IRX buyer resource
Used industrial robot buying checklist
Make the first enquiry specific enough for a dealer to answer. This checklist helps you compare what is known about each unit and what still needs verification before a purchase.
This is a sourcing aid, not a substitute for an inspection or an application-specific safety assessment.
1. The job and the exact unit
Write down the application and complete robot variant. Ask for the unit plate, serial identifier, location and current availability. A model specification describes a design; it does not describe the condition of a used unit.
2. Payload includes the tool
Record the heaviest part, gripper and any other carried equipment separately. Ask your integrator to check wrist moments, inertia and the required movement. A nominal payload match is only a first filter.
3. Reach means the whole movement
Provide pick and place points, obstacles, mounting orientation and the available space. Maximum catalogue reach does not prove the robot can follow the required path without a collision.
4. Controller and included equipment
Request the exact controller, teach pendant, cable set, software options and tool or process package. Record what is included, excluded and still unknown. Confirm any licence transfer or support conditions directly with the relevant provider.
5. Condition and evidence
Ask for service records, operating-hour information with its meaning explained, known faults and a recent powered test of the individual unit. A short motion video does not establish all-axis condition or readiness for your process.
6. Installation and the total scope
Separate the robot asking price from transport, rigging, guarding, tooling, programming and commissioning. Agree who will assess the application and confirm local requirements. Keep warranty scope and seller commitments in writing.
Copy this enquiry outline
Download the RFQ and offer-comparison worksheet to record each offer, its evidence, exclusions and unresolved costs. Keep unknown amounts separate from the known subtotal.
Leave an answer blank or write “unknown” when there is no evidence. Do not treat a missing field as a passed check. Ask the dealer to identify which answers describe the individual unit and which come from a model catalogue.
Compare evidence, not just prices
For each shortlisted unit, keep three columns: confirmed, does not meet the requirement, and needs confirmation. A cheaper arm without a compatible controller or documented package may require a very different project scope. Resolve critical unknowns before treating two offers as equivalent.
In the IRX demonstration, you can try a requirement and see how missing data affects the shortlist. The demo inventory is fictional and is not available stock.
Is nominal payload enough to choose a robot?
No. Include the workpiece, tool and other carried equipment, then check loading for the intended motion. The manufacturer tool KUKA Load uses mass, centre of mass and inertia for load analysis. A payload number alone cannot establish application suitability.
Does an IRX match mean the robot is ready to buy?
No. Read the matching rules and worked example to see how missing data and failed requirements affect the result. Confirm the complete application and quotation before purchase.