The Techman TM12 is compact, proven, and great at simple pick-and-place jobs, but it’s starting to feel like using an iPhone 6 in a GPT-4 world. 

On the other hand, RO1 brings AI-powered simplicity, stronger specs, and an affordable model that’s making 2025 shop floors start to feel weak at the knees.

Techman TM12 fits best when you know exactly what you’re automating. RO1 adapts fast, so your team doesn’t need to.

Overview: Techman TM12 and RO1 at a glance

The Techman TM12 is Techman’s middleweight cobot. It’s compact, vision-enabled, and designed for simplicity. It handles a 12 kg payload and lands squarely in the “set it and forget it” category. It’s solid for small manufacturers dealing with light assembly, inspection, or electronics work, especially when space is tight. But with ±0.1 mm repeatability and not so much flexibility in its software, it can feel more like a well-behaved assistant than a dynamic problem solver.

By contrast, RO1 is Dolph Lundgren, a powerlifter with an IQ of 160. It handles an 18 kg payload, hits ±0.025 mm precision, and is built to work with CNCs, PLCs, and MES tools out of the box. Programming it feels like using an AI chatbot. It’s intuitive, forgiving, and kind of addicting.

TM12 vs. RO1: Spec comparison

If these two bots were roommates, the Techman TM12 would label its leftovers and follow house rules. RO1 would 3D scan the fridge, predict your cravings, and serve dinner before you’ve even opened the door.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Payload

The Techman TM12 tops out at 12 kg is decent for midweight work like electronics, inspection, and most pick-and-place setups. It covers the basics, but struggles when loads get bulky or need serious momentum control.

RO1 shows up with an 18 kg payload and the confidence of a robot that’s been hitting the gym. It's a certified heavy robot, easily tackling CNC setups, pallets, and other jobs TM12 avoids like cardio. 

Winner: RO1 because it lifts 18 kg. 12 kg is cute until you need to lift real parts.

Reach

TM12 gives you a generous 1300 mm of reach, which makes it great for workstations that need longer reach envelopes without repositioning. It performs best when everything stays consistent and lightweight.

RO1 matches that 1300 mm reach but does more with it, especially when you factor in its added payload. It can stretch to that max range without tipping or slowing down, making it more versatile across multi-station cells.

Winner: RO1 has the same reach with more utility.

Repeatability

TM12 offers ±0.1 mm repeatability is fine for general-purpose work, but not ideal when you’re dealing with micro-tolerances or tight placements.

RO1 hits ±0.025 mm. That’s four times tighter, which matters when you're doing inspection work, precision part assembly, or anything that gives QA teams nightmares.

Winner: RO1 has surgical-level precision, minus the med school debt.

Integrated vision

The TM12 includes 2D vision out of the box, which works well for detecting flat objects and supporting simple pick-and-place.

RO1 flexes full 3D machine vision, giving it depth perception, spatial tracking, and AI-assisted adjustments mid-cycle. 

Winner: RO1 because depth is kinda important when you live in a 3D world.

Programming interface

TM12 uses a clean graphical UI with block logic. It’s great for beginners but limited once you want anything beyond “grab, place, repeat.”

RO1 programs like GPT with a robot arm. Its AI-assisted interface lets you type out instructions in plain English, and the cobot translates that into motion plans. It’s not just no-code, it’s low-effort.

Winner: RO1 because it’s like ChatGPT for your shop floor.

Software extensibility

Techman’s TM12 is a closed ecosystem. What you get is what you get, which is fine if you never need to scale or integrate anything custom.

RO1 gives you open APIs, third-party module support, and even hooks for AI models or in-house tools. It’s the kind of flexibility that’s rare in cobots at any price.

Winner: RO1. Try it before you cry.

Pricing

TM12 comes in at about $34,000, which is fair for what you get, built-in vision, solid specs, and a known name.

RO1 costs $37K (list price). It offers better precision, higher payload, 3D vision, and AI-driven programming at nearly the same purchase cost. Check out our guide if you’re concerned about how much a robot arm costs. 

Winner: RO1 is more robot, less invoice.

User reviews

Here’s the thing about cobot reviews: nobody’s leaving Yelp stars next to a robot arm. But across Reddit threads, supplier chats, and engineering forums, there’s plenty of unfiltered insight into what it’s actually like to work with these two cobots. 

Techman TM12: What users think

On Qviro, one verified user summed up their TM12 experience like this: “Easy and intuitive to program, at the same time productive.” Setup is smooth, the documentation’s solid, and even non-engineers can get it running without rage-quitting. But not everything’s sunshine and servo grease. 

The same review called out issues with the camera vision, and uptime took a hit. Support gets five stars, but maintenance? Not so much.

Pros

• Very easy to program, even for beginners
  
• Great documentation and support
  
• Gets the job done in light-duty use cases
  
• User interface earns high marks

Cons

• Vision system drew complaints
  
• Maintenance and uptime scored 2/5, not exactly “set it and forget it”

RO1: What users think

RO1’s reviews come straight from the factory floor. 

Leo, a CNC operator with zero robotics background, learned to set up and operate RO1 faster than engineers using other cobots. He had it running like a boss in no time.  

Ultrafab’s product manager, Alan Radcliffe, also raved about the ability to run lights-out automation, quadrupling output on a bolt-hole cutting process thanks to RO1’s integration with a laser cutter. All that, plus easy reprogramming and fast project rollout. No fluff, just results.

Pros

• Leo ran it solo, and he’d never touched a robot before
  
• Henry called it “a no-brainer” compared to other cobots
  
• Ultrafab boosted output from 1,500 to 6,000 parts/day
  
• Fast setup, easy reprogramming, super clean documentation
  
• Affordable, so no CFO stress spiral

Cons

• Newer to the market, so not as many long-term case studies
  
• Might be overkill if all you need is label slapping or nut sorting

Use case fit: Which robot is right for you?

This isn’t a “depends on your application” dodge. You already know what your line looks like; we’re just here to call out which robot actually thrives in each environment.

Verdict: TM12 or RO1?

If your idea of automation is “teach it once and never touch it again,” the Techman TM12 gets the job done. It’s a solid Techman cobot with friendly programming and basic vision. It’s great if your setup never changes, and you don’t need AI or tight tolerances.

RO1 gives you more power, more accuracy, and more flexibility to adapt, scale, and iterate without calling an integrator every 5 minutes. It’s the best choice if you're looking at 2025 like you're trying to outperform half your competitors with one robot.

Choose TM12 if

• You’re already committed to the Techman cobot ecosystem
  
• Your jobs are low-variation and easy to automate
  
• You don’t need tight precision, leasing, or vision upgrades

Choose RO1 if

• You want AI-assisted programming, 3D vision, and fast redeployments
  
• You need higher payload, better repeatability, and open integration

Next steps with Standard Bots

Want to upgrade your automation game? Standard Bots’ RO1 is the perfect six-axis cobot addition to any shop floor, big or small.

• Affordable and adaptable: Available at half the cost of comparable robots, with a list price of $37K.
  
• Precision and power: With a repeatability of ±0.025 mm and an 18 kg payload, RO1 handles even the most demanding jobs, like welding, palletizing, and pick-and-place. You name it.
  
• AI-driven simplicity: Equipped with AI capabilities on par with GPT-4, RO1 integrates perfectly with production systems for even more advanced automation.
  
• Safety-first design: Machine vision and collision detection mean RO1 works safely alongside human operators.

Schedule your risk-free, 30-day on-site trial today and see how RO1 can bring AI-powered greatness to your shop floor.

FAQs

1. What is the payload of the Techman TM12?

12 kg, which is enough for assembly work, but not enough for heavier components. If your parts weigh more than a lunch tray, look elsewhere.

2. How does the TM12 compare to the Standard Bots RO1?

RO1 has more brains, brawn, and flexibility. TM12 is good if you like your cobot simple, sealed off, and mildly allergic to change.

3. Does the TM12 include integrated vision?

Yep, but it’s 2D, so it sees like an old webcam. Great for flat parts. Not so great for literally anything with depth.

4. Is RO1 easier to program than the TM12?

Yes, unless your dream is to click through a GUI while crying. RO1 uses AI to turn plain English into production logic.

5. What’s the best cobot for high-mix environments?

RO1. It reprograms in minutes, handles variable inputs, and doesn’t short-circuit when your BOM changes overnight.