ABB IRB 120 FlexMove vs SCARA Robot AR Series
Side-by-side comparison of ABB IRB 120 FlexMove (ABB) and SCARA Robot AR Series (STEP Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveSwitzerland

- SCARA Robot AR SeriesChina

Year First Available
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove2018

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Verified Deployments
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove0 Deployments

- SCARA Robot AR Series0 Deployments

Layer 2: Operational
Price
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove$65,000 USD

- SCARA Robot AR SeriesContact for quote

Availability Status
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveACTIVE

- SCARA Robot AR SeriesACTIVE

Arm Mechanics
Payload
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove12 kg

- SCARA Robot AR Series20 kg

IP Rating (Arm)
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveIP54

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Reach
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove900 mm

- SCARA Robot AR Series1,000 mm

Degrees of Freedom
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove6

- SCARA Robot AR Series4

Repeatability
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove±0.03 mm

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Path Accuracy
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove±0.1 mm

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Robot Weight
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove35 kg

- SCARA Robot AR Series46.3 kg

Performance
MTBF
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove50,000 hrs

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Duty Cycle
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove24 7 continuous

- SCARA Robot AR Seriescontinuous 24 7

Vibration Damping
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove—

- SCARA Robot AR Seriesactive model based

Safety
Dual Check Safety
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveYes

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Safety I/O Pairs
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove2

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Controller & Programming
Controller Model
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveOmniCore™

- SCARA Robot AR SeriesIntegrated drive and controller

Programming Languages
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveRAPID

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Teach Pendant Type
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovewired touch

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Offline Programming
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveRobotStudio

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Digital Twin Support
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveYes

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Connectivity
IoT / Cloud Platform
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveABB Ability

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Predictive Maintenance
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovethreshold based

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveiso 9283

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Internal Cable Routing
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMovethrough arm and wrist

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Pneumatic Lines
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove1

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Commercial
Price (USD)
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove$65,000 USD

- SCARA Robot AR SeriesContact for quote

Warranty
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMove1 yrs

- SCARA Robot AR Series—

Service Network
- ABB IRB 120 FlexMoveglobal

- SCARA Robot AR Seriesglobal

![]() | ![]() | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | China |
| 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 Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 12 kg | 20 kg |
| IP Rating (Arm) (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Reach (values differ) | 900 mm | 1,000 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | 6 | 4 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.03 mm | — |
| Path Accuracy (values differ) | ±0.1 mm | — |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 35 kg | 46.3 kg |
| Performance | ||
| MTBF (values differ) | 50,000 hrs | — |
| Duty Cycle (values differ) | 24 7 continuous | continuous 24 7 |
| Vibration Damping (values differ) | — | active model based |
| Safety | ||
| Dual Check Safety (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Safety I/O Pairs (values differ) | 2 | — |
| Controller & Programming | ||
| Controller Model (values differ) | OmniCore™ | Integrated drive and 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 | global | 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), 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 | SCARA Robot AR Series |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $65,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 15.6 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $185,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +285% | — |
SCARA Robot AR Series 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 SCARA Robot AR Series?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove is made by ABB, based in CH. SCARA Robot AR Series is made by STEP Robotics, based in CN.
How do ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and SCARA Robot AR Series compare on the Robo Index?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove grades AA on the Robo Index. SCARA Robot AR Series grades BBB. 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 SCARA Robot AR Series?
ABB IRB 120 FlexMove has a reach of 580 mm. SCARA Robot AR Series has a reach of 1000 mm.
Are ABB IRB 120 FlexMove and SCARA Robot AR Series 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 SCARA Robot AR Series?
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 SCARA Robot AR Series 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.