A robot base-load table is not a foundation design

The table ends at the robot base

A manufacturer's base-load table can state forces and moments at the robot interface without establishing that a floor, pedestal, wall, ceiling or mobile structure is suitable. The load still has to pass through fasteners, a plate or stand, anchors and the existing structure while meeting strength, stiffness, vibration, fatigue and installation requirements.

Treat the table as one configured input to qualified site design. The buyer needs a traceable load case, a complete load path, named structural ownership and evidence that the as-built installation matches the approved design.

Use the exact load case and configuration

Universal Robots' current UR18 documentation says base forces and moments depend on the robot model, program and other factors. It publishes separate normal-operation and stopping-motion cases and says stand sizing must account for category 0, 1 and 2 stops. These are UR manufacturer requirements for documented configurations, not universal load values or proof of a proposed structure.

• Exact robot variant, mounting orientation, controller and software, external axes, dress pack, adapters, tool and every workpiece load state.
• Source document and revision, coordinate frame, sign convention, units and the meaning of normal, stop, emergency or other published cases.
• Actual paths, positions, speed and acceleration limits, payload, centre of gravity, inertia and expected cycle count.
• Whether each value is a manufacturer maximum, a simulation result or a calculation for the proposed program.
• Relevant process, collision, maintenance or lifting loads and the changes that reopen structural review.

Design strength, stiffness, vibration and fatigue separately

UR identifies static stiffness, dynamic stiffness and resonance, fatigue and tip-over as separate stand-design considerations. Its model-family recommendations remain manufacturer guidance, not a universal structural code or independently verified site result.

• Static strength of the stand, plate, joints, anchors and supporting structure under the governing load combinations.
• Overturning and sliding stability, including any portable or mobile base and the states in which it can move.
• Deflection at the mounting interface and its effect on path, teaching, process output and connected equipment.
• Natural frequencies and vibration from robot motion, nearby machines and flexible floors or mezzanines.
• Fatigue from the duty profile, reversals, stops and expected service life rather than only one peak-load check.

Specify the complete interface and site structure

ABB's IRB 365 Revision C manual separates operational foundation loads from foundation requirements, suitable fastening, leveling and checks after securing the frame. ABB's IRB 4600 Foundry Prime and IRB 5710 manuals likewise distinguish published robot loads from plate, concrete fastening and leveling work. These are first-party instructions for named ABB products; they do not design or approve a buyer's structure or anchors.

• Robot base surface, specified bolts and positioning pins, tightening method and torque or preload requirements.
• Plate, stand or frame material, geometry, welds, joints, grout or shims and the permitted installation tolerances.
• Anchor type, spacing, edge distance, substrate condition and reinforcement information required by the responsible structural engineer.
• Levelness, flatness, cleanliness, survey points and reference features needed for installation and future remounting.
• The existing slab, mezzanine, wall, ceiling or machine structure, including joints, cracks, embedded services and known modifications.

Keep utilities, access and maintainability visible

A mounting design can meet a calculation and still be impractical to construct, inspect or maintain. Put these site constraints into the requirement brief before comparing installation offers or freezing layout.

• Robot and workpiece envelope plus anchor drilling, base-plate edges, cable trenches, utility entry and controller or isolation points.
• Delivery and lifting routes, temporary construction loads and space to position or remove the robot safely.
• Guarding, inspection access and the clearances needed for fastener checks, maintenance and major component replacement.
• Floor joints, drains, pits, waterproofing, contamination and restrictions that affect drilling, grouting or inspection.
• Owners for robot-load data, structural design, anchor selection, construction, inspection, deviations and final approval.

Verify the as-built installation

ISO 10218-2:2025 publicly covers industrial robot applications and cells through integration, commissioning, operation and maintenance. That scope supports treating mounting as part of the integrated application; it does not provide a foundation formula here or certify a particular installation.

• Confirm the actual structure, anchors, fasteners, torque or preload method, grout or shims, level and robot location against approved drawings.
• Preserve structural calculations, material and anchor records, surveys, inspections, photos, deviations and approvals with the exact robot configuration.
• Commission with controlled motion and representative loads while checking unexpected movement, vibration, protective stops, alignment and output effects.
• Review after collision, anchor or foundation damage, relocation, re-leveling, structural modification or persistent vibration.
• Reopen evidence after material changes to the robot, mounting orientation, tooling, payload, program, speed or acceleration.

Keep every claim inside its evidence boundary

ISO is authoritative for the public scope and status of its standard. ABB and Universal Robots are authoritative for their own load tables, mounting instructions and product guidance. A manufacturer-rated load remains tied to its model, orientation, definitions and revision; it is not independent verification of the site's structure.

RobotAtom can record load sources, configuration, site requirements, evidence types, structural ownership, unknowns and required validation. It does not design foundations, approve structures, certify installation, validate robot safety or establish regulatory compliance. Qualified site, structural, integration and safety owners must decide what applies and whether the evidence is sufficient.