How to operate a Robotiq Epick vacuum gripper using a ROS ur script command interface?

ROS
1

Hi All,

I am trying to control the Robotiq Epick gripper which is connected to my UR5e robot. I am using ROS (ur_robot_driver) to communicate with the robot. I am curious about how to use the Robotiq URScript commands to control the gripper.

I have tried following commands and similar others but it did not work for me.

rostopic pub /ur_hardware_interface/script_command std_msgs/String "data: 'rq_activate_and_wait ()'"

Can you please help me to control the end effector using the URScript commands? Please let me know if I am not doing this correctly.

Thanks.

2

To send URScript commands to an e-Series robot, the robot needs to be in remote_control mode. See this explanation for details.

3

Hi,

I have used the above command after putting the robot into the remote control mode. I am able to send other URScript commands except the end-effector specific. I have also installed the URCap for Robotiq.

4

But for controlling the robot via ROS, it must be in local control mode. Then how can one combine ROS control (via local control mode) and sending UR scripts (via remote control mode)?

5

We can control the robot using ROS in both remote and local control mode. In order to use the dashboard services using ROS, robot must be connected in remote control mode.

6

Thank you for your answer mpadhiya. I managed to make it work!

7

Hi Alex,

were you able to control the end-effector also using ROS interface?