robot can fit a small fixture well, while a longer arm can simplify station placement; neither geometric benefit can be assumed without the actual model.
Precision and throughput: compare the same task
The comparison uses ±0.01 mm for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and ±0.02 mm for DENSO VP-5243. These figures should be read in their documented configuration scope. Repeatability is not absolute accuracy, camera calibration accuracy or finished-part capability. Fixture variation, TCP calibration, thermal conditions and tool compliance can dominate the error at the process point, especially when the tool extends far from the flange.
Ask each integrator to execute the same representative path with the same payload model, tool length, process dwell and stop conditions. Report transfer time, settling time, process time and waiting time separately. Published standard cycles often use different loads and distances; dividing one catalogue cycle by another would not establish the production advantage of Yaskawa Motoman GP4 over DENSO VP-5243. Use a measured or validated application cycle before assigning a throughput benefit.
Programming, controls and production integration
Yaskawa Motoman GP4 is paired here with YRC1000 / YRC1000micro, while DENSO VP-5243 uses Confirm offered DENSO controller. Controller names identify the review baseline rather than a guarantee that all interface options are included. Compare the actual software revision, teaching workflow, diagnostic tools, fieldbus licences and recovery procedures. An existing trained team and reusable production code may outweigh a small dimensional advantage. Obtain a demonstration of the same machine handshake and interrupted-cycle recovery on both platforms.
Specify the PLC handshakes before ordering: cycle request, ready, busy, complete, fault, part present and recovery authorization. Define how an interrupted operation resumes without repeating a dangerous or quality-critical action. Vision, force sensing, fieldbus communication and external-axis coordination must be checked as explicit included or optional functions. An Ethernet connector does not by itself prove that a particular industrial protocol or software interface is licensed and supported.
Configuration and communication detail
Integration reference | Yaskawa Motoman GP4 | DENSO VP-5243 |
|---|---|---|
Control package | YRC1000 / YRC1000micro | Confirm offered DENSO controller |
Documented interface baseline | Specify required interfaces in the delivered package | Specify required interfaces in the delivered package |
Programming baseline | Named platform software and supported API; confirm supplied version | Named platform software and supported API; confirm supplied version |
Integration acceptance | Test the actual machine handshake and controlled recovery | Test the same handshake and controlled recovery |
Protection, installation and maintenance
Match the precise protection package to the process. Standard, protected, cleanroom, foundry and washing configurations can have different seals, services and maintenance requirements. Do not transfer the best optional IP or cleanroom rating to an unprotected base model. Check the controller location, cable bend radius, available lifting access and base reactions with the installer.
Treat safe operation as a property of the complete task and installation. Include the tool, sharp workpiece edges, trapping points, dropped loads and machine access. These robot systems require task-specific safeguarding; payload or compact size does not establish safe unguarded operation. Plan tool replacement and fault recovery without dismantling the whole installation, and include connector access, lubrication and spare-cable replacement in the maintenance layout.
Price and lifecycle value
Published arm list prices: Yaskawa Motoman GP4 is listed from $13,000 and DENSO VP-5243 is listed from $18,000. Request configuration-specific quotations for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and DENSO VP-5243. An arm-only number is not the price of a commissioned production cell. Ask for separate line items for controller, pendant, communication options, end effector, safety equipment, installation, acceptance, training and warranty. Price changes, regional support and included software can reverse an apparent hardware-cost advantage. Compare the same delivered scope before calculating payback.
Compare the installed production scope: tool, fixtures, sensing, guarding, machine interface, programming, acceptance and training. For small-parts automation, include feeders, vision calibration, nests and rejected-part handling. Keep purchase cost and recurring support costs separate. No payback figure is defensible until the actual cycle, yield, utilization and installation quotation are known.
Selection and acceptance plan
Decision gate | Yaskawa Motoman GP4 | DENSO VP-5243 |
|---|---|---|
Strongest documented fit | 4 kg industrial handling within the documented 550 mm working reference | light handling with a verified five-axis orientation sequence |
Main boundary | Tool mass, wrist moments and access constrain the headline specification. | Five axes and orientation-dependent payload restrict some tooling paths. |
Required approval | Exact Yaskawa Motoman variant, tool load and validated process path | Exact competitor revision, tool load and validated process path |
Acceptance evidence | Agreed parts, path, quality and recovery results | The same agreed parts, path, quality and recovery results |
Advance Yaskawa Motoman GP4 when 4 kg industrial handling within the documented 550 mm working reference solves the real constraint and its selected configuration passes the load and access checks. Advance DENSO VP-5243 when light handling with a verified five-axis orientation sequence provides the more suitable process arrangement. Reject either candidate if a mandatory pose, protection requirement or controller function cannot be demonstrated. A purchasing shortlist should preserve these conditions instead of converting a single catalogue advantage into a blanket recommendation.
Before acceptance, agree the representative parts, tool states, operating sequence and quality criteria with both suppliers. Demonstrate cold start, normal production, rejected parts, interrupted cycles and controlled recovery. Record the final tool data and software backup. This turns the comparison into a repeatable purchasing decision and helps prevent a later fixture change from invalidating the original robot selection.
Motion architecture and functionality
Yaskawa Motoman GP4 has 6 arm axes and DENSO VP-5243 has 5 arm axes. A five-axis arm cannot reproduce every six-axis wrist attitude; verify the required tool orientation along the entire approach and exit. Compare tool detection, sensing, machine I/O and recovery as separate delivered functions.
Industries and application fit
For Yaskawa Motoman GP4 vs DENSO VP-5243, use the actual part and process as the industry filter. Electronics, manufactured-component handling and machine tending are candidate uses when their tool mass, access and quality requirements fit the documented configurations. These are application-selection judgments, not claims that either exact model is installed at a named customer. A food, medical-device or clean-production application additionally requires the correct material, lubrication and protection package; the base model name does not establish hygienic or cleanroom compliance.
Selection issue | Yaskawa Motoman GP4 | DENSO VP-5243 |
|---|---|---|
Tool and workpiece mass | 4 kg named scope; include the complete tool | 3 kg named scope; include the complete tool |
Working reference | 550 mm | 430 mm |
Main configuration boundary | Tool mass, wrist moments and access constrain the headline specification. | Five axes and orientation-dependent payload restrict some tooling paths. |
Process approval | Demonstrate the actual loaded path and recovery | Demonstrate the same loaded path and recovery |
Frequently asked questions
Which robot is better for this application?
Yaskawa Motoman GP4 is the stronger starting point for 4 kg industrial handling within the documented 550 mm working reference, while DENSO VP-5243 is worth shortlisting for light handling with a verified five-axis orientation sequence. The final choice depends on the real loaded path, required protection, controls and acceptance results. Neither a higher payload nor a longer reach establishes a universal winner.
What payload should I use for the comparison?
Use 4 kg for the specified Yaskawa Motoman GP4 example and 3 kg for DENSO VP-5243, subject to all documented load and orientation conditions. Include the tool, adapters, sensors and carried part. Five axes and orientation-dependent payload restrict some tooling paths.
Does the stated reach guarantee access to my fixture?
No. The comparison gives 550 mm for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and 430 mm for DENSO VP-5243 using the stated model references. Joint limits, reach reference points, wrist orientation, tool length and collisions determine whether the actual fixture is accessible. Simulate the full approach and exit path.
Can I use the best specifications from every family variant?
No. Keep each named model and revision intact. A different arm length, controller generation or protection option can change the relevant specification. Do not combine one version’s maximum payload with another version’s maximum reach.
Is repeatability the same as finished-part accuracy?
No. The stated values are ±0.01 mm for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 scope and ±0.02 mm for the competitor scope. Finished-part results also depend on fixtures, TCP calibration, sensing, thermal conditions and tool compliance. Validate the actual process instead of treating catalogue repeatability as a complete accuracy guarantee.
How should purchase prices be compared?
Use current written quotations for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and DENSO VP-5243 with the same arm, controller, software, tooling and commissioning scope. This comparison does not represent an ATC sales offer or stock confirmation. Historical review figures are not a substitute for a configuration-specific purchase quotation.
Can these robots operate safely next to people without guarding?
These specifications do not establish a safe unguarded installation. Assess the complete task, tool, load and machine interface, then implement and validate the required safeguarding and operating procedures. Do not infer collaborative operation from a compact arm, limited payload or education setting.
What should an acceptance test compare?
Use the same parts, actual tool load, fixture locations, path and quality criteria for Yaskawa Motoman GP4 and DENSO VP-5243. Check production timing, settling, interruptions and recovery. Include the most difficult loaded approach and retreat. Approve the exact delivered configuration and preserve its final settings.
Related ATC reviews
Specifications describe the model scope identified above. Purchase pricing requires a current configuration-specific quotation. Confirm current manufacturer documentation, local supply, controller compatibility and the exact configuration before purchase.
