Choose GoFa when people work right next to the arm and parts are light: it carries 5 to 12 kg at up to 2.2 m/s and senses contact with torque sensors in all six joints. Choose PoWa when you need payload, reach or speed: ABB’s newer family covers 7 to 30 kg in six payload classes, reaches up to 1.96 m and moves at up to 5.8 m/s (PoWa 10 and 13) or 7.0 m/s (the heavier CRB 1920 models). ABB doesn’t publish prices for either.
GoFa vs PoWa at a glance
| GoFa (CRB 15000) | PoWa (CRB 1910 / CRB 1920) | |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 5–12 kg | 7–30 kg, six classes |
| Reach | up to 1.62 m | up to 1.96 m |
| Top speed | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 m/s (CRB 1910), 7.0 m/s (CRB 1920) |
| Repeatability | 0.02 mm | 0.03 mm (CRB 1920) |
| Protection | Not listed | IP67 (CRB 1920) |
| Built for | Close work beside people | Fast tending, palletizing, welding |
Sources: ABB’s GoFa CRB 15000 page, CRB 1910 page, CRB 1920 page and PoWa launch announcement, checked October 23, 2026.
The PoWa models
- CRB 1910: PoWa 10 (up to 11 kg, 1.52 m reach) and PoWa 13 (up to 14 kg, 1.34 m), both up to 5.8 m/s.
- CRB 1920: PoWa 16 (16 kg, 1.96 m), PoWa 20 (20 kg, 1.67 m) and PoWa 30 (30 kg, 1.35 m), up to 7.0 m/s, IP67.
ABB says the family has six payload classes from 7 kg; the five above are the ones with spec pages. Note that the model numbers are classes, not the maximum load: the PoWa 13 carries up to 14 kg. ABB targets PoWa at high-speed machine tending, palletizing, screwdriving and arc welding, and says a unit can be unboxed and running within an hour.
What GoFa does better
GoFa was designed for collaboration first. ABB’s page lists torque sensors on all six axes, power and force limiting, and SafeMove safety functions certified to PL d, Category 3. It runs on the compact OmniCore C30 controller and is programmed by hand guiding or ABB’s Wizard block programming, so operators without robot training can teach it. Its 0.02 mm repeatability, and an Ultra Accuracy option rated at 0.03 mm path accuracy, suit precise assembly and lab work.
Speed only counts when the risk assessment allows it
PoWa’s 5.8 to 7.0 m/s figures are top speeds. Under ISO/TS 15066, a cobot carrying a heavy part near a person has to slow down far below that, so PoWa reaches its rated speed mainly when no one is in reach, for example behind an area scanner that slows the arm when someone approaches. If your cell has a person loading parts every cycle, GoFa’s lower top speed may cost you little. Our cobot palletizer comparison covers how scanners are used.
How to choose
- Parts under 12 kg, people beside the robot all shift: GoFa.
- Parts over 12 kg, long reach, or palletizing: PoWa CRB 1920.
- Fast machine tending with mid-weight parts: PoWa CRB 1910.
- Precision assembly or lab automation: GoFa, or ABB’s two-armed YuMi for very small parts.
Both are quoted through ABB or its integrators, with the arm, OmniCore controller, software options and cell work on one quote; our cobot quote checklist shows what to compare. ABB’s robot business is being sold to SoftBank, with closing expected in the fourth quarter of 2026; see our ABB Robotics guide for what that means for buyers. For other brands, see the cobot companies comparison, and for a task-first selection method, our arm selection guide.
ABB product pages checked October 23, 2026.