ABB IRB-2600 vs KR AGILUS ultra
Side-by-side comparison of ABB IRB-2600 (ABB) and KR AGILUS ultra (KUKA Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- ABB IRB-2600Switzerland
- KR AGILUS ultraGermany
Year First Available
- ABB IRB-26002015
- KR AGILUS ultra2026
Verified Deployments
- ABB IRB-26000 Deployments
- KR AGILUS ultra0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- ABB IRB-2600$11,000–$20,999 USD
- KR AGILUS ultraContact for quote
Availability Status
- ABB IRB-2600ACTIVE
- KR AGILUS ultraACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Robot Weight
- ABB IRB-2600235 kg
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Payload
- ABB IRB-260020 kg
- KR AGILUS ultra16 kg
Reach
- ABB IRB-26001,850 mm
- KR AGILUS ultra1,103 mm
Degrees of Freedom
- ABB IRB-26006
- KR AGILUS ultra6
Repeatability
- ABB IRB-2600±0.04 mm
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Path Accuracy
- ABB IRB-2600±0.5 mm
- KR AGILUS ultra—
IP Rating (Arm)
- ABB IRB-2600IP67
- KR AGILUS ultraIP67
IP Rating (Wrist)
- ABB IRB-2600IP67
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Performance
Cycle Time (25/305/25)
- ABB IRB-26000.4 s
- KR AGILUS ultra—
MTBF
- ABB IRB-2600100,000 hrs
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Duty Cycle
- ABB IRB-2600continuous 24 7
- KR AGILUS ultracontinuous 24 7
Vibration Damping
- ABB IRB-2600active model based
- KR AGILUS ultraactive model based
Safety
Safety Category
- ABB IRB-2600Cat.3 PLd
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Dual Check Safety
- ABB IRB-2600Yes
- KR AGILUS ultra—
E-Stop Response
- ABB IRB-260015 ms
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Safe Zone Count
- ABB IRB-26008
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Controller & Programming
Controller Model
- ABB IRB-2600OmniCore V250XT/V400XT or IRC5
- KR AGILUS ultraKR C5 micro
Programming Languages
- ABB IRB-2600KAREL, TP
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Teach Pendant Type
- ABB IRB-2600smart pad
- KR AGILUS ultraKUKA smartPLUG handheld controller
Offline Programming
- ABB IRB-2600ROBOGUIDE
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Connectivity
ROS-Industrial Support
- ABB IRB-2600vendor supported
- KR AGILUS ultra—
IoT / Cloud Platform
- ABB IRB-2600FANUC ZDT
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Predictive Maintenance
- ABB IRB-2600ml based
- KR AGILUS ultra—
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- ABB IRB-2600ISO 9409-1
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Internal Cable Routing
- ABB IRB-2600through arm and wrist
- KR AGILUS ultrathrough arm and wrist
Pneumatic Lines
- ABB IRB-26002
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Electrical Lines
- ABB IRB-260012
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- ABB IRB-2600$11,000–$20,999 USD
- KR AGILUS ultraContact for quote
Warranty
- ABB IRB-26003 yrs
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Service Network
- ABB IRB-2600global
- KR AGILUS ultraglobal
Spare Parts Lead Time
- ABB IRB-260014 days
- KR AGILUS ultra—
Expected Service Life
- ABB IRB-260010 yrs
- KR AGILUS ultra—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2015 | 2026 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $11,000–$20,999 USD | Contact for quote |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Robot Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 235 kg | — |
| Payload (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 20 kg | 16 kg |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,850 mm | 1,103 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 | 6 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.04 mm | — |
| Path Accuracy (values differ) | ±0.5 mm | — |
| IP Rating (Arm) | IP67 | IP67 |
| IP Rating (Wrist) (values differ) | IP67 | — |
| Performance | ||
| Cycle Time (25/305/25) (values differ) | 0.4 s | — |
| MTBF (values differ) | 100,000 hrs | — |
| Duty Cycle | continuous 24 7 | continuous 24 7 |
| Vibration Damping | active model based | active model based |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Category (values differ) | Cat.3 PLd | — |
| Dual Check Safety (values differ) | Yes | — |
| E-Stop Response (values differ) | 15 ms | — |
| Safe Zone Count (values differ) | 8 | — |
| Controller & Programming | ||
| Controller Model (values differ) | OmniCore V250XT/V400XT or IRC5 | KR C5 micro |
| Programming Languages (values differ) | KAREL, TP | — |
| Teach Pendant Type (values differ) | smart pad | KUKA smartPLUG handheld controller |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | ROBOGUIDE | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| ROS-Industrial Support (values differ) | vendor supported | — |
| IoT / Cloud Platform (values differ) | FANUC ZDT | — |
| Predictive Maintenance (values differ) | ml based | — |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | ISO 9409-1 | — |
| Internal Cable Routing | through arm and wrist | through arm and wrist |
| Pneumatic Lines (values differ) | 2 | — |
| Electrical Lines (values differ) | 12 | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $11,000–$20,999 USD | Contact for quote |
| Warranty (values differ) | 3 yrs | — |
| Service Network | global | global |
| Spare Parts Lead Time (values differ) | 14 days | — |
| Expected Service Life (values differ) | 10 yrs | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, Max TCP Speed, Safety I/O Pairs, Digital Twin Support, Communication Protocols, Cybersecurity Certs, Tool Changer (ISO)
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-2600 | KR AGILUS ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $16,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 3.8 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $234,001 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1463% | — |
KR AGILUS ultra 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-2600 and KR AGILUS ultra?
ABB IRB-2600 is made by ABB, based in CH. KR AGILUS ultra is made by KUKA Robotics, based in DE.
When were ABB IRB-2600 and KR AGILUS ultra launched?
ABB IRB-2600 launched in 2015. KR AGILUS ultra launched in 2026.
How do ABB IRB-2600 and KR AGILUS ultra compare on the Robo Index?
ABB IRB-2600 grades AAA on the Robo Index. KR AGILUS ultra grades AA. 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-2600 compare to KR AGILUS ultra?
ABB IRB-2600 has a reach of 1811 mm. KR AGILUS ultra has a reach of 1103 mm.
Are ABB IRB-2600 and KR AGILUS ultra 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-2600 and KR AGILUS ultra?
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-2600 vs KR AGILUS ultra 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.