ABB IRB 120 FlexMove vs KUKA KR 6 R1840-2
Side-by-side comparison of ABB IRB 120 FlexMove (ABB) and KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 (KUKA Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Warehousing & Logistics buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveSwitzerland
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2Germany
Year First Available
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove2018
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Verified Deployments
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove0 Deployments
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-20 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove$65,000 USD
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2Contact for quote
Availability Status
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveACTIVE
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2ACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Payload
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove12 kg
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Reach
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove900 mm
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Degrees of Freedom
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove6
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-26
Repeatability
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove±0.03 mm
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2±0.04 mm
Path Accuracy
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove±0.1 mm
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Robot Weight
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove35 kg
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
IP Rating (Arm)
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveIP54
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Performance
MTBF
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove50,000 hrs
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Duty Cycle
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove24 7 continuous
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Safety
Dual Check Safety
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveYes
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Safety I/O Pairs
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove2
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Controller & Programming
Controller Model
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveOmniCore™
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2KUKA KR C4 Controller
Programming Languages
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveRAPID
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Teach Pendant Type
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovewired touch
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Offline Programming
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveRobotStudio
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Digital Twin Support
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveYes
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Connectivity
IoT / Cloud Platform
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveABB Ability
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Predictive Maintenance
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovethreshold based
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveiso 9283
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Internal Cable Routing
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovethrough arm and wrist
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Pneumatic Lines
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove1
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove$65,000 USD
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2Contact for quote
Warranty
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove1 yrs
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
Service Network
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveglobal
- KUKA KR 6 R1840-2—
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2018 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $65,000 USD | Contact for quote |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Payload (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ) | 12 kg | — |
| Reach (values differ) | 900 mm | — |
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 | 6 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.03 mm | ±0.04 mm |
| Path Accuracy (values differ) | ±0.1 mm | — |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 35 kg | — |
| IP Rating (Arm) (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Performance | ||
| MTBF (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ) | 50,000 hrs | — |
| Duty Cycle (values differ) | 24 7 continuous | — |
| Safety | ||
| Dual Check Safety (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Safety I/O Pairs (values differ) | 2 | — |
| Controller & Programming | ||
| Controller Model (values differ) | OmniCore™ | KUKA KR C4 Controller |
| Programming Languages (values differ) | RAPID | — |
| Teach Pendant Type (values differ) | wired touch | — |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | RobotStudio | — |
| Digital Twin Support (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| IoT / Cloud Platform (values differ) | ABB Ability | — |
| Predictive Maintenance (values differ) | threshold based | — |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | iso 9283 | — |
| Internal Cable Routing (values differ) | through arm and wrist | — |
| Pneumatic Lines (values differ) | 1 | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $65,000 USD | Contact for quote |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Service Network (values differ) | global | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, Max TCP Speed, IP Rating (Wrist), Cycle Time (25/305/25), Vibration Damping, Safety Category, E-Stop Response, Safe Zone Count, Communication Protocols, ROS-Industrial Support, Cybersecurity Certs, Tool Changer (ISO), Electrical Lines, Spare Parts Lead Time, Expected Service Life
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | ABB IRB 120 FlexMove | KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $65,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 15.6 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $185,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +285% | — |
KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 has no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and KUKA KR 6 R1840-2?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove is made by ABB, based in CH. KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 is made by KUKA Robotics, based in DE.
How do ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 compare on the Robo Index?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove grades AA on the Robo Index. KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 grades A. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
How does the reach of ABB IRB 120 FlexMove compare to KUKA KR 6 R1840-2?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove has a reach of 580 mm. KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 has a reach of 1840 mm.
Are ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Industrial Arm on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Industrial Arm robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Industrial Arm TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: TCO of a 6-Axis Arm Cell: Hardware, EOAT, Integration, Programming.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and KUKA KR 6 R1840-2?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Industrial Arm Vendor Selection: Capability Matrices and Proof Points.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
TCO of a 6-Axis Arm Cell: Hardware, EOAT, Integration, Programming
7 min readIndustrial Arms
Industrial Arm Vendor Selection: Capability Matrices and Proof Points
9 min readIndustrial Arms
Programming Approaches: Teach Pendant, Offline, AI-Assisted — What Each Costs You
8 min readIndustrial Arms
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
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About this comparison
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove vs KUKA KR 6 R1840-2 compares two robots in the industrial-arm category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robo Index is calculated.