LBR iisy

Overview

The KUKA LBR iisy is KUKA's mid-range collaborative robot, designed for ease of integration and direct human-robot collaboration. It is a 6-axis arm available in seven variants spanning 3 kg to 15 kg payload and 760 mm to 1300 mm reach, produced in Augsburg, Germany. The product family covers a wide range of assembly and machine-tending applications. KUKA positions the iisy as a practical cobot for production environments, sitting below the research-grade LBR iiwa in the product hierarchy.

Key Specifications (LBR iisy 11 R1300)

• Payload: 11 kg
• Reach: 1300 mm
• Degrees of freedom: 6
• Repeatability: ±0.05 mm
• TCP speed: up to 2 m/s
• IP rating: IP54
• Controller: KR C5 micro-2
• Mounting positions: ceiling, floor, wall, angled

The full iisy product range runs from the 3 kg/760 mm LBR iisy 3 R760 (IP30) through to the 15 kg/930 mm LBR iisy 15 R930 (IP54). Cleanroom variants are available for the 11 kg and 15 kg models.

Use Cases

The LBR iisy is deployed for assembly tasks requiring high path accuracy, screwdriving, dispensing, and light machine tending. Its force-torque sensing makes it well-suited to compliant assembly tasks where controlled contact is needed. The KR C5 micro-2 controller supports KUKA's WorkVisual engineering suite and can be integrated with common PLCs via EtherNet/IP and PROFINET.

Buying Used

KUKA equipment is well-supported in the UK through KUKA UK's service centres. Secondhand LBR iisy units are less common than UR arms, and pricing ranges from approximately £18,000 to £30,000. When evaluating a used unit, test all 6 joints for smooth motion and check torque sensor calibration, which can drift with heavy use. Confirm that the KR C5 micro-2 controller includes valid software licences.

Alternatives to Consider

• Universal Robots UR10e: Simpler 6-axis design with a larger UK resale market.
• KUKA LBR iiwa 14: Higher payload at 14 kg with 7-axis kinematics and more refined torque sensing, though significantly more expensive.
• ABB GoFa CRB 15000: Higher TCP speed with IP67 protection.