Head to head
KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 vs Yaskawa Motoman SP210
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
Workhorse heavy robot for general industrial handling
Heavy duty spot welding robot for body shop lines
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
The KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 is a 6-axis industrial arm and the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 is a spot 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 KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 on the KR C4 and the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 on the YRC1000, so whichever platform your team already programs and stocks parts for is a real tiebreaker. They target different work: the KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 at palletizing and material handling, the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 at spot welding.
Choose this one when
Job fit first, then the controller and cell constraints that decide which arm you can actually install.
Choose the KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 when
- Well proven QUANTEC platform
- Flexible mounting including ceiling
- Strong payload to footprint ratio
- Broad tooling and integration support
Watch for
- Large swing radius needs cell space planning
- Heavier tooling reduces effective payload margin
Choose the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 when
- 210 kg payload carries heavy servo weld guns, transformers, and full dress packs.
- 2702 mm reach covers wide body-in-white fixtures from a single pedestal.
- 0.05 mm repeatability keeps weld tip location tight over long production runs.
- IP67 wrist plus IP54 body handles typical spot weld splatter and shop dust.
Watch for
- Floor mount only, no ceiling or shelf option, so cell layout must plan the pedestal from the start.
- Body rating is IP54, so heavy washdown or foundry-grade exposure is outside the intended envelope.
- 1080 kg arm mass drives base plate design and shipping and rigging plans.
Controller ecosystem
Programming habits, spare parts, and pendant familiarity often decide the pick when payloads are close.
- Brand
- KUKA
- Controller
- KR C4
- Class
- 6-axis industrial
Service, spares, and pendant training for the KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 run through KUKA's KR C4 stack.
- Brand
- Yaskawa
- Controller
- YRC1000
- Class
- spot welding
Service, spares, and pendant training for the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 run through Yaskawa's YRC1000 stack.
These arms run different controllers (KR C4 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 | KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 | Yaskawa Motoman SP210 |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor | Floor |
| Robot mass | 1,069 kg | 1,080 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP65 body / IP65 or IP67 in-line wrist | IP67 wrist / 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.
These two pages list different application sets, so start from the job you're quoting and use the specs as a filter after that.
KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 also covers
Yaskawa Motoman SP210 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 KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 is a 6-axis industrial arm rated 120 kg at 2701 mm with ±0.05 mm repeatability. The Yaskawa Motoman SP210 is a spot welding arm rated 210 kg at 2702 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 KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 or the Yaskawa Motoman SP210?
- The Yaskawa Motoman SP210 has more payload at 210 kg versus 120 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The Yaskawa Motoman SP210 has more reach at 2702 mm versus 2701 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- Both are rated at ±0.05 mm repeatability.
- Should I choose the KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 or the Yaskawa Motoman SP210?
- Match the pick to the job. The KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 is a 6-axis industrial arm at 120 kg and 2701 mm. The Yaskawa Motoman SP210 is a spot welding arm at 210 kg and 2702 mm.
- Do the KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 and Yaskawa Motoman SP210 use the same controller?
- No. The KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 uses KR C4 and the Yaskawa Motoman SP210 uses YRC1000.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The KUKA KR 120 R2700-2 is rated IP65 body / IP65 or IP67 in-line wrist. The Yaskawa Motoman SP210 is rated IP67 wrist / IP54 body. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.