Head to head
ABB IRB 1200 vs Yaskawa Motoman GP8
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.
Nimble 8 kg arm with a fast wrist.
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
On paper these two are close, 7 kg against 8 kg and 703 mm against 727 mm of reach, near enough that the spec sheet alone will not decide it. They run different controllers, the ABB IRB 1200 on the IRC5 and the Yaskawa Motoman GP8 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 GP8 lists Floor, Wall, Tilt, and Ceiling.
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 GP8 when
- Fast
- Flexible mounting
Watch for
- Low payload
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 GP8 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 GP8 |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor, Wall, Inverted, and Angle | Floor, Wall, Tilt, and Ceiling |
| Robot mass | 52 kg | 32 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 machine tending, assembly, and material handling.
ABB IRB 1200 covers
Yaskawa Motoman GP8 covers
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 GP8 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 8 kg at 727 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 GP8?
- The Yaskawa Motoman GP8 has more payload at 8 kg versus 7 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The Yaskawa Motoman GP8 has more reach at 727 mm versus 703 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- The Yaskawa Motoman GP8 holds tighter repeatability at ±0.01 mm.
- Should I choose the ABB IRB 1200 or the Yaskawa Motoman GP8?
- 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 GP8 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 8 kg and 727 mm.
- Do the ABB IRB 1200 and Yaskawa Motoman GP8 use the same controller?
- No. The ABB IRB 1200 uses IRC5 and the Yaskawa Motoman GP8 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 GP8 is rated IP67. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.