Mecademic MEGP 25E User manual

MEGP 25E/25LS ELECTRIC PARALLEL GRIPPERS
USER MANUAL
For Firmware Version 9.3.x
Document Revision: A
May 29, 2023

The information contained herein is the property of Mecademic and shall not be reproduced
in whole or in part without prior written approval of Mecademic. The information herein
is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by
Mecademic. This manual will be periodically reviewed and revised.
While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in this publication, no responsibility
can be accepted for errors or omissions. Data may change, as well as legislation, and you
are strongly advised to obtain copies of the most recently issued regulations, standards, and
guidelines.
This document is not intended to form the basis of a contract.
Original instructions
© Copyright 2015–2023 Mecademic

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) i
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................1
1.1. Inside the box................................................................................................................................................1
2. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................................................................2
3. DESIGNING AND MOUNTING THE FINGERS ..................................................................................................3
3.1. MEGP25E mounting diagrams ....................................................................................................................3
3.2. MEGP25LS mounting diagrams ..................................................................................................................4
4. INSTALLING THE GRIPPER ............................................................................................................................6
4.1. Installation steps ..........................................................................................................................................6
4.2. Gripper LEDs ................................................................................................................................................8
5. OPERATING THE GRIPPERS...........................................................................................................................9
5.1. Firmware update ..........................................................................................................................................9
5.2. Safety ............................................................................................................................................................9
5.3. Activation, homing and E-Stop.....................................................................................................................9
5.4. Maintenance ...............................................................................................................................................10

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) iii
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
This user manual describes how to install and operate the MEGP 25E and MEGP 25LS (MEGP 25*) electric
grippers onto the Meca500 (R3 & R4) industrial robot arm. You must read this manual thoroughly before
installing or operating the MEGP 25* grippers.
Symbol definitions
The following table lists the symbols that may be used in Mecademic documents to denote certain
conditions. Particular attention must be paid to the warning messages in this manual.
SYMBOL DEFINITION
NOTICE. Identies information that requires special consideration.
!
CAUTION. Provides indications that must be respected in order to avoid equipment or work
(data) on the system being damaged or lost.
!
WARNING. Provides indications that must be respected in order to avoid a potentially hazardous
situation, which could result in injury.

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) 1
INTRODUCTION
1. INTRODUCTION
The MEGP 25E and MEGP 25LS grippers (MEGP 25* grippers) are electric parallel grippers developed by
Mecademic and Schunk specifically for the Meca500 (R3 & R4) robot arm. The MEGP 25* grippers use a
removable connector cable.
Familiarity with the Meca500 robot and its user manual is required prior to installing and using
the grippers.
!
Improper installation of the grippers could seriously damage the Meca500 and the grippers
themselves. These grippers should therefore be used only by technical personnel who are
familiar with the Meca500.
1.1. Inside the box
Each of the two gripper models is supplied either individually or with the Meca500. In both cases, the
gripper is delivered in an anti-static bag containing the standard kit:
-1 MEGP 25E or 1 MEGP 25LS gripper;
-1 MGC-SS35 35-mm communication cable with straight connectors or
1 MGC-AA25 25-mm communication cable with 90° connectors;
-1 MEGP25-TAP adapter plate (made of non-anodized aluminum) for attaching the gripper to the
Meca500’s mechanical interface (ange);
-4 M3X0.5 Torx at head screws of length 8 mm;
-2 M2.5X0.45 socket head screws of length 20 mm.
Note that we also oer an optional 90° adapter plate for each of the two grippers:
M500-ATAP01 (for the MEGP 25E) and M500-ATAP02 (for the MEGP 25LS).
We do not supply gripper ngers. These must be designed and machined based on the
workpiece that needs to be handled.

2 User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
2. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Table 1 lists the main technical specifications for both electric grippers. Further specifications are
provided in the next section.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Characteristic Value for MEGP 25E Value for MEGP 25LS
Maximum weight per finger 0.02 kg 0.02 kg
Maximum gripping force 40 N 40 N
Recommended maximum
workpiece weight
0.2 kg 0.2 kg
Stroke per jaw 3 mm 24 mm
Repeatability 0.03 mm 0.03 mm
IP protection class 30 30
Power supply (nominal) 24 V, 0.14 A 24 V, 0.14 A
Noise emission < 70 dB < 70 dB
Housing Coated aluminum alloy, steel Coated aluminum alloy, steel
Total weight 0.106 kg 0.136 kg
Operating temperature 5° to 55°C 5° to 55°C
Operating humidity 10% to 95% RH (non-condensing) 10% to 95% RH (non-condensing)
Table 1: Technical specifications for the MEGP 25* grippers

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) 3
DESIGNING AND MOUNTING THE FINGERS
3. DESIGNING AND MOUNTING THE FINGERS
Fingers must be designed and installed before mounting the MEGP 25* gripper on the Meca500. Designs
must respect the measurements and maximum finger dimensions and loads provided in the following.
3.1. MEGP25E mounting diagrams
Figure1 shows the MEGP 25E dimensions and the adapter plate provided. Each finger must be attached
to the outer side of a gripper jaw using an M4X0.7 screw and two ⌀1.5 mm locating pins.
units: mm
25.4
70
14
17
7.5
4
11 ... 17
Adapter plate
for mounting on
Meca500’s flange
M4X0.7, thru
2
Ø1.5 H7, thru
2
X equally spaced
4
5
3
5
42.2
Figure1: MEGP 25E gripper dimensions
The maximum dimensions for the fingers and the maximum loads allowed on the gripper jaws are
shown in Figure2.

4 User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x)
DESIGNING AND MOUNTING THE FINGERS
z
x
x2 + z2 ≤ 30 mm
|My| ≤ 0.50 Nm
|Mz| ≤ 0.42 Nm
|Mx| ≤ 1.50 Nm
|Fx| ≤ 70 N
My
Mz
M
x
Fx
Figure2: Maximum nger dimensions and nger loads for the MEGP 25E gripper
3.2. MEGP25LS mounting diagrams
Figure3 shows the MEGP 25LS dimensions and the adapter plate provided. Each finger must be
attached to the outer side of a gripper jaw using an M4X0.7 screw and two ⌀1.5 locating pins.
42
70
4...52
7.8
17.1
Adapter plate
for mounting on
Meca500’s flange
28
16.4
units: mm
M4X0.7, thru
2
⌀1.5 H7, thru
2X equally spaced
4
5
3
5
20
Figure3: MEGP 25LS gripper dimensions
The maximum dimensions for the fingers and the maximum loads allowed on the gripper jaws are
shown in Figure4.

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) 5
DESIGNING AND MOUNTING THE FINGERS
z
x
|My| ≤ 0.50 Nm
|Mz| ≤ 0.42 Nm
|Mx| ≤ 1.30 Nm
|Fx| ≤ 70 N
My
Mz
Mx
Fx
x2 + z2 ≤ 32 mm
Figure4: Maximum nger dimensions and nger loads for the MEGP 25LS gripper

6 User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x)
INSTALLING THE GRIPPER
4. INSTALLING THE GRIPPER
The communication cables that come with the MEGP 25* grippers are designed for only two types of
installation: using the standard adapter plate or the optional 90° adapter plate. If mounting the gripper
on the Meca500 flange differently, you must design and machine your own adapter plate.
4.1. Installation steps
Before installing the gripper, the robot must be setup properly:
1. Turn the robot on.
2. Open the MecaPortal web interface and activate and home the robot.
3. Bring all joints to zero degrees.
4. Once all joints are zeroed, switch the robot off before proceeding to install the gripper.
!
The robot must be powered off before proceeding to install the gripper.
1
2
3
4
5
ZEROED
Figure5: Installing the MEGP 25E gripper (ngers are not shown)
Install the gripper following the installation steps below, as shown in Figure5.
1. Make sure the flange of the robot is in zero position (screw in the flange is at 12 o’clock).
2. Attach the adapter plate using the four M3X0.5X8 Torx flat head screws provided. Make sure to
install the plate in the proper orientation, as shown in Figure6.

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) 7
INSTALLING THE GRIPPER
M2.5X0.45M2.5X0.45

This side towards robot’s base
Figure6: Proper adapter plate orientation (when all joints are at zero degrees)
!
Use only the screws provided; longer screws will damage joint 6.
3. Attach the gripper to the adapter plate using the two M2.5X0.45 socket head screws provided.
4. Attach the appropriate end of the cable to the gripper.
5. Remove the screw cap from the I/O tool port on the robot (keep for future use). Attach the other
end of the cable to the port.
Once the gripper is installed, you can start using the robot. When the Meca500 is activated, it will
automatically detect the gripper, and the green LED on the gripper will flash slowly.
The gripper is automatically homed when the robot is homed; it will fully open then close its fingers. This
homing procedure is necessary to detect the range of motion of the fingers (in case their design reduces
the nominal 6-mm range, for the MEGP25E, or 48-mm range, for the MEGP25LS). Once the gripper is
homed, the green LED on the gripper will light up continuously.
Figure7 shows the MEGP 25 gripper installed and homed, in the case of both types of cables.
Now that you have installed and homed your gripper, you must carefully test and then redefine the
range of joint 6 with the command SetJointLimits in order to make sure that the gripper cable does
not cause interferences. In the case of the standard adapter plate described in this section and the
optional 90° adapter plate, the recommended maximal range for joint 6 is [−180°, 180°].
!
Once you have installed your MEGP 25* gripper you must redene the range of joint 6 using the
command SetJointLimits, or else you risk to damage the gripper and its cable.

8 User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x)
INSTALLING THE GRIPPER
Figure7: MEGP 25E gripper installed and homed with the two dierent cables
4.2. Gripper LEDs
There are two LEDs on the gripper, just below the I/O tool port: one green and one red. Their behavior
indicates the gripper status as described in Table 2.
LED DESCRIPTION
LED Steady ON Slow Blink Fast Blink
RED Holding part Error n/a
GREEN Homed Activated but not homed Connected but not activated
Table 2: LED description
The button on the gripper, immediately below the two LEDs, is reserved for future use by
Mecademic technicians.

User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x) 9
OPERATING THE GRIPPERS
5. OPERATING THE GRIPPERS
The MEGP 25* grippers operate using the same commands as the Meca500. They can be opened or
closed using the GripperOpen and GripperClose commands. Gripping force can be configured using the
SetGripperForce(𝑓) command, where 𝑓 ranges from 5% to 100% (i.e., from 0 to approximately 40 N). By
default, the grip force limit is 40%. Gripping velocity can be set using the SetGripperVel(𝑣) command,
where 𝑣 is the finger velocity limit, ranging from 5% to 100% (approximately 100 mm/s). By default, the
finger velocity limit is 40%.
The gripper also has position control commands such as MoveGripper and SetGripperRange that allow
users to move the gripper or set a range limit. Consult the Mecademic Robots Programming Manual for
more details on these commands.
5.1. Firmware update
If you upgrade the firmware of your robot (using the procedure described in the Meca500 User Manual)
while an MEGP 25* gripper is installed, the firmware of the gripper will be automatically updated.
Otherwise, you can update the firmware of your gripper separately by following the same procedure,
but selecting the file m500_exttools_*.update, instead of the file Meca500_E_LD_*.update.
5.2. Safety
The MEGP 25* grippers are designed with safety in mind, however, additional parts connected to (e.g.,
fingers) or held by the gripper may lead to risks of injuries. Pay attention to gripping force to avoid
ejecting workpieces or third-party hardware.
!
If the gripper is holding a part for a long time, its main body will become very hot. This is
normal.
5.3. Activation, homing and E-Stop
If an activated and homed robot with an MEGP 25* gripper becomes deactivated, the gripper fingers are
no longer controlled and become freely movable. However, the fingers positioning is still being precisely
measured, and you do not need to home the robot again (only re-activate it).
If an E-Stop is activated on a Meca500 R3, the whole system is powered off, while on a Meca500 R4,
power is removed from the robot motors AND the MEGP 25* gripper connected to the robot. Therefore,
once the E-Stop is removed and reset, you must not only reactivate the robot, but also home it.
!
After an E-Stop or after deactivating the robot, the MEGP 25* gripper no longer maintains a
gripping force and if it is holding a part, the part might fall.

10 User Manual for the Electric Parallel Grippers MEGP25E/25LS (for rmware 9.3.x)
OPERATING THE GRIPPERS
5.4. Maintenance
As part of regular maintenance, it is important to ensure that the MEGP 25LS gripper travels the full
stroke every 1,000 cycles or at least once daily, whichever occurs first.

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