Yaskawa HC20DTP Review: Specs, Price & Uses

Yaskawa HC20DTP: Quick Buyer Verdict

The HC20DTP sits between a lightweight cobot and a conventional industrial robot. It combines collaborative torque sensing and hand-guided programming with a 140 kg industrial manipulator, 20 kg payload, 1,700 mm effective reach, IP67 protection and ±0.05 mm published repeatability.

That combination matters. Many cobots are easy to deploy but compromise on reach, environmental protection or payload. The HC20DTP is built more like an industrial robot that can also operate collaboratively.

Its biggest advantage is therefore not simply that people can push it by hand. It is that a manufacturer can use collaborative operation where human proximity is useful, then design other parts of the process around higher-performance industrial operation when the risk assessment permits it.

Pros

• 20 kg maximum payload.
• 1,700 mm effective reach and 1,900 mm absolute working range.
• ±0.05 mm published repeatability.
• IP67-rated manipulator.
• Food-grade grease and easy-to-clean external design.
• Torque sensing integrated into all six joints.
• Direct hand-guided teaching using wrist-mounted buttons.
• Smart Pendant or conventional Yaskawa teach pendant programming.
• Can combine collaborative and industrial-style operating modes within a properly designed system.
• Internal routing for air, Ethernet and I/O reduces external dress-pack complexity.
• Compatible with YRC1000 and YRC1000micro controller platforms.
• Strong fit for palletizing, machine tending, material handling and welding.
• Access to Yaskawa’s established automation, support and integrator ecosystem.

Cons

• The 140 kg manipulator is far heavier than several competing 20 kg cobots.
• 20 kg payload includes the loading demands placed on the wrist; heavy tooling reduces usable workpiece capacity.
• No current public list price makes preliminary cost comparison harder.
• Collaborative operation still requires a task-specific risk assessment.
• IP67 does not automatically make the complete robot cell hygienic or suitable for every washdown process.
• High-speed or non-collaborative operation can require additional safeguarding.
• The newer Yaskawa HC35 significantly exceeds the HC20DTP in payload and reach.
• Its size and mass make frequent redeployment less convenient than with lightweight cobots.

Our recommendation: shortlist the HC20DTP when your application genuinely needs approximately 20 kg capacity, long reach, strong environmental protection and Yaskawa’s industrial control ecosystem. For a new 2026 palletizing or heavy-handling project, obtain an HC20DTP quote and an HC35 proposal at the same time before deciding.

If you are comparing the category first, explore current collaborative robots, industrial robots and the Anton Robots comparison tool.

How Much Does the Yaskawa HC20DTP Cost in 2026?

Yaskawa does not publish a current public list price for the HC20DTP. The robot is sold through Yaskawa and its regional sales and integration network on a quotation basis.

This is important because an HC20DTP project is rarely just the manipulator.

A commercial installation may include:

Do not compare robot-arm prices with complete-cell prices

One supplier may quote only the HC20DTP, controller and pendant. Another may quote a ready-to-run palletizing or welding cell.

Those prices are not comparable.

Ask for two figures:

1. Robot-system price: manipulator, controller, pendant, required software, cables and basic accessories.
2. Complete deployed-cell price: everything required to achieve the defined production task, including tooling, safety, fixtures, programming, installation, training and acceptance testing.

If you are still establishing budget, see the Anton Robots cobot price guide before requesting quotations.

What Is the Yaskawa HC20DTP?

The Yaskawa Motoman HC20DTP is a six-axis human-collaborative industrial robot designed for applications that require substantially more reach and payload than a small cobot.

Its published maximum payload is 20 kg. Yaskawa distinguishes between:

• 1,900 mm absolute reach: measured from the S/L-axis centre of rotation to the R/T-axis centre of rotation.
• 1,700 mm effective reach: measured to the robot’s working Point P.

That distinction explains why different websites sometimes describe the HC20DTP as a 1,700 mm robot and others as a 1,900 mm robot. Both figures appear in Yaskawa’s own documentation but describe different reference points.

The manipulator weighs approximately 140 kg and uses torque sensors in all six joints to support collaborative functions including Power and Force Limiting.

What does DTP mean?

The DTP generation was introduced around Yaskawa’s Direct Teach, Plug and Play concept.

The practical idea is simple: rather than requiring every position to be jogged from a conventional pendant, an operator can physically guide the robot and use buttons near the wrist to record positions.

The HC20DTP also incorporates updated through-arm utilities and an industry-standard tool interface intended to simplify integration with compatible end-of-arm equipment.

What the HC20DTP is

• A high-payload collaborative robot.
• An industrial automation platform with six torque-sensed joints.
• A machine that supports direct hand-guided teaching.
• A robot capable of operating within collaborative applications when correctly configured and risk assessed.
• A flexible platform for palletizing, handling, machine tending and welding.
• An IP67-rated manipulator for harsher industrial environments.
• A member of Yaskawa’s broader industrial robot and controller ecosystem.

What the HC20DTP is not

• It is not automatically safe simply because it is marketed as a cobot.
• It does not eliminate the requirement for a robot-system risk assessment.
• It is not guaranteed to run every process without guarding.
• It is not a lightweight desktop cobot.
• It is not a complete palletizing, welding or machine-tending system by itself.
• It is not automatically hygienic simply because it is IP67 and uses food-grade grease.
• It does not provide 20 kg of workpiece capacity regardless of tooling and wrist loading.
• It is no longer Yaskawa’s highest-payload collaborative robot.

For other robots from the manufacturer, see the Yaskawa robot range at Anton Robots.

Yaskawa HC20DTP Specifications

The following values reflect Yaskawa’s current product information and technical datasheet.

Joint ranges and maximum speeds

Wrist moment and inertia limits

Payload alone does not determine whether an end effector is suitable.

Yaskawa publishes the following wrist limits:

A nominally 20 kg load can therefore still be unsuitable if its centre of gravity or inertia exceeds the permitted wrist envelope.

Buyer rule: send the integrator the mass, centre of gravity and inertia of the complete end-of-arm system—not just the workpiece weight.

Payload, Reach and Working Envelope

The HC20DTP’s 20 kg payload and long working envelope are the main reasons to choose it over a smaller collaborative robot.

How much can the HC20DTP actually lift?

Yaskawa specifies a maximum payload of 20 kg.

That number should not automatically be interpreted as “20 kg workpiece plus any gripper you want.”

The complete wrist load must remain inside Yaskawa’s payload, moment and inertia limits. A heavy vacuum frame, welding torch, tool changer or large mechanical gripper consumes part of the available capacity and changes the load’s centre of gravity.

For example, a palletizing project should calculate:

• Workpiece or case mass.
• Gripper mass.
• Vacuum generator or valve equipment.
• Tool changer, if fitted.
• Hoses and wrist-mounted accessories.
• Load centre of gravity.
• Dynamic moment and inertia.

Do not select a 20 kg robot for a 20 kg product without completing this calculation.

Why does Yaskawa publish both 1,700 mm and 1,900 mm?

The two reach figures describe different points in the robot geometry.

Yaskawa publishes:

• 1,900 mm absolute reach to the R/T-axis centre.
• 1,700 mm effective reach to Point P.

For most preliminary application comparisons, the 1,700 mm effective value is the safer number to use.

For cell design, use Yaskawa’s complete working-envelope drawing and simulate the actual tool geometry.

Reach is not the same as usable process space

A robot can theoretically reach a point without being able to perform the required process there.

Usable workspace depends on:

• Required tool orientation.
• Robot mounting height.
• Joint limits.
• Singularities.
• Workpiece geometry.
• Safety zones.
• Gripper length.
• Nearby equipment.
• Required approach and escape paths.

For palletizing, machine tending and welding, run a proper reach study before ordering the robot.

Programming, Direct Teaching and the Smart Pendant

Programming is one of the HC20DTP’s strongest features.

It supports three useful approaches:

1. Hand-guided Direct Teach.
2. Yaskawa Smart Pendant.
3. Traditional Yaskawa teach-pendant programming.

Direct Teach

The HC20DTP has buttons near the wrist that allow the user to physically guide the robot and register positions without repeatedly returning to the pendant.

For straightforward handling or process paths, this can reduce teaching time significantly.

Typical workflow:

1. Enable the appropriate hand-guiding mode.
2. Hold the Direct Teach control.
3. Move the robot physically to the required pose.
4. Record the point.
5. Repeat for the required sequence.
6. Add process logic, I/O and safety behaviour.
7. Validate the complete program at controlled speed.

Hand guiding makes position teaching easier. It does not remove the need to understand robot logic, payload configuration, I/O, safety and process behaviour.

Smart Pendant

Yaskawa’s Smart Pendant uses a touchscreen-oriented interface designed to lower the barrier for less experienced users.

It is particularly attractive for:

• Simple pick-and-place.
• Machine loading.
• Palletizing.
• Basic handling.
• Application-wizard workflows.
• Teams transitioning from manual production to robotics.

Standard teach pendant

For advanced applications, the traditional Yaskawa programming environment remains important.

Experienced integrators may prefer it for:

• Complex program structures.
• Advanced motion control.
• Larger robot cells.
• Extensive I/O.
• Production-line integration.
• Custom recovery logic.
• Existing Yaskawa facilities with trained personnel.

Simulation

Yaskawa also lists MotoSim EG-VRC as part of the supporting ecosystem.

Offline simulation can be valuable for checking reach, cycle structure and collisions before the physical cell is commissioned.

It should not replace real acceptance testing. Tool deflection, part variation, fixture tolerances, safety behaviour and actual process conditions still need to be validated on the installed machine.

HC20DTP Safety: Collaborative Does Not Mean Automatically Fence-Free

This is the most important section of the review.

The HC20DTP is designed to support collaborative applications, but a collaborative robot is not the same thing as an automatically safe collaborative application.

The robot, tool, workpiece, process, surrounding equipment, speed and possible human contact all affect risk.

Six integrated torque sensors

The HC20DTP monitors joint torque and uses this information as part of its Power and Force Limiting system.

Yaskawa’s current documentation explains that the HC Series can operate with PFL enabled or disabled.

When PFL is enabled:

• Robot speed is constrained by configured safety limits.
• An external-force limit must be configured.
• The torque-sensing system monitors unexpected force.
• If the configured external-force threshold is exceeded, the robot can execute its clamping-escape behaviour and stop.

This is useful safety functionality. It is not permission to ignore the rest of the machine.

Escape from clamping and pushback

Yaskawa provides functions intended to reduce risk if the robot traps or contacts an operator.

Its documentation describes:

• Escape from Clamping: the robot can move back along the programmed path after detecting excessive force.
• Pushback: in appropriate configurations, an operator can physically push the robot away.

These features are valuable, but correct thresholds and system configuration depend on the application.

Hybrid operation is one of the HC20DTP’s biggest advantages

The HC20DTP can be used as more than a permanently slow collaborative arm.

Yaskawa describes mixed or hybrid operation in which the system can transition between safety-monitored collaborative behaviour and higher-performance operation.

A typical concept might use:

• Higher-speed operation when no person is in the defined area.
• Reduced or collaborative operation when a person enters a monitored zone.
• A stop condition for another higher-risk zone.

External safety scanners or other protective devices can form part of this architecture.

The result can provide better productivity than designing the entire process around one conservative speed.

PL d Category 3 safety architecture

Yaskawa’s HC20DTP technical material states PL d, Category 3 certification and lists 25 safety-related hardware and software functions.

Those functions still have to be incorporated correctly into the final machine.

Current standards in 2026

For new projects, integrators should review the standards and regulations applicable in the installation country.

Relevant international references include:

• ISO 10218-1:2025 — Safety requirements for industrial robots.
• ISO 10218-2:2025 — Safety requirements for industrial robot applications and robot cells.
• ISO/TS 15066:2016 — Collaborative robots, which remains published while its replacement work is under development.

Why the tool matters as much as the robot

A soft rounded gripper holding a lightweight carton creates a very different risk from:

• A welding torch.
• A sharp metal component.
• A heavy casting.
• A screwdriver.
• A grinding tool.
• A vacuum frame carrying a large box.

The fact that the robot can detect force does not make the attached process safe.

Buyer rule: never accept “it’s a cobot, so it doesn’t need guarding” as the entire safety justification.

Controllers, Tooling and Integration

The HC20DTP is designed for industrial integration rather than as an isolated robot arm.

YRC1000 and YRC1000micro

Yaskawa lists the HC20DTP with both the YRC1000 and YRC1000micro controller families.

The correct controller depends on system requirements, region and application architecture.

Before ordering, confirm:

• Exact controller model.
• Input voltage.
• Required fieldbus.
• I/O count.
• Safety hardware.
• Pendant type.
• Installed application software.
• External-axis requirements.
• Plant communication standards.

Through-arm utilities

One of the HC20DTP’s practical integration advantages is internal routing for tooling utilities.

Yaskawa describes updated through-arm provisions for:

• Air.
• Ethernet.
• I/O.

This can reduce the amount of external cable dressing around the robot.

That matters in collaborative cells because loose external hoses and cable bundles can:

• Create snagging points.
• Restrict motion.
• Interfere with people.
• Increase maintenance.
• Complicate cleaning.

Tool flange

The HC20DTP uses an ISO-standard tool-flange arrangement intended to simplify compatibility with industrial end effectors.

Buyers should still verify the mechanical pattern, electrical interface and utility requirements of the exact gripper or tool.

Robot ecosystem

Yaskawa and its integration partners support equipment for:

• Gripping.
• Vacuum handling.
• Vision.
• Safety.
• Welding.
• Palletizing.
• Machine tending.
• PLC integration.

A mature ecosystem matters because the robot arm is only one component of a production system.

IP67, Food-Grade Grease and Environmental Protection

Environmental protection is one of the strongest reasons to shortlist the HC20DTP.

Yaskawa specifies the manipulator as IP67.

This gives the robot substantially stronger published ingress protection than many general-purpose collaborative arms.

Where IP67 can help

Potential environments include:

• Machine tending where coolant may be present.
• Metalworking.
• Dusty production areas.
• Packaging.
• Certain food-related handling processes.
• Processes where regular external cleaning is required.

Food-grade grease

Yaskawa specifies food-grade grease, and its US documentation refers to NSF H1 food-grade grease for environments where incidental food contact may be possible.

This is useful—but it should not be interpreted as certification of the entire robot system for every direct-food or hygienic application.

IP67 is not the same as hygienic design

Before using the HC20DTP in food or pharmaceutical production, confirm:

• Permitted cleaning chemicals.
• Cleaning pressure and temperature.
• Whether direct food contact is allowed.
• External surface and joint-cleaning requirements.
• Tooling hygiene.
• Cable and connector protection.
• Controller location.
• Applicable food-production regulations.
• Whether the process requires a specifically hygienic robot design.

A robot can be water resistant without being appropriate for a hygienic production zone.

Best Applications for the Yaskawa HC20DTP

1. Palletizing

One of the HC20DTP’s strongest use cases.

The combination of 20 kg payload and 1,700 mm effective reach makes it suitable for many end-of-line applications where smaller cobots cannot handle the required carton size or mass.

Advantages include:

• Long reach.
• 20 kg payload.
• Direct teaching.
• Collaborative operating capability.
• Compact cell concepts compared with some traditional fenced systems.
• Strong Yaskawa integration ecosystem.

However, the 2026 HC35 changes the decision for new palletizing projects. If the application could benefit from more payload, multiple-case picking or higher stacking, compare the HC35 before finalising the HC20DTP.

See current palletizing robots for other options.

2. Machine tending

The HC20DTP is well suited to loading and unloading:

• CNC machines.
• Machining centres.
• Presses.
• Inspection equipment.
• Other production machinery.

Its IP67 protection is particularly useful where dust or coolant exposure is possible.

A machine-tending project should confirm:

• Door interface.
• Machine-ready signals.
• Part presentation.
• Required reach inside the machine.
• Gripper design.
• Cycle time.
• Human access.
• Machine safety interface.

Explore other machine-tending robots if the application is still open.

3. Material handling

The robot can automate repetitive transfer of components, containers and assemblies between production stations.

The high payload is particularly valuable when:

• The workpiece itself is heavy.
• A dual gripper is required.
• Large vacuum tooling is required.
• The robot handles fixtures as well as parts.

For broader comparisons, see material-handling robots.

4. Collaborative welding

Yaskawa actively supports collaborative welding through products and software including its Weld4Me ecosystem.

Direct teaching is especially useful for high-mix, lower-volume welding because an operator can physically guide the robot through the required geometry before refining the program.

The robot does not make welding itself collaborative.

Arc, heat, fumes, UV radiation, spatter, sharp workpieces and the welding equipment introduce separate hazards that must be controlled.

Compare other welding robots if throughput or application requirements point toward a dedicated industrial welding cell.

5. Assembly

The HC20DTP can support assembly where:

• Components are relatively heavy.
• Long reach is required.
• Humans and robots divide different parts of the task.
• Direct teaching simplifies product changeovers.

For very small, high-speed components, a smaller cobot, SCARA or conventional industrial robot may provide better economics.

6. Packaging

The robot’s combination of reach, payload and hand-guided setup makes it relevant for:

• Case handling.
• Tray handling.
• Packing.
• End-of-line transfer.
• Pallet loading.

7. Food-related handling

IP67 protection and food-grade grease expand the range of possible food applications.

The specific production zone and cleaning protocol still need to be checked individually.

8. Inspection and test loading

The HC20DTP can also move parts through measurement, calibration or inspection processes, particularly when the component is too heavy for smaller collaborative arms.

When the Yaskawa HC20DTP Is Not the Right Robot

The HC20DTP is powerful, but that does not make it universally better.

• You need more than 20 kg payload: the newer Yaskawa HC35 or another heavy-payload platform should be evaluated.
• You need maximum portability: a 140 kg arm requires proper lifting and mounting equipment.
• You constantly move the robot between workstations: lighter cobots can be easier to redeploy.
• Your application is extremely light: paying for a 20 kg industrial platform may add unnecessary cost and mass.
• You need the smallest possible footprint: newer or lighter robots may package the required capability more efficiently.
• You require very high fixed-process throughput: a fenced industrial robot may deliver a better cycle-time-to-cost ratio.
• You assume no guarding will ever be required: collaborative design depends on the complete application risk assessment.
• Your product weighs exactly 20 kg: tooling and wrist-load limits may leave insufficient payload margin.
• You require certified hygienic design: IP67 and food-grade grease alone may not satisfy the process.
• You want published online pricing: Yaskawa uses a quotation-based sales process.

The correct question is not “Is a cobot better than an industrial robot?”

It is:

Which robot architecture produces the safest, simplest and most economical solution for this specific process?

Yaskawa HC20DTP Alternatives in 2026

The HC20DTP competes in one of the most important parts of the cobot market: long-reach, higher-payload industrial automation.

HC20DTP vs Yaskawa HC35

This is now the first comparison a new Yaskawa buyer should make.

Choose the HC20DTP when:

• 20 kg capacity is sufficient.
• The proven HC20 platform already fits the engineered cell.
• You have existing HC20DTP experience or standardisation.
• A distributor or integrator offers attractive commercial terms.
• The additional HC35 capacity provides no useful production benefit.

Choose or investigate the HC35 when:

• Payload margin is tight.
• You need more reach.
• You want to pick multiple units per cycle.
• Higher pallet stacks matter.
• Large or high-inertia tooling is required.
• You are designing a new heavy-duty cell with no legacy constraint.

Yaskawa states that the HC35 has a 35 kg payload, 2,030 mm reach and a smaller 270 mm footprint compared with the HC20DTP’s 380 mm footprint.

HC20DTP vs Universal Robots UR20

The UR20 is one of the most direct alternatives.

Its advantages include a substantially lighter 64 kg robot arm and 1,750 mm reach.

The Yaskawa counters with:

• ±0.05 mm published repeatability versus ±0.1 mm for the UR20.
• IP67 versus the UR20 arm’s published IP65 classification.
• A strongly industrial Yaskawa architecture.
• Hybrid collaborative/industrial operating philosophy.

The better robot depends on whether the project values low arm mass and UR’s software ecosystem or Yaskawa’s environmental protection, repeatability and existing industrial infrastructure.

See our full Universal Robots UR20 review for a deeper comparison.

HC20DTP vs FANUC CRX-20iA/L

FANUC’s CRX-20iA/L offers the same nominal 20 kg payload but only 1,418 mm reach.

Its major advantage is physical mass: FANUC lists the arm at only 41 kg compared with 140 kg for the HC20DTP.

FANUC also publishes ±0.04 mm repeatability and IP67 protection.

Choose based on required reach, plant ecosystem, controller preference, tooling and integration support rather than payload alone.

HC20DTP vs Doosan H2017

The Doosan H2017 closely matches the Yaskawa on headline payload and reach:

• 20 kg payload.
• 1,700 mm reach.
• Six integrated torque sensors.

The HC20DTP has stronger published ingress protection at IP67 versus IP54 for the H2017 and better published repeatability at ±0.05 mm versus ±0.1 mm.

The Doosan may still appeal to teams that prefer its software, control environment or local integration ecosystem.

Use the Anton Robots comparison tool to evaluate current models side by side.

Is the Yaskawa HC20DTP Worth It in 2026?

Yes—when the application actually benefits from its industrial construction, 20 kg payload, long reach, IP67 protection and Yaskawa ecosystem.

The HC20DTP remains a capable robot.

The 2026 complication is simply that buyers now have a newer Yaskawa alternative.

Where the HC20DTP still makes strong sense

• You already operate Yaskawa robots.
• Your engineers or integrator understand YRC1000 systems.
• Your application needs 15–20 kg class capacity.
• 1,700 mm effective reach is sufficient.
• IP67 protection matters.
• You need machine tending or handling around coolant and dust.
• Direct teaching will materially simplify changeovers.
• You require both collaborative and more conventional industrial operating concepts.
• You want established industrial support rather than a newer robotics platform.

Where its value is weaker

• You are buying entirely greenfield and the HC35 is commercially competitive.
• Your payload requirement is approaching the HC20DTP’s maximum.
• You need more than 1,700 mm effective reach.
• You want to move the arm manually between stations.
• You only need a 5–10 kg robot.
• Your production is best served by a high-speed fenced industrial robot.

The 140 kg weight deserves attention

The HC20DTP is much heavier than several competing cobots.

That is not automatically a disadvantage.

The mass reflects a different design philosophy: this is a robust industrial machine designed around substantial payload, reach and durability.

But buyers should understand what that means operationally.

Moving the installation may require:

• A rated mobile base.
• A forklift or lifting device.
• Structural anchoring.
• Revalidation of the robot cell after relocation.
• Safety-zone recalibration.

If your production strategy relies on one cobot being rolled manually between five machines, a lighter platform may be more practical.

Yaskawa HC20DTP Buying Checklist

1. Define the task. State exactly what the robot must pick, move, weld, load, assemble or palletize.
2. Calculate total payload. Include the tool, workpiece and every wrist-mounted component.
3. Calculate centre of gravity and inertia. Do not select the robot from mass alone.
4. Confirm reach. Use the 1,700 mm effective reach and complete working-envelope drawing.
5. Simulate difficult poses. Check singularities, tool orientation and collision clearance.
6. Choose the controller. Confirm YRC1000 or YRC1000micro and all required options.
7. Choose the programming interface. Smart Pendant, standard pendant or both.
8. Define tooling. Gripper, vacuum system, welder, screwdriver or process tool.
9. Confirm utilities. Air, Ethernet, I/O and power requirements.
10. Choose mounting orientation. Floor, wall, ceiling or tilt and verify Yaskawa’s axis restrictions.
11. Complete the risk assessment. Determine whether PFL alone is sufficient or additional safety measures are required.
12. Define human interaction. Identify exactly when and why a person needs to enter the robot workspace.
13. Set production targets. Define required units per hour, cycle time and availability.
14. Check environmental conditions. Dust, liquid, coolant, temperature and cleaning procedures.
15. Validate food requirements. Do not equate IP67 and food-grade grease with complete hygienic certification.
16. Specify communication. PLC, fieldbus, machine interface and plant-network requirements.
17. Request an HC35 comparison. For new projects, establish whether the successor provides better lifecycle value.
18. Define acceptance tests. Test payload, reach, cycle time, recovery, safety and process quality before final acceptance.
19. Confirm support. Training, spare parts, service response and local integrator capability.
20. Compare total cell cost. Do not decide from robot-arm price alone.

Pro tip: send every supplier the same written application specification. Otherwise one quote may include only a robot and controller while another includes tooling, safety, engineering and commissioning, making the numbers almost meaningless to compare.

How to Buy the Yaskawa HC20DTP

The HC20DTP is sold through Yaskawa and regional automation partners rather than through a fixed global online checkout price.

A useful RFQ should include:

• Company and installation country.
• Application.
• Workpiece dimensions and weight.
• Required production rate.
• Required reach.
• Tool or gripper concept.
• Expected centre of gravity.
• Required mounting position.
• Environmental conditions.
• Collaborative interaction requirements.
• Required controller.
• Smart Pendant or standard pendant preference.
• PLC and communication requirements.
• Vision requirements.
• Safety-system requirements.
• Installation date.
• Training and support requirements.

Before issuing a purchase order, request:

• Exact manipulator model and revision.
• Complete controller configuration.
• Complete software-option list.
• Tooling specification.
• Robot reach study.
• Payload/inertia calculation.
• Cycle-time estimate or simulation.
• Risk-assessment responsibilities.
• Acceptance-test criteria.
• Delivery time.
• Warranty terms.
• Service location.
• Spare-parts availability.
• Training options.

If you are not yet certain which robot fits the application, use the Find My Robot tool or contact Anton Robots to compare suitable models and suppliers.

What Is New for the Yaskawa HC20DTP in 2026?

The HC35 has arrived as its successor

This is the biggest development.

On 21 July 2026, Yaskawa announced the MOTOMAN HC35 and explicitly described the new robot as succeeding the HC20DTP.

The HC35 provides:

• 35 kg payload.
• 2,030 mm reach.
• A slimmer arm.
• New Yaskawa-developed torque sensors.
• Greater wrist capacity.
• A smaller 270 mm footprint compared with the HC20DTP’s 380 mm footprint.
• Integrated Cat6A Ethernet cabling.

Yaskawa gives a sales-start date of 11 May 2026 and describes pricing as open.

For a greenfield high-payload purchase, the HC35 now deserves to be evaluated before placing an HC20DTP order.

The HC20DTP is still currently documented

The existence of the HC35 should not automatically be interpreted as immediate end-of-life for the HC20DTP.

As of this review, Yaskawa’s regional websites still provide the HC20DTP product page, technical data, downloads and integration information.

Buyers should nevertheless ask their local Yaskawa organisation to confirm:

• Current new-unit availability.
• Expected production horizon.
• Spare-part support.
• Software support.
• Whether HC35 is now preferred for the target application.

Current collaborative-operation documentation

Yaskawa published current YRC1000/YRC1000micro collaborative-operation instructions for the HC Series in September 2026.

The documentation covers subjects including:

• PFL operation.
• Speed limiting.
• Escape from clamping.
• Direct teaching.
• Collaborative-mode enabling and disabling.
• Robot-range limits.
• Tool-angle monitoring.
• External safety-sensor examples.

This is worth reviewing during any new HC-Series deployment rather than relying only on older installation practices.

The industrial robot safety standards changed in 2025

ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025 are now the current editions of the principal international industrial-robot safety standards.

ISO/TS 15066:2016 remains published for collaborative robots but is under revision.

A new project should therefore be engineered against the current standards and applicable local regulatory framework rather than simply repeating the safety assumptions of an older robot cell.

Yaskawa HC20DTP Frequently Asked Questions

What is the payload of the Yaskawa HC20DTP?

The HC20DTP has a maximum published payload of 20 kg. Tool mass, workpiece mass, centre of gravity and wrist inertia all need to remain within the robot’s allowable limits.

What is the reach of the Yaskawa HC20DTP?

Yaskawa publishes a 1,900 mm absolute reach to the R/T-axis centre and a 1,700 mm effective reach to Point P. The 1,700 mm figure is normally the more useful number for basic application comparison.

What is the repeatability of the HC20DTP?

Yaskawa publishes repeatability of ±0.05 mm.

How much does the Yaskawa HC20DTP cost?

Yaskawa does not currently publish a fixed global list price. Pricing is quote-based and depends on the controller, pendant, software, tooling, safety equipment and integration scope.

Is the Yaskawa HC20DTP a cobot?

Yes. It is a human-collaborative six-axis robot with integrated torque sensing and Power and Force Limiting capability.

Can the HC20DTP operate without a safety fence?

Potentially, depending on the complete application and risk assessment. Being a collaborative robot does not automatically mean every HC20DTP installation can legally or safely operate without guarding.

Does the HC20DTP have force sensing?

The HC20DTP uses torque sensors integrated into all six joints as part of its collaborative safety and hand-guiding functionality.

Can you program the HC20DTP by moving it by hand?

Yes. Hand guiding and Direct Teach buttons near the wrist allow positions to be taught by physically moving the robot.

Which controllers work with the HC20DTP?

Yaskawa documentation lists the YRC1000 and YRC1000micro controller platforms.

Can the HC20DTP use the Yaskawa Smart Pendant?

Yes. The HC20DTP supports Yaskawa’s Smart Pendant as well as conventional teach-pendant programming.

Is the HC20DTP waterproof?

The manipulator is rated IP67. That provides significant dust and water ingress protection, but the complete robot cell, controller, tooling and connectors must be evaluated separately.

Can the HC20DTP be used in food production?

Potentially. Yaskawa specifies IP67 protection and food-grade grease, including NSF H1 grease in its US product information. Suitability for a specific food zone still depends on hygiene, cleaning and regulatory requirements.

Can the HC20DTP be used for palletizing?

Yes. Palletizing is one of its strongest applications because of the 20 kg payload and long reach. Buyers should now also compare the 35 kg Yaskawa HC35 for new installations.

Can the HC20DTP be used for welding?

Yes. Yaskawa supports collaborative welding applications and offers the Weld4Me ecosystem. The welding process introduces hazards beyond robot motion, so appropriate protection is still required.

Can the HC20DTP tend CNC machines?

Yes. Its long reach, payload and IP67 rating make it particularly relevant to CNC loading and unloading where coolant or industrial contamination may be present.

Can the HC20DTP be mounted on a wall or ceiling?

Yes. Yaskawa lists floor, wall, ceiling and tilted installation. The datasheet also specifies restrictions to the S-axis operating range at certain installation angles, so the exact mounting design must be checked.

How heavy is the HC20DTP?

The manipulator weighs approximately 140 kg.

What is the difference between the HC20DT and HC20DTP?

Both belong to Yaskawa’s 20 kg collaborative family. The DTP generation is associated with Yaskawa’s Direct Teach / Plug and Play evolution, including updated integration features and tooling connectivity. Buyers comparing older HC20DT systems with an HC20DTP should use the exact model-specific datasheet rather than assuming every detail is identical.

Has the Yaskawa HC20DTP been discontinued?

Yaskawa announced the HC35 in 2026 and describes it as the successor to the HC20DTP. However, current Yaskawa regional sites still list and document the HC20DTP. Confirm new-unit availability and lifecycle status with Yaskawa in your region before ordering.

What is the best alternative to the HC20DTP?

The answer depends on the requirement. Consider the Yaskawa HC35 for more payload and reach, Universal Robots UR20 for a lighter 20 kg-class platform, FANUC CRX-20iA/L for a compact 20 kg IP67 cobot, or Doosan H2017 for another 20 kg / 1,700 mm collaborative platform.

Is the Yaskawa HC20DTP worth buying in 2026?

Yes, particularly for existing Yaskawa users and industrial applications requiring 20 kg payload, long reach, IP67 protection and direct teaching. For a completely new high-payload installation, compare the HC35 before finalising the purchase.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Yaskawa HC20DTP?

Shortlist the Yaskawa HC20DTP if you need a genuinely industrial 20 kg cobot with long reach, strong environmental protection and a mature automation ecosystem.

Its combination of 20 kg payload, 1,700 mm effective reach, ±0.05 mm repeatability, six-axis torque sensing, IP67 protection, direct teaching and Yaskawa control technology makes it particularly strong for palletizing, machine tending, material handling and welding.

The biggest downside is physical mass. At 140 kg, the HC20DTP is dramatically heavier than robots such as the 41 kg FANUC CRX-20iA/L or 64 kg Universal Robots UR20. Buyers looking for a cobot that can be frequently rolled between production stations should factor that into the decision.

The other consideration is timing.

Yaskawa now has the HC35.

For a new 2026 heavy-duty application, ignoring the successor would make little sense. Request both configurations where appropriate and compare total installed cost, tooling capacity, reach, cycle time, floor-space requirements and lifecycle support.

Do not reject the HC20DTP simply because a newer model exists, either. If 20 kg and 1,700 mm already cover the requirement, extra payload and reach may create no economic benefit.

The best purchasing process is application-led:

define the workpiece → calculate tooling and payload → simulate reach → define human interaction → perform the risk assessment → compare equivalent complete cells → run acceptance tests.

That process matters far more than choosing the robot with the largest number on a datasheet.

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