MOTOMAN HC30PL vs Z-Arm
Side-by-side comparison of MOTOMAN HC30PL (Motoman) and Z-Arm (Shenzhen Guanhong Automation Co., Ltd.) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Warehousing & Logistics buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- MOTOMAN HC30PLJapan
- Z-ArmChina
Year First Available
- MOTOMAN HC30PL2019
- Z-Arm—
Verified Deployments
- MOTOMAN HC30PL0 Deployments
- Z-Arm0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- MOTOMAN HC30PL$50,000–$70,000 USD
- Z-Arm$5,999–$8,015 USD
Availability Status
- MOTOMAN HC30PLACTIVE
- Z-ArmACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Payload
- MOTOMAN HC30PL5 kg
- Z-Arm3 kg
Max TCP Speed
- MOTOMAN HC30PL3.1 m/s
- Z-Arm3 m/s
Reach
- MOTOMAN HC30PL1,300 mm
- Z-Arm240 mm
Degrees of Freedom
- MOTOMAN HC30PL6
- Z-Arm6
Repeatability
- MOTOMAN HC30PL±0.03 mm
- Z-Arm±0.03 mm
Robot Weight
- MOTOMAN HC30PL140 kg
- Z-Arm19 kg
Mounting Options
- MOTOMAN HC30PLfloor, ceiling, wall
- Z-Armfloor
IP Rating
- MOTOMAN HC30PLIP54
- Z-Arm—
Safety
Safety Rating
- MOTOMAN HC30PLISO/TS 15066
- Z-Armcollision detection
Force/Torque Sensing
- MOTOMAN HC30PLnone
- Z-Armnone
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- MOTOMAN HC30PL1 hrs
- Z-Arm—
No-Code Capable
- MOTOMAN HC30PLYes
- Z-ArmNo
Offline Programming
- MOTOMAN HC30PLYes
- Z-ArmNo
Programming Interface
- MOTOMAN HC30PLAUBO SDK
- Z-ArmSDK
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- MOTOMAN HC30PLISO 9409-1-A50
- Z-Arm—
Software & Connectivity
ROS Compatible
- MOTOMAN HC30PLNo
- Z-ArmNo
Fieldbus Protocols
- MOTOMAN HC30PLEtherCAT
- Z-ArmEthernet
Commercial
Price (USD)
- MOTOMAN HC30PL$50,000–$70,000 USD
- Z-Arm$5,999–$8,015 USD
Warranty
- MOTOMAN HC30PL2 yrs
- Z-Arm—
Lead Time
- MOTOMAN HC30PL4 wks
- Z-Arm—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Japan | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2019 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $50,000–$70,000 USD | $5,999–$8,015 USD |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Payload (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ) | 5 kg | 3 kg |
| Max TCP Speed (priority for Warehousing & Logistics buyers) (values differ) | 3.1 m/s | 3 m/s |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,300 mm | 240 mm |
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 | 6 |
| Repeatability | ±0.03 mm | ±0.03 mm |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 140 kg | 19 kg |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | floor, ceiling, wall | floor |
| IP Rating (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating (values differ) | ISO/TS 15066 | collision detection |
| Force/Torque Sensing | none | none |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | 1 hrs | — |
| No-Code Capable (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | AUBO SDK | SDK |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | ISO 9409-1-A50 | — |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| ROS Compatible | No | No |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | EtherCAT | Ethernet |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $50,000–$70,000 USD | $5,999–$8,015 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, SDK Languages, Digital Twin Support, MTBF, 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 | Z-Arm |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $60,000 | $7,007 |
| Payback period | 14.4 mo | 1.7 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $190,000 | $242,993 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +317% | +3468% |
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 Z-Arm?
MOTOMAN HC30PL is made by Motoman, based in JP. Z-Arm is made by Shenzhen Guanhong Automation Co., Ltd., based in CN.
How do MOTOMAN HC30PL and Z-Arm compare on the Robo Score?
MOTOMAN HC30PL scores 74.7 on the Robo Score. Z-Arm scores 64.4. 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 Z-Arm?
MOTOMAN HC30PL has a reach of 1700 mm. Z-Arm has a reach of 240 mm.
Are MOTOMAN HC30PL and Z-Arm 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 Z-Arm?
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 Z-Arm 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.