Head to head
ABB IRB 1200 vs Yaskawa Motoman GP7
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
Compact arm tuned for small-parts and tending.
Compact fast robot for small parts assembly
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
The specs separate them here: the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 reaches farther, 927 mm to 703 mm. If precision drives the job, the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 holds the tighter repeatability at ±0.01 mm. They run different controllers, the ABB IRB 1200 on the IRC5 and the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 on the YRC1000, so whichever platform your team already programs and stocks parts for is a real tiebreaker. Mounting options differ: the ABB IRB 1200 lists Floor, Wall, Inverted, and Angle, and the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 lists Floor, Wall, Tilt, and Ceiling. Both are aimed at assembly, with the ABB IRB 1200 stretching to machine tending and material handling and the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 to small parts handling and dispensing.
Choose this one when
Job fit first, then the controller and cell constraints that decide which arm you can actually install.
Choose the ABB IRB 1200 when
- Compact working envelope
- Good for dense workcells
Watch for
- Base IP rating is low without the wash option
Choose the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 when
- High speed for light payload work
- Slim wrist for tight fixture access
- Washdown rated wrist for light fluids
- Compact footprint
Watch for
- Limited to light parts and tooling
- Reach is short compared to larger GP models
Controller ecosystem
Programming habits, spare parts, and pendant familiarity often decide the pick when payloads are close.
- Brand
- ABB
- Controller
- IRC5
- Class
- 6-axis industrial
Service, spares, and pendant training for the ABB IRB 1200 run through ABB's IRC5 stack.
- Brand
- Yaskawa
- Controller
- YRC1000
- Class
- 6-axis industrial
Service, spares, and pendant training for the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 run through Yaskawa's YRC1000 stack.
These arms run different controllers (IRC5 vs YRC1000). If your team already programs one of them, retraining programmers and stocking a second set of spares usually costs more than a small payload or reach advantage on paper.
Mounting, footprint, and mass
How the arm can be oriented in the cell, and how much mass you have to mount.
| Field | ABB IRB 1200 | Yaskawa Motoman GP7 |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor, Wall, Inverted, and Angle | Floor, Wall, Tilt, and Ceiling |
| Robot mass | 52 kg | 34 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP40 standard; IP67 / Foundry Plus 2 (IP66/67 base-to-wrist) option | IP67 |
Heavier arms want stiffer bases and more clearance around the swept volume, and they push freight and rigging costs up on the install. IP ratings only cover the section they name, so a wrist-only rating protects the wrist and nothing else; check the body rating separately before you commit the arm to a washdown or dusty cell.
Application fit
Where each arm is aimed, based on the applications listed on its robot page.
Both pages list assembly, with the differences below.
ABB IRB 1200 also covers
Yaskawa Motoman GP7 also covers
- small parts handling
- dispensing
- pick and place
Speed and cycle-time planning
Speed is rarely a single datasheet number across brands. Use payload, reach, and class as the planning frame, then confirm cycle time in a path study.
The ABB IRB 1200 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 7 kg at 703 mm with ±0.02 mm repeatability. The Yaskawa Motoman GP7 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 7 kg at 927 mm with ±0.01 mm. Class changes how speed shows up in a cell: collaborative arms slow down near people and can speed up in a guarded mode, while industrial arms run at rated speed inside a fence or scanner field. Which arm cycles faster on your part depends on the path, the payload, and the safeguarding, so confirm the takt with a path study before you quote it.
Common questions
- Which has more payload, the ABB IRB 1200 or the Yaskawa Motoman GP7?
- The ABB IRB 1200 and Yaskawa Motoman GP7 match at 7 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The Yaskawa Motoman GP7 has more reach at 927 mm versus 703 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- The Yaskawa Motoman GP7 holds tighter repeatability at ±0.01 mm.
- Should I choose the ABB IRB 1200 or the Yaskawa Motoman GP7?
- Match the pick to the job. The ABB IRB 1200 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 7 kg and 703 mm. The Yaskawa Motoman GP7 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 7 kg and 927 mm.
- Do the ABB IRB 1200 and Yaskawa Motoman GP7 use the same controller?
- No. The ABB IRB 1200 uses IRC5 and the Yaskawa Motoman GP7 uses YRC1000.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The ABB IRB 1200 is rated IP40 standard; IP67 / Foundry Plus 2 (IP66/67 base-to-wrist) option. The Yaskawa Motoman GP7 is rated IP67. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.