Dobot Cobot Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Collaborative Robot
Collaborative robots ("cobots") automate repetitive tasks — machine tending, pick-and-place, assembly, dispensing — while working safely alongside people. But picking the right one means matching three numbers to your job: payload, reach, and repeatability. This guide explains how, using the Dobot lineup as a reference.
The three numbers that matter
1. Payload — the weight the arm can carry, including the gripper or tool. Always add your end-effector weight to the part weight; the total must stay within the arm's rating.
2. Reach — the working radius the arm can cover from its mount. Size it to span every point your task touches — the machine door, the fixture, the outfeed — from a single position where possible.
3. Repeatability — how precisely the arm returns to the same point, cycle after cycle. For assembly, insertion, and dispensing, tighter is better (Dobot's CR and Nova arms hold ±0.05 mm).
Matching a cobot to your task
- Light assembly, lab automation, tight workspaces → a compact arm like the Dobot Nova 2.
- Mid-duty machine tending and assembly → the Dobot Nova 5: 5 kg payload, 850 mm reach, ±0.05 mm repeatability, any-angle mounting.
- Longer reach across a wider cell → the Dobot CR5A and the broader CR-A series.
Browse the full range of Dobot collaborative robots.
Don't forget integration
A cobot is only as useful as its fit with your existing equipment. Check the arm's communication options (TCP/IP, Modbus TCP, RS485) and I/O so it can talk to your PLCs, grippers, and vision systems without custom middleware. Sizing the right base arm, grippers, and mounting up front saves costly rework later.
Why buy your Dobot from Robo Mechanix
We're an authorized Dobot dealer and automation specialists — not a general catalog reseller. Every cobot is genuine, backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty (we handle RMA through our US-based team), with free shipping to the 48 states and 5–9 business day delivery. Before you buy, we'll help you confirm payload, reach, and application fit so the arm is right-sized for your cell.
Request a quote with your task details and we'll spec the right system.
FAQ
What payload and reach do I need?
Add your gripper weight to your heaviest part for payload, and measure the farthest points your task must reach for reach. When in doubt, send us your application and we'll size it.
Can a cobot work safely next to people?
Yes — within a properly risk-assessed collaborative cell. See our guide on cobot safety and fencing.
How are Dobot cobots programmed?
Through Dobot's software environment, which combines graphical, flow-based programming with hand-guided teaching, so you can build routines at the cell.
