AR4 (MK5) vs OpenMANIPULATOR-X (RM-X52-TNM)
Cost, parts and difficulty side by side.
| AR4 (MK5) | OpenMANIPULATOR-X (RM-X52-TNM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $1,200 to $2,300 | $1,710 to $2,160 |
| Difficulty | advanced | intermediate |
| Parts | 94 | 43 |
| 3D printing | yes | no |
| Kits available | 8 | 3 |
| Made by | Annin Robotics (Chris Annin) | ROBOTIS |
| Full list | AR4 (MK5) parts list | OpenMANIPULATOR-X (RM-X52-TNM) parts list |
AR4 (MK5)
Desktop six axis arm with machined aluminum links, geared closed loop steppers and a Teensy controller, built from kits or self-sourced parts.
OpenMANIPULATOR-X (RM-X52-TNM)
Five-servo DYNAMIXEL desktop arm with a parallel gripper and full ROS 2 support, often paired with TurtleBot3 for teaching.
The short answer
AR4 costs less to start: about $1,200 against $1,710 in parts. OpenMANIPULATOR-X has the shorter parts list (43 lines against 94). AR4: The AR4 manual gives conflicting motor part numbers (BOM vs DIP switch table). Check the motor list in Mistakes builders make before ordering.
Motors and servos
AR4
- 1 x StepperOnline 17HS15-1684D-EG10-AR4 geared stepper
- 1 x StepperOnline 23HS22-2804D-YGS50-AR4 geared stepper
- 1 x StepperOnline 17HS15-1684D-EG50-AR4 geared stepper
- 1 x StepperOnline 11HS20-0674D-EGS16-AR4 geared stepper
- 1 x StepperOnline linear stepper for J5 (17E19S1684MB4-200RS-AR4 in the current package)
- 1 x StepperOnline 14HS11-1004D-EGS20-AR4 geared stepper
OpenMANIPULATOR-X
- 5 x DYNAMIXEL XM430-W350-T