Modbus TCP interaction for custom effector

xArm/850 Troubleshooting
1

If I have external hardware controlling my custom gripper by passing it commands via the Modbus TCP, (through the 12 pin plug) what is the server/slave relationship?

Is it:
1. xArm (server), End effector (slave), External hardware (slave)
2. xArm (server), End effector (slave), External hardware (server)
3. xArm (slave), End effector (slave), External hardware (server)
4. xArm (slave), End effector (server), External hardware (slave)

Or should it be handled a completely different way?

According to the documentation, I can control the XArm and the custom gripper via the Python SDK, but it seems easier to just control the gripper and let xArm studio generate the xArm code. Is this correct?

2

Hello, I have two questions to confirm with you:

  1. What hardware does the external hardware refer to?
  2. does the custom gripper support the Modbus TCP communication protocol?
    The studio only control the motion of the xArm.
3

Currently the hardware is Arduino, but it shouldn’t matter.

I am designing the custom gripper and my question is about how to implement the Modbus protocol on the gripper.

Since the RS485 port doesn’t currently do anything, do I have any other choice but Modbus?

4

Hello,you can refer to the article:http://help.xarm.cc/en/articles/3997200-guide-to-use-the-robotiq-gripper-on-xarm

5

That is a useful article and combines some of the information in the user manuals in one convenient place.

However, it doesn’t answer the question of how to set up the gripper’s Modbus protocol. Robotiq doesn’t say if their gripper is set up as a master or a slave.

6

Hello Farm,
You can refer to page 43 of xArm developer manual about the Modbus protocol.
The URL of the developer manual: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/6979/2886/files/xArm_Developer_Manual.pdf?v=1597982510#page=43&zoom=100,176,676