Aura vs Franka Production 3
Side-by-side comparison of Aura (Comau) and Franka Production 3 (Franka Robotics GmbH) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, 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
- AuraItaly
- Franka Production 3Germany
Year First Available
- Aura2016
- Franka Production 32016
Verified Deployments
- Aura0 Deployments
- Franka Production 30 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Aura$80,000 USD
- Franka Production 3$30,551 USD
Availability Status
- AuraACTIVE
- Franka Production 3ACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Repeatability
- Aura—
- Franka Production 3±0.1 mm
IP Rating
- Aura—
- Franka Production 3IP40
Reach
- Aura2,800 mm
- Franka Production 3855 mm
Payload
- Aura170 kg
- Franka Production 33 kg
Degrees of Freedom
- Aura6
- Franka Production 37
Max TCP Speed
- Aura—
- Franka Production 32 m/s
Robot Weight
- Aura—
- Franka Production 318 kg
Mounting Options
- Auraupside down
- Franka Production 3—
Safety
Safety Rating
- AuraISO/TS 15066
- Franka Production 3ISO/TS 15066
Force/Torque Sensing
- AuraYes
- Franka Production 3integrated wrist ft
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- Aura—
- Franka Production 30.5 hrs
No-Code Capable
- Aura—
- Franka Production 3Yes
Offline Programming
- Aura—
- Franka Production 3No
Programming Interface
- Aurano_code_gui
- Franka Production 3intuitive interfaces, no prior knowledge of programming necessary
Software & Connectivity
ROS Compatible
- Aura—
- Franka Production 3Yes
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Aura$80,000 USD
- Franka Production 3$30,551 USD
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Italy | Germany |
| Year First Available | 2016 | 2016 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $80,000 USD | $30,551 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Repeatability (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) (values differ) | — | ±0.1 mm |
| IP Rating (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) (values differ) | — | IP40 |
| Reach (priority for Healthcare & Hospitals buyers) (values differ) | 2,800 mm | 855 mm |
| Payload (values differ) | 170 kg | 3 kg |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | 6 | 7 |
| Max TCP Speed (values differ) | — | 2 m/s |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | — | 18 kg |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | upside down | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating | ISO/TS 15066 | ISO/TS 15066 |
| Force/Torque Sensing (values differ) | Yes | integrated wrist ft |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | — | 0.5 hrs |
| No-Code Capable (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | — | No |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | no_code_gui | intuitive interfaces, no prior knowledge of programming necessary |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| ROS Compatible (values differ) | — | Yes |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $80,000 USD | $30,551 USD |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, TCP Speed (Collaborative), Power/Force Limiting, Safety I/O Pairs, Duty Cycle, Time to Redeploy, Tool Flange Standard, Tool Changer Support, Integrated F/T Sensor, Wrist Power Supply, SDK Languages, Fieldbus Protocols, Digital Twin Support, MTBF, Path Accuracy, CaaS / Month, Warranty, Lead Time
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 | Aura | Franka Production 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $80,000 | $30,551 |
| Payback period | 19.2 mo | 7.3 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $170,000 | $219,449 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +213% | +718% |
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 Aura and Franka Production 3?
Aura is made by Comau, based in IT. Franka Production 3 is made by Franka Robotics GmbH, based in DE.
When were Aura and Franka Production 3 launched?
Aura launched in 2016. Franka Production 3 launched in 2016.
How much does Aura cost compared to Franka Production 3?
Aura is listed at $80,000. Franka Production 3 is listed at $30,551.
How do Aura and Franka Production 3 compare on the Robo Index?
Aura grades AAA on the Robo Index. Franka Production 3 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 Aura compare to Franka Production 3?
Aura has a reach of 2800 mm. Franka Production 3 has a reach of 855 mm.
Are Aura and Franka Production 3 in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Cobot on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Cobot robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Cobot TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Aura and Franka Production 3?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
Cobot TCO and Payback Math: Hardware, EOAT, and Zero-Fencing Savings
6 min readCollaborative Robots
Cobot Vendor Red Flags: Questions That Filter Out the Marketing
9 min readCollaborative Robots
Running a Cobot Pilot in a Manual Production Line
9 min readCollaborative Robots
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
Aura vs Franka Production 3 compares two robots in the cobot 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.