ABB IRB-4600 vs KR 120 R3900-2 K C01
Side-by-side comparison of ABB IRB-4600 (ABB) and KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 (KUKA Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- ABB IRB-4600Switzerland
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01Germany
Year First Available
- ABB IRB-46002015
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Verified Deployments
- ABB IRB-46000 Deployments
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C010 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- ABB IRB-4600Contact for quote
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01$19,000 USD
Availability Status
- ABB IRB-4600ACTIVE
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01ACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Repeatability
- ABB IRB-4600±0.05 mm
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01±0.05 mm
IP Rating (Arm)
- ABB IRB-4600IP67
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01IP65
Reach
- ABB IRB-46002,550 mm
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C013,100 mm
Payload
- ABB IRB-460060 kg
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01120 kg
Degrees of Freedom
- ABB IRB-46006
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C016
Path Accuracy
- ABB IRB-4600±0.5 mm
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Robot Weight
- ABB IRB-4600235 kg
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C011,280 kg
IP Rating (Wrist)
- ABB IRB-4600IP67
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01IP65/IP67
Performance
Cycle Time (25/305/25)
- ABB IRB-46000.4 s
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
MTBF
- ABB IRB-4600100,000 hrs
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01400,000 hrs
Duty Cycle
- ABB IRB-4600continuous 24 7
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01continuous 24 7
Vibration Damping
- ABB IRB-4600active model based
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Safety
Safety Category
- ABB IRB-4600Cat.3 PLd
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Dual Check Safety
- ABB IRB-4600Yes
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Safety I/O Pairs
- ABB IRB-46008
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
E-Stop Response
- ABB IRB-460010 ms
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Safe Zone Count
- ABB IRB-46003
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Controller & Programming
Controller Model
- ABB IRB-4600OmniCore
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01KR C5; KR C4
Programming Languages
- ABB IRB-4600TP, KAREL
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01KRL
Teach Pendant Type
- ABB IRB-4600smart pad
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01smart pad
Offline Programming
- ABB IRB-4600ROBOGUIDE
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01KUKA.Sim
Digital Twin Support
- ABB IRB-4600Yes
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Connectivity
ROS-Industrial Support
- ABB IRB-4600vendor supported
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
IoT / Cloud Platform
- ABB IRB-4600FANUC ZDT
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01KUKA Connect
Cybersecurity Certs
- ABB IRB-4600IEC 62443 SL1
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Predictive Maintenance
- ABB IRB-4600threshold based
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- ABB IRB-4600ISO 9409-1
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01ISO 9409-1
Tool Changer (ISO)
- ABB IRB-4600ATI
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01none
Internal Cable Routing
- ABB IRB-4600through arm and wrist
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01through arm and wrist
Pneumatic Lines
- ABB IRB-46002
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Electrical Lines
- ABB IRB-460012
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- ABB IRB-4600Contact for quote
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01$19,000 USD
Warranty
- ABB IRB-46001 yrs
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Service Network
- ABB IRB-4600global
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01global
Spare Parts Lead Time
- ABB IRB-460014 days
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
Expected Service Life
- ABB IRB-460010 yrs
- KR 120 R3900-2 K C01—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | Germany |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2015 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | Contact for quote | $19,000 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Repeatability (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) | ±0.05 mm | ±0.05 mm |
| IP Rating (Arm) (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) (values differ) | IP67 | IP65 |
| Reach (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) (values differ) | 2,550 mm | 3,100 mm |
| Payload (values differ) | 60 kg | 120 kg |
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 | 6 |
| Path Accuracy (values differ) | ±0.5 mm | — |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 235 kg | 1,280 kg |
| IP Rating (Wrist) (values differ) | IP67 | IP65/IP67 |
| Performance | ||
| Cycle Time (25/305/25) (values differ) | 0.4 s | — |
| MTBF (values differ) | 100,000 hrs | 400,000 hrs |
| Duty Cycle | continuous 24 7 | continuous 24 7 |
| Vibration Damping (values differ) | active model based | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Category (values differ) | Cat.3 PLd | — |
| Dual Check Safety (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Safety I/O Pairs (values differ) | 8 | — |
| E-Stop Response (values differ) | 10 ms | — |
| Safe Zone Count (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Controller & Programming | ||
| Controller Model (values differ) | OmniCore | KR C5; KR C4 |
| Programming Languages (values differ) | TP, KAREL | KRL |
| Teach Pendant Type | smart pad | smart pad |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | ROBOGUIDE | KUKA.Sim |
| Digital Twin Support (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| ROS-Industrial Support (values differ) | vendor supported | — |
| IoT / Cloud Platform (values differ) | FANUC ZDT | KUKA Connect |
| Cybersecurity Certs (values differ) | IEC 62443 SL1 | — |
| Predictive Maintenance (values differ) | threshold based | — |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard | ISO 9409-1 | ISO 9409-1 |
| Tool Changer (ISO) (values differ) | ATI | none |
| 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) | Contact for quote | $19,000 USD |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 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, Communication Protocols
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-4600 | KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | $19,000 |
| Payback period | — | 4.6 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | $231,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | +1216% |
ABB IRB-4600 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-4600 and KR 120 R3900-2 K C01?
ABB IRB-4600 is made by ABB, based in CH. KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 is made by KUKA Robotics, based in DE.
How do ABB IRB-4600 and KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 compare on the Robo Score?
ABB IRB-4600 scores 72.8 on the Robo Score. KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 scores 60.6. The Robo Score is a 0–100 credibility figure blending commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
How does the reach of ABB IRB-4600 compare to KR 120 R3900-2 K C01?
ABB IRB-4600 has a reach of 1811 mm. KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 has a reach of 3100 mm.
Are ABB IRB-4600 and KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 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-4600 and KR 120 R3900-2 K C01?
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
Want to be notified when specs or pricing change for these robots? Drop your email.
Other comparisons
About this comparison
ABB IRB-4600 vs KR 120 R3900-2 K C01 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 Score is calculated.