Head to head
ABB IRB 1600 vs FANUC ARC Mate 100iD
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
Compact fast arm tuned for arc welding cells
Purpose-built arm for MIG and TIG welding cells
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
The ABB IRB 1600 is a 6-axis industrial arm and the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD is an arc welding arm, so this comes down to which job you are building the cell around rather than a spec-for-spec race. They run different controllers, the ABB IRB 1600 on the IRC5 and the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD on the R-30iB Plus, so whichever platform your team already programs and stocks parts for is a real tiebreaker. Mounting options differ: the ABB IRB 1600 lists Floor, Wall, Shelf, Tilted, and Inverted, and the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD lists Floor, Ceiling, and Angle. Both are aimed at arc welding and material handling, with the ABB IRB 1600 stretching to machine tending.
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 1600 when
- High acceleration for short-cycle welding
- Compact envelope for tight fixture layouts
- Reliable in multi-shift welding duty
- Strong integrator familiarity
Watch for
- Payload limits it to light tooling
- Reach is modest for large-part welding
Choose the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD when
- Hollow wrist keeps torch cables protected
- Slim arm accesses tight weld joints
- Integrated arc welding software package
- Fast point-to-point moves between welds
Watch for
- Payload is tuned for torches, not heavy tooling
- Best value realized with FANUC welding power source integration
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 1600 run through ABB's IRC5 stack.
- Brand
- FANUC
- Controller
- R-30iB Plus
- Class
- arc welding
Service, spares, and pendant training for the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD run through FANUC's R-30iB Plus stack.
These arms run different controllers (IRC5 vs R-30iB Plus). 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 1600 | FANUC ARC Mate 100iD |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor, Wall, Shelf, Tilted, and Inverted | Floor, Ceiling, and Angle |
| Robot mass | 250 kg | 145 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP54 body / IP67 wrist (sensitive parts); IP67 optional Foundry Plus 2 | IP67 wrist & J3 arm / IP54 body |
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 arc welding and material handling, with the differences below.
ABB IRB 1600 also covers
FANUC ARC Mate 100iD 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 1600 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 10 kg at 1450 mm with ±0.05 mm repeatability. The FANUC ARC Mate 100iD is a arc welding arm rated 12 kg at 1441 mm with ±0.02 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 1600 or the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD?
- The FANUC ARC Mate 100iD has more payload at 12 kg versus 10 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The ABB IRB 1600 has more reach at 1450 mm versus 1441 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- The FANUC ARC Mate 100iD holds tighter repeatability at ±0.02 mm.
- Should I choose the ABB IRB 1600 or the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD?
- Match the pick to the job. The ABB IRB 1600 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 10 kg and 1450 mm. The FANUC ARC Mate 100iD is a arc welding arm at 12 kg and 1441 mm.
- Do the ABB IRB 1600 and FANUC ARC Mate 100iD use the same controller?
- No. The ABB IRB 1600 uses IRC5 and the FANUC ARC Mate 100iD uses R-30iB Plus.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The ABB IRB 1600 is rated IP54 body / IP67 wrist (sensitive parts); IP67 optional Foundry Plus 2. The FANUC ARC Mate 100iD is rated IP67 wrist & J3 arm / IP54 body. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.