Work out robot arm reach instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Maximum reach is the sum of the link lengths plus the tool offset and the shoulder offset. Equally important is the inner dead zone: the arm cannot fold past |L1 - L2|, so there is a sphere close to the base it can never enter, which is why parts are never placed directly under the shoulder.
Arm reach
max reach = L1 + L2 + tool + base offset; min reach = |L1 - (L2 + tool)|
The elbow cannot hyperextend, so with equal links the arm folds to zero but with unequal links a minimum radius remains that no joint combination can reach.
No. At full extension the arm is singular, stiffness is lowest and payload capacity falls, so working reach is typically 80-90% of geometric reach.