Yaskawa Motoman HC10DT

What it's for

The HC10DT is a variant of the Motoman HC10 with an additional panel for guiding the arm by hand. According to the manufacturer's description, "DT" stands for Direct Teach: above the arm's flange sits an Easy Teaching Switch Box, which lets the operator, holding the robot by its tool end, memorize successive waypoints, with no tablet and no code. When the production run changes, there is no need to call in a programmer: the operator moves the arm by hand over the new part and saves the point. Otherwise the HC10DT keeps the parameters of the base HC10: 10 kg payload, six axes, six integrated joint torque sensors and 1379 mm of reach. Repeatability per the data sheet is ±0.1 mm. The application we assign to this model is machine tending: loading and unloading machine tools, injection-molding machines and presses at stations where the arm is to work in cooperation with an operator. An important correction to a popular misconception: "DT" does not mean extended reach, only convenience of programming. For wet and food environments the manufacturer has a separate HC10DTFP variant with IP67 certification. The model belongs among the cobots; details of the base arm are in Yaskawa Motoman HC10. The workplace is usually a production hall (factories).

Who it's for

The HC10DT is for plants that change tasks often and have no robotics engineer on staff: guiding the arm by hand shortens changeovers and lets the operator teach the robot. It suits companies that considered the HC10 but want more convenient programming. It is not for you if you need more reach: the reach is identical to the HC10, so for larger workstations look at the Yaskawa Motoman HC20DT. Nor is the standard version meant for wet, washdown stations; there you need the IP67 variant. And do not count on a public price: the manufacturer does not give one, and quotes go through the distribution network. How to prepare for a conversation with a supplier is described in “How to Buy a Cobot Step by Step”.

Deployments

We have no confirmed, named deployments of the HC10DT, worldwide or in Poland. Availability in Poland is confirmed through yaskawa.pl, Yaskawa's direct subsidiary in Wrocław. The category overview shows that Polish cobots most often work on machine tending, palletizing and packaging; see cobots. Ask the supplier for reference installations with a similar application before you sign an order. Until public references exist, the only firm information is availability in Poland and manufacturer support.

The direct alternative within the brand is the Yaskawa Motoman HC10: the same reach and payload, without the additional panel. Beyond Yaskawa, in the 10 kg class it is worth comparing: the UR12e, with a 12.5 kg payload, 1300 mm reach and a proven integrator ecosystem; the FANUC CRX-10iA, Fanuc's 2019 cobot, available in Poland through spawalnictwo.pl; the Doosan M1013, 10 kg and 1300 mm, from Transition Technologies-CS; and the Techman TM12, with a 12 kg payload and built-in 2D vision, via TFM Robotics. The Techman is interesting if the job requires recognizing parts with a camera rather than rigidly positioned pallets. The choice therefore depends on what matters more in your plant: the convenience of teaching by hand or built-in vision. Ask each supplier to demonstrate the same application on your part.

The Motoman HC family began in 2016 with the Yaskawa Motoman HC10, one of Yaskawa's first cobots (Yaskawa Electric). The HC10DT joined it later; we do not have a launch date for it, so we do not give a year. What is known is that the HC series today comprises four models, the HC10, HC10DT, HC20DT and Yaskawa Motoman HC20DTP, all on sale and available in Poland through yaskawa.pl. The next step in the family was the large Yaskawa Motoman HC20DT from 2019 with a 20 kg payload. Yaskawa has operated since 1915 and is listed on the Tokyo stock exchange, so the story of the HC10DT is that of a stable, long-term product line.