DOBOT CR3

Overview

The Dobot CR3 is the smallest arm in Dobot's collaborative robot line, with 3 kg payload and 795 mm reach across 6 axes. It is designed for benchtop assembly, small electronics handling, and laboratory automation where a compact footprint is important. At approximately $19,790 new, it competes with the Universal Robots UR3e in the small cobot segment. Dobot manufactures it in Shenzhen, China.

Key Specifications

• Payload: 3 kg
• Reach: 795 mm
• Degrees of freedom: 6
• Repeatability: ±0.02 mm
• TCP speed: 2 m/s
• Weight: 16.5 kg
• IP rating: IP54

The CR3's base weight of 16.5 kg makes it manageable for relocation between workstations.

Use Cases

The CR3 is used in PCB handling, small part assembly, dispensing, and laboratory pipetting. Its compact reach and light weight suit it to benchtop cells where a larger arm would obstruct the workspace. Dobot's programming interface supports drag-to-teach, which reduces setup time for simple pick-and-place sequences.

Buying Used

UK secondhand availability is sparse. When units appear, pricing ranges from £6,000 to £11,000. As with other Dobot products, UK service infrastructure is less developed than for UR or FANUC arms. Verify that the controller software is current and that the wrist force-torque sensor functions correctly.

Alternatives to Consider

• Universal Robots UR3e: Established secondhand market, larger UR+ ecosystem, and broader UK support.
• Kinova Gen3 Lite: Lighter at 5.4 kg total weight, suited for mobile or wearable platforms.
• Franka Emika Panda (discontinued): More precise 7-axis force-sensing arm for research applications.

The controller is a compact unit that mounts under the work surface or on a DIN rail, reducing the floor space footprint further. Dobot's teach pendant uses a touchscreen drag-to-teach interface, which enables non-specialist operators to create and modify simple programmes without robotics programming experience. For more complex applications, the CR3 supports Python and C++ SDK access for custom application development.