A cobot palletizing robot is the cheapest way to automate end-of-line stacking, and for cases up to about 30 kg the realistic shortlist in 2026 is five arms in the 25 to 35 kg class: Universal Robots UR20 and UR30, FANUC CRX-30iA, Yaskawa HC30PL, Doosan P3020 and Techman TM25S/TM30S. Remember the payload must cover the case plus the gripper, which often weighs 3 to 5 kg. Most cobot palletizers place about 10 to 13 cases a minute, stack to about 2 m, and cost roughly $60,000 to $160,000 as a full cell.
Cobot palletizers compared
| Arm | Payload | Reach | What the maker publishes for palletizing |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR20 | 20 kg (25 kg extended) | 1,750 mm | Optional lifting column, UR+ palletizing kits |
| UR30 | 30 kg (35 kg extended) | 1,300 mm | Same kits; extended payload includes the gripper |
| FANUC CRX-30iA | 30 kg (40 kg wrist-down option) | 1,756–1,889 mm | High Inertia Mode for heavy cases |
| Yaskawa HC30PL | 30 kg | 1,700 mm horizontal, 3,400 mm vertical | Pallet Builder app on the Smart Pendant |
| Doosan P3020 | 30 kg including a 3–5 kg gripper | 2,030 mm | Stacks to 2 m on the standard base; 5-axis |
| Techman TM30S / TM25S | 30 / 25 kg | 1,702 / 1,902 mm | +5 kg mode after a risk assessment; optional 2D vision |
Sources: Universal Robots’ palletizing page and its 2024 payload update; FANUC’s CRX-30iA page (which lists both reach figures); Yaskawa’s HC30PL page; Doosan’s P3020 page; Techman’s TM25S/TM30S leaflet. All checked October 23, 2026.
Reading the numbers
Payload includes the gripper. A 30 kg arm with a 5 kg vacuum gripper handles 25 kg cases. Doosan states this directly for the P3020; for the others, subtract your gripper weight. Universal Robots raised the UR20 and UR30 ratings by 5 kg in its PolyScope 5.19 update in September 2024, with the higher figure counting the gripper.
Stack height depends on mounting. Doosan quotes 2 m on its standard base. Universal Robots offers a lifting column to stack higher. The Yaskawa HC30PL’s 3,400 mm vertical reach is the arm’s envelope, not a guaranteed stack height; ask for the stack height with your pallet and base.
Speed is quoted per cell, not per arm. Robotiq’s palletizing comparison chart lists 10 to 13 cycles a minute across its configurations and warns that payload, throughput and pallet height depend on the setup. Doosan says its PalletizHD+ package, launched at Automate 2026, reaches up to 11 boxes a minute and can pick several boxes at once.
What a cobot palletizing cell costs
Arm makers don’t publish prices, so the reference points come from integrators and package sellers. Standard Bots’ palletizing cost guide puts cobot systems at $60,000 to $160,000, against $175,000 to $500,000 or more for industrial-robot palletizers, with grippers at $2,000 to $20,000 and service at $3,000 to $7,000 a year. Treat these as a seller’s ranges. The arm itself is a minority of the cell: the gripper, base or column, pallet sensing, safety scanners, programming and conveyor interface make up the rest. Our cobot quote checklist lists the lines to compare between bids.
Do cobot palletizers need guarding?
Usually some. Robotiq’s palletizing safety sheet calls palletizing inherently hazardous because heavy cases move fast at head height. Most cells use area scanners that slow the robot when someone approaches and stop it when they get close, positioned according to ISO 13855. Under ISO/TS 15066 the allowed contact energy on a person’s head is very low, so a cobot carrying a 20 kg case can only run at full speed when nobody is in reach. Your risk assessment decides the final layout.
How to choose
- Weigh your heaviest case plus the gripper. Under 20 kg total, a UR20 or 20 kg-class arm works; 20 to 30 kg needs a 30 kg arm; above that, look at the CRX-30iA’s 40 kg wrist-down option or an industrial palletizer.
- Check stack height on your pallet. If you stack above about 2 m, budget for a lifting column or seventh axis.
- Count cases per minute at peak. Above about 12 a minute from one line, ask about multi-box grippers or a second arm. Our analysis of one robot serving two lines shows how to measure waiting before you decide.
- Plan pallet changes. Two pallet stations let the robot keep stacking while a forklift swaps the full pallet. If the cell moves between lines, see our note on re-referencing a mobile palletizer.
For full lineups, see our guides to Universal Robots, FANUC and Yaskawa, or the cobot companies comparison.
For heavier cases, bags or full layers, our industrial palletizing robot comparison covers four-axis arms from FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa and Kawasaki with payloads up to 800 kg.
Manufacturer pages, leaflets and integrator guides checked October 23, 2026.