FANUC and Yaskawa are the two largest servo drive manufacturers globally, with combined market share exceeding 40%. Whether you are maintaining a CNC machining center or building a robotic cell, choosing the right servo platform affects precision, uptime, and spare parts availability.
Product Line Comparison
| Series | FANUC | Yaskawa |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship | Alpha-i Series (A06B-6xxx) | Sigma-7 (SGD7S) |
| Mid-range | Beta-i Series (A06B-0xxx) | Sigma-5 (SGDV) |
| Budget | Beta-i SVPM | Sigma-II (SGDS) — Discontinued |
| Max Power | 60 kW | 55 kW |
| Resolution | 16 million p/rev | 16.7 million p/rev |
| Primary Market | CNC, machine tools | General automation, robotics |
Key Differences
FANUC Alpha-i servos are purpose-built for CNC applications and tightly integrated with FANUC CNCs (Series 0i, 30i, 31i). The A06B servo amplifiers feature proprietary FSSB (FANUC Serial Servo Bus) communication — lightning-fast but incompatible with third-party controllers. Browse FANUC A06B servo amplifiers →
Yaskawa Sigma-7 offers MECHATROLINK-III and EtherCAT connectivity, making it the more open platform. The SGD7S series supports vibration suppression, auto-tuning, and safety functions (STO) out of the box. Search Sigma-7 inventory →
Sourcing Discontinued Models
Sigma-II (SGDS) and older Alpha-i models are discontinued but still in heavy use. The A06B-6079, A06B-6089, and A06B-6114 amplifier families are particularly sought after for legacy CNC retrofits. ZZSL specializes in sourcing these hard-to-find drives. Contact us for availability →