Head to head
ABB IRB 6700 vs FANUC R-2000iC/165F
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
ABB's flagship heavy six-axis family.
The world's most common heavy-duty spot-welding arm.
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
On paper these two are close, 150 kg against 165 kg and 3200 mm against 2655 mm of reach, near enough that the spec sheet alone will not decide it. They run different controllers, the ABB IRB 6700 on the OmniCore / IRC5 and the FANUC R-2000iC/165F 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 6700 lists Floor, and the FANUC R-2000iC/165F lists Floor, Inverted, and Angle.
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 6700 when
- Long reach variants
- Strong service tooling
Watch for
- Large footprint
Choose the FANUC R-2000iC/165F when
- Enormous installed base
- Wide reach and payload envelope
Watch for
- Large footprint
- Needs substantial safeguarding
Controller ecosystem
Programming habits, spare parts, and pendant familiarity often decide the pick when payloads are close.
- Brand
- ABB
- Controller
- OmniCore / IRC5
- Class
- 6-axis industrial
Service, spares, and pendant training for the ABB IRB 6700 run through ABB's OmniCore / IRC5 stack.
- Brand
- FANUC
- Controller
- R-30iB Plus
- Class
- 6-axis industrial
Service, spares, and pendant training for the FANUC R-2000iC/165F run through FANUC's R-30iB Plus stack.
These arms run different controllers (OmniCore / 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 6700 | FANUC R-2000iC/165F |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor | Floor, Inverted, and Angle |
| Robot mass | 1,280 kg | 1,090 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP67 | IP67 wrist & J3 / 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 spot welding, material handling, and machine tending.
ABB IRB 6700 covers
FANUC R-2000iC/165F 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 6700 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 150 kg at 3200 mm with ±0.05 mm repeatability. The FANUC R-2000iC/165F is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 165 kg at 2655 mm with ±0.05 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 6700 or the FANUC R-2000iC/165F?
- The FANUC R-2000iC/165F has more payload at 165 kg versus 150 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The ABB IRB 6700 has more reach at 3200 mm versus 2655 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- Both are rated at ±0.05 mm repeatability.
- Should I choose the ABB IRB 6700 or the FANUC R-2000iC/165F?
- Match the pick to the job. The ABB IRB 6700 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 150 kg and 3200 mm. The FANUC R-2000iC/165F is a 6-axis industrial arm at 165 kg and 2655 mm.
- Do the ABB IRB 6700 and FANUC R-2000iC/165F use the same controller?
- No. The ABB IRB 6700 uses OmniCore / IRC5 and the FANUC R-2000iC/165F uses R-30iB Plus.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The ABB IRB 6700 is rated IP67. The FANUC R-2000iC/165F is rated IP67 wrist & J3 / IP54 body. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.