diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 67bca16a77..16d86a04b8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+* Added `Robot.from_urdf()` method to load a robot from a URDF file, can optionally take SRDF and meshes.
 * Added `compas_fab.robots.Waypoints` class to represent a sequence of targets. It has two child classes: `FrameWaypoints` and `PointAxisWaypoints`.
 * Added `compas_fab.robots.Target` class to represent a motion planning target.
 * Added also child classes `FrameTarget`, `PointAxisTarget`, `ConfigurationTarget`, `ConstraintSetTarget`
diff --git a/src/compas_fab/robots/robot.py b/src/compas_fab/robots/robot.py
index 54b60a7021..cdc182de9b 100644
--- a/src/compas_fab/robots/robot.py
+++ b/src/compas_fab/robots/robot.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import random
+import compas_fab
 
 from compas.data import Data
 from compas.geometry import Frame
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
 from compas_robots import Configuration
 from compas_robots import RobotModel
 from compas_robots.model import Joint
+from compas_robots.resources import LocalPackageMeshLoader
 
 from compas_fab.robots.constraints import Constraint
 
@@ -110,6 +112,49 @@ def __from_data__(cls, data):
         robot.attributes = attributes
         return robot
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_urdf(cls, urdf_filename, srdf_filename=None, local_package_mesh_folder=None, client=None):
+        # type: (str, Optional[str], Optional[str], Optional[ClientInterface]) -> Robot
+        """Create a robot from URDF.
+        Optionally, SRDF can be provided to load semantics and a local package mesh folder to load mesh geometry.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        urdf_filename : :obj:`str`
+            Path to the URDF file.
+        srdf_filename : :obj:`str`, optional
+            Path to the SRDF file to load semantics. Default is `None`.
+        local_package_mesh_folder : :obj:`str`, optional
+            Path to the local package mesh folder.
+            If the path is provided, the geometry of the robot is loaded from this folder.
+            Default is `None`, which means that the geometry is not loaded.
+        client : :class:`compas_fab.backends.interfaces.ClientInterface`, optional
+            Backend client provided for the . Default is `None`.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        :class:`compas_fab.robots.Robot`
+            Newly created instance of the robot.
+
+        """
+        # NOTE: This import is here to avoid circular imports
+        from compas_fab.robots import RobotSemantics
+
+        model = RobotModel.from_urdf_file(urdf_filename)
+
+        if srdf_filename:
+            semantics = RobotSemantics.from_srdf_file(srdf_filename, model)
+        else:
+            semantics = None
+
+        if local_package_mesh_folder:
+            loader = LocalPackageMeshLoader(compas_fab.get(local_package_mesh_folder), "")
+            model.load_geometry(loader)
+
+        robot = cls(model, semantics=semantics, client=client)
+
+        return robot
+
     @property
     def scene_object(self):
         """Scene object used to visualize robot model."""
diff --git a/src/compas_fab/robots/robot_library.py b/src/compas_fab/robots/robot_library.py
index d89739316b..0662b9a682 100644
--- a/src/compas_fab/robots/robot_library.py
+++ b/src/compas_fab/robots/robot_library.py
@@ -2,12 +2,8 @@
 from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-from compas_robots import RobotModel
-from compas_robots.resources import LocalPackageMeshLoader
-
 import compas_fab
-from .robot import Robot
-from .semantics import RobotSemantics
+from compas_fab.robots import Robot
 
 __all__ = [
     "RobotLibrary",
@@ -32,26 +28,6 @@ class RobotLibrary(object):
     'ur5_robot'
     """
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _load_library_model(
-        cls, urdf_filename, srdf_filename, local_package_mesh_folder, client=None, load_geometry=True
-    ):
-        """Convenience method for loading robot from local cache directory."""
-
-        model = RobotModel.from_urdf_file(urdf_filename)
-        semantics = RobotSemantics.from_srdf_file(srdf_filename, model)
-
-        if load_geometry:
-            loader = LocalPackageMeshLoader(compas_fab.get(local_package_mesh_folder), "")
-            model.load_geometry(loader)
-
-        robot = Robot(model, semantics=semantics)
-
-        if client:
-            robot.client = client
-
-        return robot
-
     @classmethod
     def rfl(cls, client=None, load_geometry=True):
         """Create and return the RFL robot with 4 ABB irb 4600 and twin-gantry setup.
@@ -72,12 +48,11 @@ def rfl(cls, client=None, load_geometry=True):
             Newly created instance of the robot.
         """
 
-        robot = cls._load_library_model(
+        robot = Robot.from_urdf(
             urdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/rfl/urdf/robot_description.urdf"),
             srdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/rfl/robot_description_semantic.srdf"),
-            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/rfl",
+            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/rfl" if load_geometry else None,
             client=client,
-            load_geometry=load_geometry,
         )
 
         return robot
@@ -102,12 +77,11 @@ def ur5(cls, client=None, load_geometry=True):
             Newly created instance of the robot.
         """
 
-        robot = cls._load_library_model(
+        robot = Robot.from_urdf(
             urdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/ur5_robot/urdf/robot_description.urdf"),
             srdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/ur5_robot/robot_description_semantic.srdf"),
-            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/ur5_robot",
+            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/ur5_robot" if load_geometry else None,
             client=client,
-            load_geometry=load_geometry,
         )
 
         return robot
@@ -132,12 +106,11 @@ def ur10e(cls, client=None, load_geometry=True):
             Newly created instance of the robot.
         """
 
-        robot = cls._load_library_model(
+        robot = Robot.from_urdf(
             urdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/ur10e_robot/urdf/robot_description.urdf"),
             srdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/ur10e_robot/robot_description_semantic.srdf"),
-            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/ur10e_robot",
+            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/ur10e_robot" if load_geometry else None,
             client=client,
-            load_geometry=load_geometry,
         )
 
         return robot
@@ -162,12 +135,11 @@ def abb_irb4600_40_255(cls, client=None, load_geometry=True):
             Newly created instance of the robot.
         """
 
-        robot = cls._load_library_model(
+        robot = Robot.from_urdf(
             urdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/abb_irb4600_40_255/urdf/robot_description.urdf"),
             srdf_filename=compas_fab.get("robot_library/abb_irb4600_40_255/robot_description_semantic.srdf"),
-            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/abb_irb4600_40_255",
+            local_package_mesh_folder="robot_library/abb_irb4600_40_255" if load_geometry else None,
             client=client,
-            load_geometry=load_geometry,
         )
 
         return robot