Connect the UR5e and gripper

Prerequisites: ROS 2 environment, reviewed robot network/settings, an installed RTDE interface, and an external gripper controller. Outcome: understand the supplied robot/gripper integration and ownership.

1. Configure the arm

ROBOT_TYPE=ur5e
ROBOT_IP=192.168.1.10
GTA_BACKEND=ros2

The address is an example default; set your actual robot’s address. Review the robot’s TCP, payload, operating mode, safety limits, and network access using its vendor documentation. Follow the UR RTDE documentation for installation and controller prerequisites.

The state reader uses RTDE Receive. The motion server uses RTDE Control directly for servo and force control. Do not run another trajectory controller, GTA server, or standalone reset script against the same arm concurrently.

2. Configure the selected gripper

GRIPPER_TYPE=robotiq
ROS2_GRIPPER_ACTION_NAME=/robotiq_gripper_controller/gripper_cmd
ROS2_GRIPPER_WAIT_TIMEOUT_S=10.0

Start the external gripper driver/action server using its own instructions. The ROS 2 client requires control_msgs/action/GripperCommand. Use read-only graph inspection to check the name and type:

ros2 action list -t
ros2 action info /robotiq_gripper_controller/gripper_cmd

The bundled ROS 2 Robotiq adapter uses deployment-specific normalized positions: open 0.0, closed 0.85, half-open 0.425, with maximum effort 165. Do not interpret these as metres or assume another GripperCommand server uses the same convention. Review/adapt the selected gripper backend before sending any goal. The GTA command topic itself uses 1=open and 0=closed.

3. Let managed execution own the GTA server

Start main.py or library.py from the sourced environment. Managed Run starts the selected server and waits for subscriptions, gripper availability, RTDE Control, and a valid RTDE Receive pose before declaring readiness.

The server preserves this terminal readiness marker:

[UR5e Server] Waiting for skill execution commands...

It also sends a structured readiness event to its supervisor. Merely printing the earlier “Subscribed” line is not sufficient readiness.

For a deliberately reviewed standalone workflow, the launcher is:

python -m scene.robot.server

Warning

The standalone command connects robot control, initializes the server, and can accept motion commands. It is not an offline diagnostic. Do not run it alongside dashboard-managed execution.

Helper launch options such as --operation reset_joints require the GUI supervisor’s private control channel. They are not standalone terminal shortcuts. Workcell-specific utilities are described in the repository’s scripts/ur5e/README.md.

Verify: the external gripper interface is correct, no competing controller owns the arm, and managed startup reaches readiness. Continue with script review and execution.