- M-1iA: 0.5 kg payload, 280 mm radius — fastest in the range at up to 150 picks/min
- M-2iA: 3 kg payload, 600 mm radius — most common model for food and pharma
- M-3iA: 6 kg payload, 1350 mm radius — widest work envelope in the FANUC delta line
- iRVision included with R-30iB controller — no third-party vision system needed
- Stainless steel food-grade variants (M-2iA/3S, M-3iA/6S) available with IP69K wash-down
- All models use FANUC R-30iB Plus controller — same as FANUC industrial arm fleet
1. Overview
FANUC entered the delta robot market to complement its articulated arm portfolio in food, pharmaceutical, and electronics picking lines. The M-series uses the same R-30iB Plus controller as the rest of the FANUC range — a deliberate choice that lets manufacturers run both articulated robots and delta robots from a common control platform, reducing training and spare-parts inventory.
The M-series competes primarily against the ABB IRB 360 FlexPicker. ABB has the longer history in delta robotics (the IRB 360 dates to 2005), but FANUC's integration of iRVision directly into the R-30iB controller — without needing a separate PC — is a competitive advantage that reduces system cost and simplifies commissioning.
FANUC service coverage is a notable advantage in North America, Europe, and Japan: FANUC has its own direct service network with guaranteed response times, unlike many competitors who rely on third-party integrators for field service.
2. Model Lineup
| Model | Payload | Horizontal Reach | Vertical Stroke | Max Picks/Min | Repeatability | Robot Weight | IP Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1iA/0.5S | 0.5 kg | 280 mm | 100 mm | 150 | ±0.02 mm | 14 kg | IP67 |
| M-1iA/0.5SL | 0.5 kg | 350 mm | 130 mm | 120 | ±0.02 mm | 16 kg | IP67 |
| M-2iA/3S | 3 kg | 600 mm | 200 mm | 100 | ±0.1 mm | 43 kg | IP67 |
| M-2iA/3SL | 3 kg | 800 mm | 200 mm | 80 | ±0.1 mm | 47 kg | IP67 |
| M-3iA/6S | 6 kg | 1350 mm | 620 mm | 60 | ±0.1 mm | 180 kg | IP67 |
| M-3iA/6A | 6 kg | 1350 mm | 620 mm | 60 | ±0.1 mm | 185 kg | IP67 + IP69K |
The "S" suffix denotes stainless steel construction; "A" denotes the IP69K fully washable food-grade variant. "SL" indicates an extended long-arm version with greater horizontal reach at the cost of some speed.
Which Model for Which Task?
- M-1iA: Electronics — SMT component placement assist, blister pack loading, tablet dispensing. Sub-gram to 500 g parts at maximum speed.
- M-2iA: Food primary packaging — chocolate bars, biscuits, sausages, pouches. 3 kg covers most primary food pack weights including the gripper tare weight.
- M-3iA: Secondary packaging, pharmaceutical case packing, heavier consumer goods. The 6 kg payload and 1350 mm reach cover two conveyor lanes simultaneously.
3. Delta Architecture
Delta robots use three (or four) upper arms driven by fixed base motors, connected to a moving platform via parallel lower links. The platform is the only moving mass — the motors stay stationary at the base. This gives a very low moving inertia and enables the high accelerations (up to 15 g for the M-1iA) needed for 150 picks/min.
FANUC M-Series Specifics
- 3-axis base: M-1iA and M-2iA have 3 DOF (X, Y, Z) with optional 4th rotational wrist axis. M-3iA has 6 DOF — 3 base + 3 wrist axes — for full orientation control.
- Carbon fibre lower links: Carbon fibre reduces link weight while maintaining stiffness — critical for high-acceleration moves.
- Rigid parallelogram constraint: Lower link pairs maintain the end platform orientation relative to the base — the platform always faces the same direction unless a rotational wrist is added.
- Ceiling mount: All M-series robots mount overhead above the conveyor. The robot body is fixed; only the lightweight end platform moves through the work volume.
The M-3iA is a 6-axis delta — the three additional wrist axes (driven by motors in the platform connected via drive shafts through the lower links) allow full roll/pitch/yaw control. This is needed for tasks where part orientation changes between pick and place, such as orienting products into trays.
4. iRVision Integration
iRVision is FANUC's machine vision system, embedded directly in the R-30iB Plus controller. No separate PC, camera server, or vision software licence is required. This is a major differentiation from competitors whose delta robots typically require a third-party vision system integration.
iRVision Capabilities for Delta Robots
- 2D conveyor tracking: Fixed overhead camera detects and classifies parts on a moving conveyor; the robot calculates pick coordinates in real time and compensates for belt speed. The encoder signal from the conveyor belt feeds directly into the R-30iB controller.
- Part finding: Locates randomly oriented parts using pattern matching, edge detection, or blob analysis. Tolerant of partial occlusion and lighting variation.
- Multi-robot coordination: Up to 4 delta robots can share a single iRVision camera view and coordinate pick order — the controller automatically assigns parts to robots based on each robot's position and availability.
- Barcode and 2D code reading: iRVision can verify barcodes or Data Matrix codes at pick time — useful for pharmaceutical serialisation compliance.
- 3D line-scan: Optional 3D vision expansion adds height mapping for depth-variable parts on the conveyor.
Calibration
A calibration grid is placed on the conveyor belt and photographed. The controller uses this image to map pixel coordinates to robot coordinates, accounting for camera angle, lens distortion, and belt elevation. Calibration typically takes 20–40 minutes on first install and does not need to be repeated unless the camera or conveyor structure changes.
5. Food-Grade and Cleanroom Variants
Food-Grade (IP69K)
The M-2iA/3SL and M-3iA/6A carry IP69K rating — the highest protection class, allowing direct high-pressure, high-temperature water jets (80°C, 100 bar, 80 L/min per ISO 20653). Key features of the food-grade variants:
- 316L stainless steel structural components
- FDA-compliant lubricants in all joints and bearings
- Smooth, crevice-free surfaces to prevent bacterial harbourage
- Sealed cable entry points; cables routed through hollow arms where possible
- NSF H1 lubricant approval for incidental food contact
Cleanroom Variants
FANUC offers ISO Class 4 cleanroom variants for pharmaceutical and semiconductor applications. These add:
- Positive-pressure purge to prevent particle ingress
- Electropolished stainless surfaces to minimise particle generation
- Antistatic coatings on non-metallic components
- Cleanroom-compatible grease with low outgassing
6. Applications
Food Primary Packaging
The most common M-2iA application is picking loose biscuits, chocolates, or portion packs from an infeed conveyor and loading them into trays or flow-wrap film pockets. A vision-guided pick at 80–100 cycles/min means one M-2iA can handle 4,800–6,000 picks per hour — equivalent to six manual packers at full speed.
Pharmaceutical Blister Loading
M-1iA at 120–150 picks/min is used to place tablets, capsules, or ampoules into blister trays. iRVision verifies each tablet's presence and orientation before placement, enabling automatic rejection of damaged or incorrectly oriented product.
Electronics Component Tray Loading
M-1iA picks small electronic components (connectors, chips, small PCBs) from bulk or tape feed and places them into anti-static trays for downstream assembly. The 0.5 kg payload is sufficient for most electronic components; the ±0.02 mm repeatability handles tray pockets down to 2 mm.
Secondary Packaging — Case Packing
M-3iA's 6 kg payload and 1350 mm reach allow picking a full layer of retail packs from a conveyor and placing them into a shipping case. At 60 picks/min, a single M-3iA can handle typical secondary packaging rates for snack food or personal care products.
7. FANUC M-Series vs ABB IRB 360
| Feature | FANUC M-2iA/3S | ABB IRB 360-3/1130 |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 3 kg | 3 kg |
| Horizontal reach | 600 mm | 565 mm (1130 mm diameter) |
| Max picks/min (benchmark) | 100 | 150 |
| IP rating | IP67 standard; IP69K variant | IP67 standard; IP69K variant |
| Integrated vision | Yes — iRVision in controller | No — requires separate PC/system |
| Multi-robot vision | Up to 4 robots, 1 camera | Via PickMaster 3 (separate PC) |
| Controller platform | R-30iB Plus (shared with FANUC arms) | IRC5 (separate delta controller) |
| Programming language | KAREL / TP (same as FANUC arms) | RAPID (same as ABB arms) |
| Service network | FANUC direct service | ABB direct + integrators |
| Robot price (approx.) | ~$55,000–$65,000 | ~$50,000–$60,000 |
Choose FANUC M-series if…
- You already run FANUC articulated robots and want a common controller platform
- Integrated vision without a separate PC is important for budget or complexity reasons
- You need FANUC's direct service network with guaranteed response times
- Multi-robot coordination from a single camera is required
- Pharmaceutical serialisation requires barcode reading at the pick station
Consider ABB IRB 360 if…
- You already run ABB articulated robots and prefer RAPID programming
- Maximum pick rate is critical — ABB IRB 360 benchmarks faster at 3 kg
- PickMaster's advanced multi-robot coordination and recipe management is needed
- ABB's longer delta robot history means more integrators with specific ABB delta experience
FAQ
What conveyor speeds can the M-2iA track?
The M-2iA can track conveyors up to approximately 1.5 m/s. In practice, food packaging conveyors run at 0.3–0.8 m/s. The limiting factor is not conveyor speed but product spacing — parts must have enough gap between them for the robot to complete its pick stroke and return before the next part arrives under the robot's work zone.
Can the M-1iA handle liquids or wet products?
The IP67 rating means the M-1iA can withstand occasional splashing and wash-down but is not designed for continuous immersion or direct high-pressure jets. For wet food environments, the IP69K food-grade M-2iA/3SL or M-3iA/6A variants are appropriate. The M-1iA is primarily intended for dry products in electronics and pharmaceutical applications.
How many robots can share one conveyor vision system?
With iRVision multi-robot coordination, up to 4 M-series delta robots can share a single camera view and coordinate picks from the same conveyor belt. The R-30iB controller assigns parts to robots based on which robot can most efficiently reach each part, avoiding collisions through zone-based priority rules.
What grippers work with the M-series?
Delta robots almost exclusively use vacuum grippers for speed — mechanical grippers introduce open/close time that reduces effective pick rate. Common options are multi-cup vacuum tools from Schmalz, Piab, or Festo with venturi generators. For irregular or soft products (baked goods, produce), custom silicone cup arrays are common. The wrist I/O connector provides pneumatic and electrical connections for end-of-arm tooling.
Sources
- FANUC M-1iA, M-2iA, M-3iA product specifications (2025)
- FANUC iRVision operator's manual (R-30iB Plus)
- ISO 20653:2013 — Road vehicles, degrees of protection (IP classification)
- NSF/ANSI 51 — Food equipment materials standard