Baxter vs HCR-12
Side-by-side comparison of Baxter (Rethink Robotics) and HCR-12 (Hanwha Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. — Robotics Division) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Agriculture buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- BaxterUnited States
- HCR-12South Korea
Year First Available
- Baxter2012
- HCR-122016
Verified Deployments
- Baxter0 Deployments
- HCR-120 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Baxter$22,000
- HCR-12$22,000–$30,000
Availability Status
- BaxterACTIVE
- HCR-12ACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
IP Rating
- BaxterIP50
- HCR-12IP54
Payload
- Baxter2.2 kg
- HCR-1212 kg
Max TCP Speed
- Baxter1 m/s
- HCR-121 m/s
Reach
- Baxter1,210 mm
- HCR-121,300 mm
Degrees of Freedom
- Baxter7
- HCR-126
Repeatability
- Baxter±0.2 mm
- HCR-12±0.1 mm
Robot Weight
- Baxter75 kg
- HCR-1251 kg
Mounting Options
- Baxter—
- HCR-12floor, wall, ceiling
Safety
Safety Rating
- BaxterISO 10218-1 Cat 3 PLd
- HCR-12ISO/TS 15066
Force/Torque Sensing
- Baxternone
- HCR-12none
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- Baxter—
- HCR-120.5 hrs
No-Code Capable
- BaxterNo
- HCR-12—
Offline Programming
- BaxterNo
- HCR-12—
Programming Interface
- BaxterROS SDK
- HCR-12teach_pendant
Software & Connectivity
ROS Compatible
- BaxterYes
- HCR-12—
Fieldbus Protocols
- Baxter—
- HCR-12TCP/IP, Mobus TCP
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Baxter$22,000
- HCR-12$22,000–$30,000
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | South Korea |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2012 | 2016 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $22,000 | $22,000–$30,000 |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| IP Rating (priority for Agriculture buyers) (values differ) | IP50 | IP54 |
| Payload (priority for Agriculture buyers) (values differ) | 2.2 kg | 12 kg |
| Max TCP Speed (priority for Agriculture buyers) | 1 m/s | 1 m/s |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,210 mm | 1,300 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | 7 | 6 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.2 mm | ±0.1 mm |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 75 kg | 51 kg |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | — | floor, wall, ceiling |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating (values differ) | ISO 10218-1 Cat 3 PLd | ISO/TS 15066 |
| Force/Torque Sensing | none | none |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | — | 0.5 hrs |
| No-Code Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | ROS SDK | teach_pendant |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| ROS Compatible (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | — | TCP/IP, Mobus TCP |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $22,000 | $22,000–$30,000 |
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, Digital Twin Support, MTBF, Path Accuracy, CaaS / Month, Warranty, Lead Time
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Baxter and HCR-12?
Baxter is made by Rethink Robotics, based in US. HCR-12 is made by Hanwha Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. — Robotics Division, based in KR.
When were Baxter and HCR-12 launched?
Baxter launched in 2012. HCR-12 launched in 2016.
How do Baxter and HCR-12 compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Baxter scores 68/100. HCR-12 scores 29/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
How does the reach of Baxter compare to HCR-12?
Baxter has a reach of 1210 mm. HCR-12 has a reach of 1300 mm.
Are Baxter and HCR-12 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 Baxter and HCR-12?
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
About this comparison
Baxter vs HCR-12 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 Robolist Product Score is calculated.