The short answer is that it depends.
What is the current task of the ABB/Kuka robot? The level of precision required in the application is an important factor. Often, the UR robot is not as precise as an ABB, Kuka, Fanuc, or Yaskawa/Motoman robot. However, the distinct disadvantage of the UR robot lies in its speed. Competitor robots are often able to move faster. There are several reasons for this, primarily due to the collaborative nature of the UR robot. Since the standards only allow for a limited amount of energy to be dissipated by a collaborative solution, the robot must move slower to stay below that threshold. However, UR robots still move relatively fast, with a maximum joint speed of 191 degrees/second for the UR5 and UR10, and a maximum speed of 363 degrees per second on the UR3 wrist. In comparison, a Fanuc LR Mate 200iD/7C, which is similar in size and payload to a UR5, has a maximum rotation speed of about 500 degrees per second. This is why traditional style robots can be much faster when installed behind a safety cage. Based on some testing I conducted to compare with a Kuka KR 6 R700 sixx, I found that the UR robot is actually similar in speed. According to Kuka's specification sheet, the robot should be able to complete 138 cycles per minute of a predetermined path, which involves lifting 25mm, moving over 305mm, and lowering 25mm with blends at each corner. In the simulator, the UR robot completed 144 cycles of the same movement.
Where I have found the UR robot to be superior to other 6-axis robots is in its range of motion. On all UR robots, every joint has a rotation range of +/- 360º, allowing the robots to work within a much larger workspace than their competitors. We have a robot that tends to 3 machines arranged in a U shape with an inbound and outbound conveyor. Depending on its position in the cell, the robot can actually access most of the equipment from two different directions, allowing for better path optimization. This is possible because the robot can fully rotate on the base by 720 degrees. This has enabled us to be faster in one installation than a similarly sized Epson S7 robot that was already operating in the cell, even though the S7 robot is slightly faster on paper.
The biggest advantage we see is obviously the safety aspect of the UR robot, even when it is operating within a safety zone. We have robots that are equipped with area safety scanners, pressure safety mats, and light curtains. The ability to slow down the robot when a human approaches and reduce the forces it can exert allows us to keep the cell running, even if at a very slow pace, when humans are nearby. We are able to do this because we know that if a human comes into contact with the robot, it will immediately stop and wait for the human to indicate when it can resume work.
In our opinion, we choose UR over other small robots on a daily basis. We do this for several reasons, including the speed at which we can deploy the robot and the user-friendly programming interface, which allows us to quickly put robots into production. The range of motion has enabled us to perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult, and the built-in collaborative safety features ensure that our installers and customers are safer when working around the robot.
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