Onrobot Modbus < SIMPLE - PLAYBOOK >

For OnRobot, the choice was strategic. Their tools already support multiple major robot brands (Universal Robots, Fanuc, Doosan, Mitsubishi, etc.) via their and One System Solution . But many advanced users don’t want to control a gripper only from the teach pendant. They want to trigger it from a vision system, a safety PLC, or a custom .NET application.

OnRobot, a company known for its “one interface fits all” approach to end-of-arm tooling (EoAT), has taken a significant step toward solving this. Their adoption of —specifically Modbus RTU over RS-485 and Modbus TCP over Ethernet—is quietly turning their grippers, sensors, and vacuum tools from simple accessories into fully addressable, intelligent edge devices. Why Modbus, and Why Now? Modbus is not new. Developed by Modicon in 1979, it is the automation industry’s lingua franca —simple, open, and robust. Unlike Ethernet/IP or Profinet, which require costly licenses and complex configuration, Modbus offers a flat, predictable register map. onrobot modbus

Modbus provides that direct line. OnRobot exposes a standard set of holding registers and coils across their product line. While each tool has specifics, the pattern is consistent. For OnRobot, the choice was strategic

For years, the promise of collaborative robotics has been simplicity. Yet, anyone who has wired a complex gripper or a force-torque sensor into a third-party PLC knows the reality: different protocols, proprietary boxes, and a tangle of cables. They want to trigger it from a vision

But if you are building a where the robot is just one actor among many—where a vision system, a HMI, and a safety controller all need to talk to the same tool—Modbus is a lifeline.

OnRobot provides a Modbus register map PDF for each tool. The default settings are sane: Modbus RTU at 115200 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Addresses are configurable via OnRobot’s Tool Changer Interface or the OnRobot App (for UR).