The rotary module allows you to turn your DexArm into a 4-DOF robot arm. It's designed for makers and DIYers with many great features. The built-in 12V coreless motor and reducers design brings up to 500g payload capacity.

The universal adapter design makes it easy to switch between soft gripper, suction cup module. The 360-degree air connector design allows you to pick and rotate items without twisting the air tube.

We are still working on upgrading the Rotrics Studio software to control the rotary module. Before that, it's recommended to use G-code commands to control the rotary module.

Table of Contents

​1) First use set-up​

​2) G-code commands for Rotary Module​

​3) Start picking and placing​

​4) Integrate Rotary Module into your projects​

1. First use set-up

1.1 Part List

1.2 Rotary Air Pick Module

1.2.1 Assemble Rotary Air Pick Module

1.2.1 Connect with Air Pump Box

1.3 Rotary Soft Gripper Module

1.3.1 Assemble Rotary Soft Gripper Module

1.3.2 Assemble pressure-limiting value

Use two short air tubes in the OLD pneumatic kit to connect the T-shaped air connector.

1.3.3 Connect with Air Pump Box

2. Control Rotary Module with Rorics Studio

Go to Basic -> Control Panel -> Front End.

2.1 Rotary Air Picker

2.1.1 Select the Rotary Air Picker module

2.1.2 Control Air Picker function with pick / release / off button.

2.1.3 Control Rotary Function

A. Relative mode

In relative mode, the rotary module with mode relatively. We can control the rotated degrees and the direction. Click the to rotate in clockwise direction and click to rotate in counter-clockwise direction.

B. Absolute mode

In absolute mode, the rotary module will rotate to the target degree in the shortest way. The degree range is 0 - 360 degrees.

C. Continous mode

In continuous mode, the rotary module will keep rotating at a specific speed. The speed range is 0 - 100. Set speed to 0 and it will stop.

2.2 Rotary Soft Gripper

2.2.1 Select the Rotray Soft Gripper Module

2.2.2 Control Soft Gripper function with grip / release / neutral / off buttons.

2.2.3 Control Rotary Function

A. Relative mode

In relative mode, the rotary module with mode relatively. We can control the rotated degrees and the direction. Click the to rotate in clockwise direction and click to rotate in counter-clockwise direction.

B. Absolute mode

In absolute mode, the rotary module will rotate to the target degree in the shortest way. The degree range is 0 - 360 degrees.

C. Continous mode

In continuous mode, the rotary module will keep rotating at a specific speed. The speed range is 0 - 100. Set speed to 0 and it will stop.

3. Start picking and placing

3.1 With Teach & Play

3.1.1 Enter Teach & Play mode and select module

3.1.2 Drag DexArm to the target position

3.1.3 Control the rotary and pneumatic functions

3.1.4 Record the movement

3.1.5 Replay the movements

3.2 With Scratch

3.2.1 Set front end module

Use the "select module __" block to select the right module.

3.2.2 Move DexArm to target position

3.2.3 Control Air Picker and Soft Gripper functions

3.2.4 Control Rotary function

4. Integrate Rotary Module into your projects

Basically, the rotary module is a high-level servo motor. We've released the 5-pin end effector port for you to DIY your own rotary module for your projects.

G-code commands for Rotary Module

4.1 Initialize

• M888 P6 - Set the current end effector as a rotary module and initialize it

• M2100 - Initialize the rotary module every time DexArm restarts

• M2103 - Read the current rotary firmware version. The factory version is V1.1.2.

4.2 Read position

• M2101 - Read the current rotary position

4.3 Relative rotating

• M2101 R<n>

Rotate n degrees in the clockwise direction

• M2101 R<n>

Rotate n degrees in the counterclockwise direction

n is a floating number and it could be more than 360. Such as M2101 R1080 stand for rotating 3 turns in the clockwise direction.

4.4 Absolute rotating

• M2101 P<n>

Rotate to position n degree.

n is a floating number between 0 and 360.

4.5 Continuous rotating

• M2101 S<n>

Continuously rotating in the clockwise direction at speed n.

• M2101 S<n>

Continuously rotating in the counterclockwise direction at speed n.

n is a number between 0 and 100. 0 for stopping and 100 for the highest speed.

Welcome to share your projects with the community! For any questions, please submit a post on community.rotrics.com or email us at [email protected].