MOTOMAN HC30PL vs myCobot 280
Side-by-side comparison of MOTOMAN HC30PL (Motoman) and myCobot 280 (Elephant Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, 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
- MOTOMAN HC30PLJapan

- myCobot 280China

Year First Available
- MOTOMAN HC30PL2019

- myCobot 2802020

Verified Deployments
- MOTOMAN HC30PL0 Deployments

- myCobot 2800 Deployments

Layer 2: Operational
Price
- MOTOMAN HC30PL$50,000–$70,000 USD

- myCobot 280$639–$849 USD

Availability Status
- MOTOMAN HC30PLACTIVE

- myCobot 280ACTIVE

Arm Mechanics
Robot Weight
- MOTOMAN HC30PL140 kg

- myCobot 2800.9 kg

Max TCP Speed
- MOTOMAN HC30PL3.1 m/s

- myCobot 280—

Payload
- MOTOMAN HC30PL5 kg

- myCobot 2800.3 kg

Reach
- MOTOMAN HC30PL1,300 mm

- myCobot 280280 mm

Degrees of Freedom
- MOTOMAN HC30PL6

- myCobot 2806

Repeatability
- MOTOMAN HC30PL±0.03 mm

- myCobot 280±0.5 mm

Mounting Options
- MOTOMAN HC30PLfloor, ceiling, wall

- myCobot 280—

IP Rating
- MOTOMAN HC30PLIP54

- myCobot 280—

Safety
Safety Rating
- MOTOMAN HC30PLISO/TS 15066

- myCobot 280—

Force/Torque Sensing
- MOTOMAN HC30PLnone

- myCobot 280none

Ease of Use
Setup Time
- MOTOMAN HC30PL1 hrs

- myCobot 280—

No-Code Capable
- MOTOMAN HC30PLYes

- myCobot 280Yes

Offline Programming
- MOTOMAN HC30PLYes

- myCobot 280Yes

Programming Interface
- MOTOMAN HC30PLAUBO SDK

- myCobot 280code_python, code_ros

End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- MOTOMAN HC30PLISO 9409-1-A50

- myCobot 280—

Software & Connectivity
SDK Languages
- MOTOMAN HC30PL—

- myCobot 280Python, JavaScript, C++, C#

ROS Compatible
- MOTOMAN HC30PLNo

- myCobot 280Yes

Fieldbus Protocols
- MOTOMAN HC30PLEtherCAT

- myCobot 280TCP/IP, MODBUS

Reliability
MTBF
- MOTOMAN HC30PL—

- myCobot 280500 hrs

Commercial
Price (USD)
- MOTOMAN HC30PL$50,000–$70,000 USD

- myCobot 280$639–$849 USD

Warranty
- MOTOMAN HC30PL2 yrs

- myCobot 280—

Lead Time
- MOTOMAN HC30PL4 wks

- myCobot 280—

![]() | ![]() | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Japan | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2019 | 2020 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $50,000–$70,000 USD | $639–$849 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Robot Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 140 kg | 0.9 kg |
| Max TCP Speed (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 3.1 m/s | — |
| Payload (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 5 kg | 0.3 kg |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,300 mm | 280 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 | 6 |
| Repeatability (values differ) | ±0.03 mm | ±0.5 mm |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | floor, ceiling, wall | — |
| IP Rating (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating (values differ) | ISO/TS 15066 | — |
| Force/Torque Sensing | none | none |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | 1 hrs | — |
| No-Code Capable | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Programming | Yes | Yes |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | AUBO SDK | code_python, code_ros |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | ISO 9409-1-A50 | — |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | — | Python, JavaScript, C++, C# |
| ROS Compatible (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | EtherCAT | TCP/IP, MODBUS |
| Reliability | ||
| MTBF (values differ) | — | 500 hrs |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $50,000–$70,000 USD | $639–$849 USD |
| Warranty (values differ) | 2 yrs | — |
| Lead Time (values differ) | 4 wks | — |
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 Changer Support, Integrated F/T Sensor, Wrist Power Supply, Digital Twin Support, Path Accuracy, CaaS / Month
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 | MOTOMAN HC30PL | myCobot 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $60,000 | $744 |
| Payback period | 14.4 mo | < 1 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $190,000 | $249,256 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +317% | +33505% |
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 MOTOMAN HC30PL and myCobot 280?
MOTOMAN HC30PL is made by Motoman, based in JP. myCobot 280 is made by Elephant Robotics, based in CN.
When were MOTOMAN HC30PL and myCobot 280 launched?
MOTOMAN HC30PL launched in 2019. myCobot 280 launched in 2020.
How do MOTOMAN HC30PL and myCobot 280 compare on the Robo Score?
MOTOMAN HC30PL scores 74.7 on the Robo Score. myCobot 280 scores 64.7. 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 MOTOMAN HC30PL compare to myCobot 280?
MOTOMAN HC30PL has a reach of 1700 mm. myCobot 280 has a reach of 280 mm.
Are MOTOMAN HC30PL and myCobot 280 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 MOTOMAN HC30PL and myCobot 280?
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
MOTOMAN HC30PL vs myCobot 280 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 Score is calculated.