Head to head
FANUC CRX-10iA vs Universal Robots UR5e
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
A cobot built to run four years without maintenance.
The cobot that defined the category.
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
The specs separate them here: the FANUC CRX-10iA carries more, 10 kg to the Universal Robots UR5e's 5 kg, and the FANUC CRX-10iA reaches farther, 1249 mm to 850 mm. If precision drives the job, the Universal Robots UR5e holds the tighter repeatability at ±0.03 mm. They run different controllers, the FANUC CRX-10iA on the R-30iB Mini Plus and the Universal Robots UR5e on the PolyScope, so whichever platform your team already programs and stocks parts for is a real tiebreaker. Mounting options differ: the FANUC CRX-10iA lists Floor, Inverted, and Angle, and the Universal Robots UR5e lists Any. Both are aimed at machine tending and assembly, with the FANUC CRX-10iA stretching to palletizing and the Universal Robots UR5e to quality inspection.
Choose this one when
Job fit first, then the controller and cell constraints that decide which arm you can actually install.
Choose the FANUC CRX-10iA when
- Fast setup with hand-guiding
- Low maintenance
- Light enough to move between cells
Watch for
- Collaborative speed limits throughput vs a caged robot
Choose the Universal Robots UR5e when
- Huge ecosystem of UR+ end-effectors
- Easy to program
- Built-in force sensing
Watch for
- Low payload
- IP54 limits wet environments
Controller ecosystem
Programming habits, spare parts, and pendant familiarity often decide the pick when payloads are close.
- Brand
- FANUC
- Controller
- R-30iB Mini Plus
- Class
- collaborative
Service, spares, and pendant training for the FANUC CRX-10iA run through FANUC's R-30iB Mini Plus stack.
- Brand
- Universal Robots
- Controller
- PolyScope
- Class
- collaborative
Service, spares, and pendant training for the Universal Robots UR5e run through Universal Robots's PolyScope stack.
These arms run different controllers (R-30iB Mini Plus vs PolyScope). 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 | FANUC CRX-10iA | Universal Robots UR5e |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor, Inverted, and Angle | Any |
| Robot mass | 40 kg | 20.6 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP67 | IP54 |
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 and assembly, with the differences below.
FANUC CRX-10iA also covers
Universal Robots UR5e also 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 FANUC CRX-10iA is a collaborative arm rated 10 kg at 1249 mm with ±0.04 mm repeatability. The Universal Robots UR5e is a collaborative arm rated 5 kg at 850 mm with ±0.03 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 FANUC CRX-10iA or the Universal Robots UR5e?
- The FANUC CRX-10iA has more payload at 10 kg versus 5 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The FANUC CRX-10iA has more reach at 1249 mm versus 850 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- The Universal Robots UR5e holds tighter repeatability at ±0.03 mm.
- Should I choose the FANUC CRX-10iA or the Universal Robots UR5e?
- Match the pick to the job. The FANUC CRX-10iA is a collaborative arm at 10 kg and 1249 mm. The Universal Robots UR5e is a collaborative arm at 5 kg and 850 mm.
- Do the FANUC CRX-10iA and Universal Robots UR5e use the same controller?
- No. The FANUC CRX-10iA uses R-30iB Mini Plus and the Universal Robots UR5e uses PolyScope.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The FANUC CRX-10iA is rated IP67. The Universal Robots UR5e is rated IP54. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.