What is the most common type of industrial robot?

Articulated (six-axis) robots are the most widely used across UK manufacturing, valued for their range of motion and suitability for welding, assembly, palletising, and machine tending.

What is the difference between a cobot and an industrial robot?

Traditional industrial robots run at high speed behind guarding, without human contact during operation. Collaborative robots (cobots) use safety sensors and force-limiting to work directly alongside people.

How do you choose the right type of industrial robot?

Match the robot to payload and reach, cycle time, the operating environment, and how much flexibility you need. High-volume repetitive work suits articulated or delta robots; frequent changeovers and mixed products suit cobots and AMRs.

Articulated robot and collaborative robot integrated with conveyors in an automated manufacturing facility

Types of Industrial Robots Explained

Q: What are the main types of industrial robots?

The six main types are articulated robots, SCARA robots, delta robots, Cartesian robots (including gantry and linear robots), collaborative robots (cobots), and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Each is suited to different tasks, payloads, speeds, and levels of flexibility.

Across the UK, manufacturers and warehouse operators are increasingly turning to robotics to address mounting pressures: labour shortages, rising operational costs, and the relentless pace of e-commerce growth.

Understanding the different types of industrial robots available is the first step towards selecting the right automated solutions for any given environment. From precision assembly on a factory floor to high-throughput material handling in a distribution centre, industrial robotics now offers a broad and growing range of robot types designed to meet specific operational demands, making factory automation more accessible than ever.

In short: the main types of industrial robots are articulated, SCARA, delta, Cartesian (including gantry and linear robots), collaborative robots (cobots), and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), each suited to different tasks, payloads, and speeds.

What Are Industrial Robots?

An industrial robot is a programmable machine capable of performing automation tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously within a production, manufacturing, or logistics environment. Most are built around robotic arms with several degrees of freedom, allowing precise, repeatable movement.

Unlike traditional fixed automation, modern types of industrial robots offer varying flexibility, allowing them to adapt to changing production lines, layouts, or throughput requirements. They are deployed across sectors including automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, retail, and general warehousing.

Six-axis articulated industrial robot handling components on an automated conveyor production line

Common Types of Industrial Robots in Use Today

The range of robot types available reflects the diversity of tasks that automation is now asked to perform. The most widely deployed types of industrial robots include:

Robot type	Strengths	Typical tasks
Articulated (4-6 axis)	Wide range of motion, higher payloads	Welding, assembly, palletising, machine tending
SCARA	High-speed lateral moves, precise, lower cost	Electronics assembly, packaging, light pick-and-place
Delta	Very fast and precise parallel-link	High-cycle picking, food sorting, inspection
Cartesian / gantry	Simple, repeatable linear motion; large envelope	CNC loading, dispensing, heavy or oversized loads
Collaborative (cobots)	Work safely alongside people, quick to reconfigure	Pick-assist, packing, frequent changeovers
Autonomous mobile (AMRs)	Navigate dynamically, no fixed infrastructure	Goods transport, flexible and changing layouts

Articulated and SCARA Robots: Industrial Workhorses

Articulated robots remain the most widely used type across manufacturing industries, with the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA) consistently reporting them as the dominant category in UK industrial deployments. Their six-axis configuration allows them to replicate a wide range of human arm movements, handling greater load capacity across complex, multi-step tasks. SCARA robots occupy a distinct position in the taxonomy, offering high-speed, precise lateral motion at a lower cost point. Both types are robust, reliable solutions for environments where repeatability, cycle time, and production output are critical performance metrics.

Mobile and Collaborative Robots in Modern Warehousing

The growth of e-commerce fulfilment has accelerated adoption of AMRs and cobots within warehouse environments. AMRs bring a fundamentally different approach to material handling: rather than following fixed conveyor belt routes or requiring magnetic track infrastructure, they map their environment dynamically and adapt to changing floor layouts. This flexibility makes them a scalable solution for operations that experience seasonal demand peaks or frequent SKU range changes. Cobots, meanwhile, are not only delivering productivity gains in pick-assist and packing applications but also contributing to safer workplaces, using safety sensors to reduce the physical strain placed on human operatives and reinforce worker safety.

Choosing the Right Robot Type for Your Operation

Selecting between types of industrial robots requires careful evaluation of payload requirements, reach, cycle time, and integration complexity. Key considerations include:

Payload & reach

Articulated and Cartesian suit heavier loads and longer reach; delta and SCARA prioritise speed over load capacity.

Environment & space

AMRs need clear floor space and stable conditions; fixed arms need defined envelopes and guarding or collaborative certification.

Integration

Every robot must interface with WCS, WMS and conveyor networks; experienced integrators turn individual robots into a coordinated line.

Flexibility

Frequent changeovers and product variety favour cobots and AMRs; high-volume repetitive tasks suit fixed articulated or delta.

A Foundation for Long-Term Automation Success

As robotic technologies continue to mature and the total cost of deployment falls, types of industrial robots that were once viable only for large manufacturers are increasingly accessible to mid-sized operations across the UK.

Working with reputable robot manufacturers and system integrators, and understanding the distinctions between articulated, SCARA, delta, Cartesian, cobot, and mobile robot platforms, is not a technical exercise alone; it is a strategic one. Businesses that invest time in selecting the right robot type for their specific operational context will be better positioned to build scalable, future-proof automation systems that deliver long-term growth and competitive advantage.