Payload

What is the maximum payload your application requires?

Include the tool (end-effector) weight plus the part weight at its heaviest.

Under 5 kg Light parts: electronics, small components, lab samples 5 -- 15 kg Mid-range: machined parts, food containers, most assembly tasks 15 -- 35 kg Heavy components: engine parts, castings, large panels Over 35 kg Very heavy: pallets, large castings, automotive body panels

Cycle Time

How important is maximum throughput?

This drives whether you need peak TCP speeds or can trade speed for flexibility.

Throughput-critical Every second counts; the robot sets line rate Balanced Speed matters but occasional rerouting is acceptable Flexibility-first Mix-model or frequent changeover; speed is secondary

Human Proximity

How close will people work to the robot?

This determines which ISO 10218-1 / ISO/TS 15066 operating modes apply.

Shared workspace with people Operators hand-feed parts or inspect parts next to the moving robot Fenced cell Full safety fencing; people only enter when robot is stopped Occasional human entry Operator enters during changeover or jam-clearing; not during normal cycles

Application

What is the primary application?

Pick the one that best describes the main robot task.

Assembly Joining parts, screwdriving, press-fitting Pick and place Moving parts from one location to another Machine tending Loading / unloading CNC, injection moulding, press Welding MIG, TIG, laser, or spot welding Palletizing / depalletizing Stacking or unstacking heavy boxes or trays Inspection / measurement Vision, gauging, scanning, quality checks

Budget

What is your approximate robot + integration budget?

Integration (tooling, programming, safety) typically runs 1x -- 3x the robot price.

Entry (< $80 k total) Tight budget; self-integration likely Mid ($80 k -- $200 k total) Room for a system integrator and moderate tooling High (> $200 k total) Full safety infrastructure, integration team, and spares budget

Safety Infrastructure

Are you willing to install safety fencing if needed?

Fencing unlocks full industrial robot speed and eliminates collaborative-mode speed limits.

Yes We can fence the cell; floor space and budget allow it No Open floor plan, lean shop, or regulatory restriction prevents fencing Unsure We have not done the site assessment yet

Speed-tax warning

You selected shared workspace with people and throughput-critical cycle time. Under ISO/TS 15066 power-and-force-limited (PFL) operation, collaborative robots must slow to hand-guiding speeds when a person enters the monitored zone -- typically a 40 -- 60% throughput reduction (worst case higher, depending on zone size and robot model). A fenced industrial robot or a hybrid Speed and Separation Monitoring (SSM) cell is often the more honest answer if line rate is non-negotiable. See: Granta Automation and EVS International (2026).

Recommendation

Why we recommend this

Example robots to evaluate