Sawyer vs TM12S
Side-by-side comparison of Sawyer (Rethink Robotics) and TM12S (Techman Robot Inc.) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Manufacturing buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- SawyerUnited States
- TM12STaiwan
Year First Available
- Sawyer2015
- TM12S2023
Verified Deployments
- Sawyer0 Deployments
- TM12S0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- Sawyer$34,900
- TM12SContact for quote
Availability Status
- SawyerACTIVE
- TM12SACTIVE
Arm Mechanics
Reach
- Sawyer1,260 mm
- TM12S1,300 mm
Repeatability
- Sawyer±0.01 mm
- TM12S±0.03 mm
Payload
- Sawyer4 kg
- TM12S12 kg
IP Rating
- SawyerIP54
- TM12S—
Degrees of Freedom
- Sawyer7
- TM12S6
Max TCP Speed
- Sawyer1.5 m/s
- TM12S4.7 m/s
Robot Weight
- Sawyer19 kg
- TM12S33.3 kg
Mounting Options
- Sawyerfloor, ceiling, wall
- TM12S—
Safety
Safety Rating
- SawyerCat3 PLd
- TM12SCat3 PLd
Force/Torque Sensing
- Sawyerjoint level all
- TM12Snone
TCP Speed (Collaborative)
- Sawyer0.5 m/s
- TM12S—
Power/Force Limiting
- Sawyer150 N
- TM12S—
Safety I/O Pairs
- Sawyer2
- TM12S—
Duty Cycle
- Sawyer24 7 continuous
- TM12S—
Ease of Use
Setup Time
- Sawyer2 hrs
- TM12S—
Time to Redeploy
- Sawyer10 min
- TM12S—
No-Code Capable
- SawyerYes
- TM12SYes
Offline Programming
- SawyerYes
- TM12SYes
Programming Interface
- Sawyerteach_pendant, drag_and_drop, code_python, code_ros
- TM12Sdrag_and_drop
End-Effector
Tool Flange Standard
- Sawyeriso 9283 compatible
- TM12S—
Tool Changer Support
- Sawyerautomatic
- TM12S—
Integrated F/T Sensor
- SawyerYes
- TM12S—
Wrist Power Supply
- Sawyer24V DC + 6 bar pneumatic
- TM12S—
Software & Connectivity
SDK Languages
- SawyerPython, C++, FANUC KAREL, .NET
- TM12SC#
ROS Compatible
- SawyerYes
- TM12S—
Fieldbus Protocols
- SawyerModbus TCP, TCP/IP
- TM12S—
Digital Twin Support
- SawyerYes
- TM12SYes
Reliability
MTBF
- Sawyer90,000 hrs
- TM12S—
Path Accuracy
- Sawyer±0.02 mm
- TM12S—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Sawyer$34,900
- TM12SContact for quote
Warranty
- Sawyer3 yrs
- TM12S—
Lead Time
- Sawyer6 wks
- TM12S—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | Taiwan |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2015 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $34,900 | Contact for quote |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Arm Mechanics | ||
| Reach (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | 1,260 mm | 1,300 mm |
| Repeatability (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | ±0.01 mm | ±0.03 mm |
| Payload (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | 4 kg | 12 kg |
| IP Rating (priority for Manufacturing buyers) (values differ) | IP54 | — |
| Degrees of Freedom (values differ) | 7 | 6 |
| Max TCP Speed (values differ) | 1.5 m/s | 4.7 m/s |
| Robot Weight (values differ) | 19 kg | 33.3 kg |
| Mounting Options (values differ) | floor, ceiling, wall | — |
| Safety | ||
| Safety Rating | Cat3 PLd | Cat3 PLd |
| Force/Torque Sensing (values differ) | joint level all | none |
| TCP Speed (Collaborative) (values differ) | 0.5 m/s | — |
| Power/Force Limiting (values differ) | 150 N | — |
| Safety I/O Pairs (values differ) | 2 | — |
| Duty Cycle (values differ) | 24 7 continuous | — |
| Ease of Use | ||
| Setup Time (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Time to Redeploy (values differ) | 10 min | — |
| No-Code Capable | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Programming (values differ) | Yes | Yes |
| Programming Interface (values differ) | teach_pendant, drag_and_drop, code_python, code_ros | drag_and_drop |
| End-Effector | ||
| Tool Flange Standard (values differ) | iso 9283 compatible | — |
| Tool Changer Support (values differ) | automatic | — |
| Integrated F/T Sensor (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Wrist Power Supply (values differ) | 24V DC + 6 bar pneumatic | — |
| Software & Connectivity | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python, C++, FANUC KAREL, .NET | C# |
| ROS Compatible (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fieldbus Protocols (values differ) | Modbus TCP, TCP/IP | — |
| Digital Twin Support (values differ) | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| MTBF (values differ) | 90,000 hrs | — |
| Path Accuracy (values differ) | ±0.02 mm | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $34,900 | Contact for quote |
| Warranty (values differ) | 3 yrs | — |
| Lead Time (values differ) | 6 wks | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Battery / Shift Runtime, CaaS / Month
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Sawyer and TM12S?
Sawyer is made by Rethink Robotics, based in US. TM12S is made by Techman Robot Inc., based in TW.
When were Sawyer and TM12S launched?
Sawyer launched in 2015. TM12S launched in 2023.
How do Sawyer and TM12S compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Sawyer scores 68/100. TM12S scores 46/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
How does the reach of Sawyer compare to TM12S?
Sawyer has a reach of 1260 mm. TM12S has a reach of 1300 mm.
Are Sawyer and TM12S 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 Sawyer and TM12S?
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
Sawyer vs TM12S 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.