Choosing between a traditional industrial robot arm and a collaborative robot system is not just about the arm itself. You have to decide whether you are buying a bare, high-payload machine that will live inside your existing automation setup, or a package that brings its own teaching pendant, controllers, cabling, stands, and tooling. That is the core decision in industrial robotics cobots, and the two listings here sit at opposite ends of it: a used FANUC M-16iB/20 arm sold alone, and a Universal Robots UR5 collaborative robot package that bundles two systems, listed for parts or not working.
Quick Verdict
If you already have a robot controller and want a heavy-lift arm, the FANUC M-16iB/20 is the more practical entry point. Its heavy payload gives you real material-handling muscle. If you want a collaborative-robot package with the teaching and support hardware included-and you are willing to bring untested, as-is equipment back to life-the Universal Robots UR5 package gets you closer to a working cell straight away.
At a Glance
| Feature | FANUC M-16iB/20 | Universal Robots UR5 Package |
|---|---|---|
| Listed price | USD 1,800.00 | USD 12,750.00 |
| Condition | Used | For parts or not working |
| Payload | 20 kg | 5 kg |
| Reach | Not listed | 850 mm |
| Model / date | M-16iB/20, A05B-1216-B202, 2005 | UR5, production date May 4, 2017 |
| Included hardware | Arm only | Two UR5 systems with controllers, teach pendants, tablet, cabling, mobile pedestals, safety scanner, and pneumatic tooling |
Where Each Product Wins
FANUC M-16iB/20 wins on raw payload and traditional industrial form. If your cell already has controls and you need an arm that can handle heavier parts, this 2005 unit gives you the muscle in a form that is straightforward to integrate. The trade-off is that you are starting with a bare arm.
Universal Robots UR5 package wins on completeness. Instead of sourcing controllers, teach pendants, pedestals, and tooling separately, this bundle gives you two systems plus the support hardware. If you want a collaborative setup with a safety scanner and mobile stands, this is the more ready-to-build option.
Product Notes
FANUC M-16iB/20 Industrial Robot Arm (A05B-1216-B202)
Serial R05476983, dated 2005, this used FANUC arm is configured as a robot arm only. The nameplate lists a 20 kg payload and six axes, with a weight of about 220 kg without the controller. It shows cosmetic wear, paint loss, and signs of prior industrial use, so appearances are not its strong suit. What makes it worth considering is that 20 kg payload in a familiar industrial form, especially for a shop that already has robot controls and wants to avoid paying for a full package. The limitation is just as concrete: it is sold as robot arm only, so you will need to source the control side before the arm can do any work.
Universal Robots UR5 Collaborative Robot Package
This package bundles two UR5 collaborative robot systems and the supporting gear, including controllers, teach pendants, a controller tablet, cabling, mobile steel pedestals, a safety scanner, and pneumatic end-of-arm case packer tooling. The reason to consider it is that it is designed as a package: you get the robot, the teaching devices, and the mobile stands together. The limiting factor is condition-the listing says "For parts or not working," and the units are untested since removal, so budget time for diagnostics and repairs before trusting either robot in production.
Final Choice by Use Case
Choose the FANUC M-16iB/20 if you need a high-payload arm and already own the controller, teach pendant, and cabling. It gets heavy parts into an existing automated line without the added hardware you don't need. Choose the Universal Robots UR5 package if you want a collaborative system with its own teaching and support hardware, need the 850 mm reach, and are prepared to repair or refurbish the system. The package gives you two robots on mobile pedestals, making it the better fit for a shop that wants to build out a cobot workcell without sourcing each component separately.
