Setting Up a DH Robotics Gripper - Alternative Approaches

Setting Up a DH Robotics Gripper - Alternative Approaches

Overview

This article outlines two alternative approaches to setting up a DH gripper when connection to the 5-pin port at the flange of a Fairino cobot is unavailable or not desired.
Instead of using the default method for connecting the gripper to the cobot, you can either:

  • Use your computer as the central controller for both the cobot and the gripper, without requiring a direct connection between them (Option 1)

  • Connect the gripper directly to the cobot’s control box via IO wiring, bypassing the end-plate connection (Option 2).

Please note that these methods are workarounds and are not the standard recommended connection method. For the standard approach, please refer to the following article  DH Robotics AG Gripper.

Option A) Connect the gripper to your PC

If you have access to an RS-485 connector similar to the one shown below, you can use it to connect the gripper directly to your laptop.
In this setup, you can control both the cobot and the gripper through a Python script, eliminating the need for a physical wire connection between the cobot and the gripper.

You will need an additional Python module (pymodbus) to control the gripper. Using this module, you can send and receive data to and from the gripper.
With this setup, both the cobot and the gripper can be controlled through a single Python script, eliminating the need for a direct physical connection between them.




Option B) Connect the gripper directly to the control box (IO wiring)

This method involves wiring the IO lines from the gripper directly to the cobot’s control box.
Please ensure that each pin is connected correctly — for example, 24V to 24V, GND to GND, etc.
Depending on your application, you may also need to configure some logic inside the cobot program to send commands through the IO ports.


Please also make sure that the gripper is set to IO Mode.
You can do this by opening the gripper debugging software and enabling the IO mode in the configuration menu, as shown below.






Option C) Connect the gripper directly to the control box (Modbus RTU)

In this method, the user can utilize the RS485 port available on the control box to establish Modbus RTU communication between the port and column 10, as shown in the figure below.



Once connected, standard Modbus RTU commands can be used. For example, ModbusRegWrite(ar1,ar2,ar3,ar4,ar5,ar5); and ModbusRegRead(ar1,ar2,ar3,ar4,ar5,ar5); can be executed to control the gripper (e.g., opening it) or to read data from its registers. Please note that this approach requires accurate knowledge of the gripper’s register addresses and corresponding values.

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