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Start with the robot’s remaining service life: repair, upgrade, refurbishment or component reuse can preserve more value than breaking it down for materials. Recycle only what cannot be safely and legally reused, using the exact model documentation and a qualified treatment facility. The right route depends on the robot, its configuration and the rules where it is located.
Choose the end-of-life route in reuse-first order
Industrial robots are complex assets, not just scrap metal. Evaluate each option before committing the whole unit to material recovery:
- Keep it in service: assess maintenance and repair if the robot can continue its current job safely.
- Upgrade or retrofit: a control, component or application change may extend useful life without replacing the complete system.
- Ask about manufacturer buy-back or refurbishment: ABB describes repair, spare parts, upgrades, retrofits and buy-back; its buy-back service may lead to refurbishment, reuse or recycling. Confirm eligible models, territory, inspection criteria and terms with the provider. ABB Robotics circular-economy services states that “60-80% of a robot can be reused.” This is ABB’s vendor claim on a localized service page, not a general or independently verified rate for all robots.
- Prepare the whole robot or usable components for reuse: establish condition, safety and any applicable legal requirements before offering equipment or parts for another use.
- Recover materials: send what is unsuitable for reuse to a permitted or approved treatment route that can separate and document the relevant streams.
ABB also says on its service page that refurbishing a robot produces 75% less CO2 than producing a new one and that it has remanufactured more than 12,000 robots in the last 25 years. Treat both as ABB-reported figures: the page does not state a methodology or applicability range for the emissions comparison, and its date is not specified for the cumulative remanufacturing total.
Identify materials from the exact model documentation
There is no established universal material breakdown by weight for industrial robots. Check the manuals for the precise robot and configuration rather than assuming all models contain the same materials or recoverable quantities.
#1 Best Overall
- 【End-to-End Imitation Learning】Hiwonder SO-ARM101 robot arm is an embodied intelligent hardware platform compatible with the Lerobot open-source framework. It provides developers with streamlined access to shared code, templates, and pre-trained models to explore the latest advancements in AI research.
- 【Dual-Camera Vision System】Equipped with both a gripper-mounted camera and an external camera, the system supports both precise manipulation and environmental awareness for accurate imitation learning.
- 【Hiwonder High-Performance Bus Servos】Featuring 12 high-torque bus servo motors with magnetic feedback, the Hiwonder SO-Arm101 robotic arm delivers smooth, stable motion, eliminating issues like power deficiency and jitter.
- 【Professional Control & Debugging】Integrated with the Hiwonder BusLinker V3.0 debugging board, the system supports servo scanning, real-time status monitoring, and trajectory control. The professional PC software simplifies device calibration and debugging, making it accessible for both researchers and hobbyists.
- 【Open-Source Compatibility】The SO-ARM101 robotic arm is designed to be fully compatible with the LeRobot open-source project. We acknowledge the contributions of the open-source community; all trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners.
ABB manuals illustrate the range. The IRB 7600 material table identifies aluminum in covers and synchronization brackets; copper in cables and motors; cast or nodular iron in the base and arms; neodymium in brakes and motors; nickel in a turning disc; gearbox oil and grease; plastics and rubber in cables, connectors and drive belts; and steel in gears, screws and the base frame. The IRB 5710 table also lists lithium batteries, brass/zinc alloys, circuit boards and dysprosium. These are model-specific examples, not a bill of materials for every robot. ABB robot manuals
Potentially distinct streams include bulk ferrous and non-ferrous metals, motors, electronics, batteries, lubricants and plastics or mixed fractions. Ask the treatment provider which materials it can identify and separate, how it handles batteries and oils, and how downstream recovery is documented. The available evidence does not establish typical material quantities, market value, recovery rates or whether rare-earth elements will be economically recovered from any particular robot.
Rank #2
- 【3 Master Control】Three master controls to choose from, one for educational robotic arms that seamlessly integrates with the Jetson Nano/Orin Nano Super/Orin NX Super ecosystem.Build and run Ubuntu 22.04 based on 3 main controls, making it an ideal development tool for developing robots and programming.Equipped with Orin Nano Super and Orin NX Super, it supports multiple fields such as robot algorithm development and ROS simulation learning.
- 【UR-type mechanical structure】The 7axis collaborative robot developed for user-defined programming has greater flexibility than traditional robotic arms.The smooth body and adaptive gripper have a larger range of motion and can reach more and more precise positioning.Using AI to control its movement and speed, it can achieve millimeter-level positioning and operation.It can work safely with people,is compact, and has many interfaces,making it a collaborative partner on your desktop.
- 【Programmable&ROS system】Explore the possibilities of RoboFlow,the industrial robot software of elephan-t robot.Relying on the original Jetson Nano open source ecosystem,Jetcobot provides rich development interfaces, Python driver libraries and built-in ROS environment to make your development easier and faster. It supports multiple programming languages, various software interaction methods and is for a wide range of app. Explore the unlimited potential of this collaborative robot arm.
- 【AI Vision&Remote Control】Equipped with wooden blocks and stickers,it can realize recognition, tracking, and grasping actions, fully reflecting the AI-Type characteristics of the robot arm. Most functions can be operated through a multi-function app (Android);equipped with a USB game controller remote control to achieve the best control experience;create Jupyter Lab pages online.The APP cannot control the gripper,it is recommended to use a USB controller.
- 【Tutorials】All information and instructions are in English.We provide high-quality technical support services. If you need help, please contact Yahboom.Jetcobot is recommended for individuals with a basic understanding of programming, not for beginners.Considering the threshold of product use,we strongly recommend that you read the instructions carefully before operation.Please pay attention to the power adapters in the list.If you use them interchangeably, they will burn out.
Decommission safely before transport or dismantling
Use the exact robot and controller procedures, together with a competent site risk assessment. A robot may contain stored energy, heavy components and hazardous substances; ordinary consumer disposal advice is not an adequate decommissioning plan.
For example, ABB’s IRB 365 manual warns that a battery exposed to heat can explode, gearbox oil or grease can catch fire, and the robot can collapse if a motor is removed before it is adequately supported. These warnings are specific to the cited manual, but they show why component-removal order and model-specific instructions matter. ABB robot manuals
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Rank #3
- Optimized AI Arm Kit for LeRobot & Hugging Face Projects – The SO-ARM101 is an upgraded low-cost robotic arm servo motor kit designed for AI robotics enthusiasts and developers. Fully compatible with LeRobot and Hugging Face frameworks, it supports imitation learning and reinforcement learning, making it ideal for real-world robotics applications. (3D-printed parts not included.)
- Enhanced Wiring & Performance – Compared to the SO-ARM100, the SO-ARM101 features improved wiring to prevent disconnection at joint 3 and eliminates range-of-motion limitations. The leader arm uses optimized gear ratio motors for smoother performance—no external gearboxes required.
- Real-Time Leader-Follower Functionality – New real-time tracking allows the leader arm to follow the follower arm, enabling human intervention and correction during reinforcement learning (RL) training. Perfect for hands-on AI robotics development and research.
- Open-Source, DIY-Friendly & Nvidia-Compatible – Developed by TheRobotStudio, this open-source AI Arm kit integrates seamlessly with the LeRobot platform, offering PyTorch-based datasets, simulation, training, and deployment tools. Fully compatible with Nvidia Jetson edge devices, including reComputer Mini J4012 Orin NX 16 GB.
- Comprehensive Learning Resources – Includes detailed open-source assembly and calibration guides, testing tutorials, and deployment instructions. From wiring to AI training, get everything you need to start building, teaching, and optimizing your robotic arm for grasping and placing tasks.
- Identify the robot, controller, configuration, modifications and attached tooling; obtain the applicable manuals and revisions.
- Plan isolation and handling under site procedures, including support for heavy assemblies and controlled motor removal.
- Plan separate, appropriate handling for batteries, oils and grease rather than assuming they can enter a general metal stream.
- Do not dismantle or certify a unit for reuse unless the people and facility involved are competent and the applicable requirements are met.
Determine whether the equipment is reusable or waste
Legal status depends on jurisdiction and circumstances. In the UK, equipment becomes waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) when its holder discards it, intends to discard it or is required to discard it. Simply hoping to sell a discarded robot does not by itself establish that it remains reusable. UK guidance on WEEE and preparing it for reuse
For UK WEEE prepared for reuse, the cited guidance calls for visual inspection, a persistent organic pollutants (POPs) assessment, electrical-safety tests and functional tests. These are UK requirements and do not substitute for checking the rules that apply at the robot’s location.
Rank #4
- Optimized AI Arm Kit for LeRobot & Hugging Face Projects – The SO-ARM101 is an upgraded low-cost robotic arm servo motor kit designed for AI robotics enthusiasts and developers. Fully compatible with LeRobot and Hugging Face frameworks, it supports imitation learning and reinforcement learning, making it ideal for real-world robotics applications. (3D-printed parts not included.)
- Enhanced Wiring & Performance – Compared to the SO-ARM100, the SO-ARM101 features improved wiring to prevent disconnection at joint 3 and eliminates range-of-motion limitations. The leader arm uses optimized gear ratio motors for smoother performance—no external gearboxes required
- Real-Time Leader-Follower Functionality – New real-time tracking allows the leader arm to follow the follower arm, enabling human intervention and correction during reinforcement learning (RL) training. Perfect for hands-on AI robotics development and research
- Open-Source, DIY-Friendly & Nvidia-Compatible – Developed by TheRobotStudio, this open-source AI Arm kit integrates seamlessly with the LeRobot platform, offering PyTorch-based datasets, simulation, training, and deployment tools. Fully compatible with Nvidia Jetson edge devices, including reComputer Mini J4012 Orin NX 16 GB
- Comprehensive Learning Resources – Includes detailed open-source assembly and calibration guides, testing tutorials, and deployment instructions. From wiring to AI training, get everything you need to start building, teaching, and optimizing your robotic arm for grasping and placing tasks
In the EU, the WEEE framework promotes separate collection and appropriate treatment and sets recovery and recycling targets by category. The European Commission says WEEE can contain hazardous mixtures as well as valuable critical raw materials. Its figures—5 million tonnes collected in the EU in 2022 and 11.2 kg per person that year—refer to WEEE overall, not industrial robots. European Commission: Waste electrical and electronic equipment
Select a qualified treatment partner and document the outcome
Before arranging transport, check that the receiving facility is permitted or approved for the relevant waste and treatment activities. Ask for a route-specific explanation of what will happen to the robot, controller cabinet, motors, circuit boards, batteries, lubricants and separated metal fractions.
- Confirm the waste classification and any required permits, approvals and transport paperwork for the actual robot or cell.
- Ask which parts may be reused or refurbished and which will be treated as waste.
- Check the provider’s battery and lubricant handling, material characterization and downstream processors.
- Request records appropriate to the route, such as asset identification, weights, transfer or consignment records, treatment description, downstream processor details and evidence of final recovery or disposal.
UK guidance for permitted WEEE facilities requires treatment to maximize recycling and recovery when equipment is not prepared for reuse. Its evidence guidance describes input/output records and downstream audit trails; it also addresses battery-weight deductions from WEEE evidence. These provisions are jurisdiction-specific. The same guidance excludes large-scale stationary industrial tools from the cited category 6 row for electrical and electronic tools, so do not assign a robot, robot cell, controller or industrial installation to that category or apply a target without checking the definition and regulator guidance. UK WEEE evidence and national compliance fee guidance UK permitted WEEE treatment guidance
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