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Universal Robots UR5e
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View manufacturer reference ↗Universal Robots UR5e vs Franka Research 3
Reach, rated payload, joint count and control access help define a shortlist. These arms serve different workflows; a collaborative-operation label does not establish the safety of an integrated application.
The published specifications
Compare the facts.
Read each number with its qualification. Sources are linked beside the exact claims they support.
Official product gallery
Franka Research 3
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View manufacturer reference ↗| Specification | Universal Robots UR5e | Franka Research 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Published payload | 5 kg[source] | 3 kg[source] |
| Published reach | 850 mm[source] | 855 mm[source] |
| Degrees of freedom | 6 rotating joints[source] | 7; torque sensing on all seven axes[source] |
| Published repeatability | Pose repeatability ±0.03 mm per ISO 9283[source] | Position repeatability < ±0.1 mm under the stated ISO 9283 workspace and pose conditions[source] |
| Arm mass | 20.7 kg[source] | About 18.3 kg[source] |
| Arm ingress rating | IP54[source] | IP40[source] |
| Programming / control | PolyScope 5 or PolyScope X on a 12-inch touchscreen; confirm the supplied software configuration[source] | Ethernet and 1 kHz Franka Control Interface (FCI)[source] |
Comparison limit: Pose repeatability and position repeatability under a defined workspace are not identical claims. Neither figure is absolute accuracy, cycle time or proof of a safe robot cell.
On smaller screens, swipe the table horizontally. Each model is a separate column.
Universal Robots UR5e
A six-joint arm with a touchscreen programming environment and industrial communication interfaces.
Confirm before specifying
- Delivered cell price, end effector and integration cost
- Actual cycle time for a proposed task
- Exact controller/software version in a supplier quote
Configuration & evidence notes
- These values are from the SW5.26 manual. Older manuals contain different physical and motion values.
- Repeatability is not absolute positioning accuracy; compare test conditions before treating different vendors' figures as equivalent.
Franka Research 3
A seven-axis research arm with joint torque sensing and a documented real-time control interface.
Confirm before specifying
- Delivered price and included software/end effector
- Application-specific safety validation
- Certification status beyond the cited datasheet
Configuration & evidence notes
- July 2026 datasheet version 2.6, arm v2.1/v2.2, control v5.1. Confirm the exact supplied hardware.
- The datasheet explicitly says the certification process is ongoing; do not present it as completed.
- Repeatability is specified for a 0.4 m cube and defined flange/elbow orientation, not every reachable pose.
What the comparison means
Choose the control workflow before comparing millimetres.
The UR5e offers a higher stated payload in this pair. Franka Research 3 adds a seventh axis and a documented 1 kHz interface for research. Their nearly equal reach figures do not describe the same usable workspace or integrated task.
Questions for the supplier
- Does payload include the gripper, tool, cabling and workpiece?
- Does the task require production programming or low-level research control?
- Who will validate the completed cell, tooling and operating conditions?
How to use this pair
- Include the tool, cabling and workpiece when assessing payload.
- Check reachable poses, collisions and joint limits against the actual task.
- Obtain an application-specific safety assessment; the cited Franka datasheet says certification is ongoing.
Trace the evidence
Sources for this comparison
Manufacturer claims are attributed. Publication dates are listed only where the source gives them.
- UR5E-MANUALUR5e technical specifications — SW5.26 manual ↗
Publisher: manufacturer · Published: Not stated · Version SW5.26 · Checked: 2026-10-28
- FR3-DATASHEETFranka Research 3 datasheet R02212, release 2.6 ↗
Publisher: manufacturer · Published: 2026-07 · Checked: 2026-10-28