Used Robot for Education - Is donation a thing and if so - who do I talk to?

    I've been bugging administration to get me more fanuc robots for my classes and they haven't been very receptive.


    We've gotten donations of $30k (original cost) servers or $40k (original cost) worth of computers before and the companies that donated them made out big on the tax writeoffs, but I wouldn't know where to start with robots.


    Any ideas on the best place to start looking?

    No, I meant donation from companies. Used robots that the companies would otherwise sell off.


    The tax writeoffs are often just as valuable as selling off the robots at auction.


    I just don't know who to talk to at companies. Engineers? Asset management? IT people?

    Recently they were selling off their used stock. Robots that were used for Fanuc demos and R&D testing. We just bought a M-1A for 66% off. All are functioning and quite capable for learning. I could see Fanuc donating one of theses. They had most models available.

    Does Fanuc still charge "re-licensing" fees to people who have second-hand Fanucs? Or did they stop that practice?


    Or, maybe they're more lenient with educational institutions?


    Regardless, for any brand, used robots are a bit of a crapshoot. Try to avoid older, outdated controllers. If you are getting units old enough that spare parts might be hard to get, try to get several of the same robot and controller models, so you can strip some for spare parts (honestly, sticking to common units would be a good idea anyway). Try to avoid "custom" robots that have been modified uniquely to a particular customer. And try really hard to get the install media, wiring diagrams, and manuals for the robots you're getting (or check with the manufacturer for availability of same -- they're usually fairly generous with those materials for .edu)

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