Industrial robot: when to install one, and when one operator on the line is enough
We bring in an industrial robot when the cycle is repetitive and the worker either gets tired or stands in a hazardous spot (welding arc, press, paint booth). A typical customer of ours this year: a furniture factory installing a 6-axis KUKA KR 6 R900 to sand cabinet doors, and a car service taking a FANUC ArcMate 100iD for muffler welding. If you make 50 parts per shift and three people handle it fine, payback runs 4-5 years and it is too early.
We keep four main brands in stock and on order: KUKA (Germany, 100 models), FANUC (Japan, 263 models, the widest catalog we ship), ABB (87 models, includes cobots), MOTOMAN/Yaskawa (247 models, heavy palletizers up to 45 kg). Payload from 3 kg (light pick-and-place) to 45 kg (palletizing flour sacks). Reach from 700 mm to 3.5 m.
First question we ask: what will it actually do
Welding: we ship a FANUC ArcMate 100iD or KUKA KR 6 R1820 arc HW. 6 axes, 0.02 mm repeatability, torch holder on axis 6. Palletizing: MOTOMAN MPL160 or MPL300, because you need 80-300 kg at the wrist and the lighter series will not carry it. Small-part assembly in electronics: ABB IRB 1100 or YuMi (dual-arm cobot), low footprint, works next to an operator without a fence. Painting: explosion-proof ABB IRB 5500 or FANUC P-50iB.
What else we ask before the quote. One: part weight with the gripper, because +20% safety margin is mandatory. Two: line takt time, that drives robot speed and axis count (4 vs 6). Three: where is the 380 V supply and do you have a compressor for the pneumatic gripper. Manufacturer warranty 1-2 years depending on brand, integrator commissioning takes 5-15 days. Delivery from our Kyiv warehouse; big models go by truck, lead time 7-14 days.
| Brand | Models | Payload | Axes | Specialization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KUKA | 100 | up to 10 kg | 4-7 | Welding, assembly, machining |
| FANUC | 263 | up to 3 kg | 6 | Precision positioning, arc welding |
| ABB | 87 | up to 5 kg | 6-7 | Collaborative robots, painting |
| MOTOMAN | 247 | up to 45 kg | 6 | Palletizing, heavy handling |
Industrial robot manufacturers
We offer industrial robots from four market leaders in industrial robotics:
- KUKA — German manufacturer, 100 models in stock. KR series for welding, palletizing, and machine tending. LBR iiwa collaborative robot for safe human-robot collaboration.
- FANUC — Japanese manufacturer, 263 models. ArcMate series for arc welding, R-2000 for heavy-duty operations, M-900 for large parts.
- ABB — Swedish-Swiss manufacturer, 87 models. YuMi IRB 14000 dual-arm collaborative robot, IRB series for industrial applications.
- MOTOMAN (Yaskawa) — Japanese manufacturer, 247 models. MH and HP series for high-payload manipulation up to 45 kg.
By application type
- Welding robots — for arc and spot welding
- Robot manipulators — for part handling and machine tending
Warranty and support
All industrial robots come with manufacturer warranty. Chastotnik provides technical support, assists with model selection for specific tasks, and offers consultation on integrating the robot into your production line. Delivery across Ukraine. Contact our managers for a commercial proposal.
