Autorun Now Supports Suction Cups and Grippers — No Code Changes Required

The autorun feature on the Adeeb Robot Controller now supports configuring the end effector as either a vacuum suction cup or a gripper. Switching between the two does not require changing a single line of code.

What autorun does

Autorun is the controller’s zero-programming pick-and-place workflow. Point it at a conveyor and a container, and the controller handles the full cycle: the firmware recognizes parts from the camera, tracks them on the moving conveyor, picks them, and places them into the container. It computes each drop-off position itself from the box size, the part size, and the configured spacing between parts.

Autorun supports two cycle directions:

• Conveyor to container — picking parts off the belt and filling an empty container.
• Container to conveyor — emptying a full container back onto the belt.

The setup lives in the controller’s configuration file: conveyor position, camera position, and the cycling start and done signals that tell the controller when a new box has arrived and when a box is finished. You launch the controller with that config, run the autorun script, and the line starts cycling.

Why the end effector matters

The tool at the end of the arm decides what a pick-and-place cell can actually handle. The Adeeb Delta Robot ships with a standard vacuum suction cup apparatus, which provides reliable grip across a range of product types and weights. But not every part presents a clean, flat surface for a suction cup to seal against, and some applications call for mechanically grasping the part instead.

With this update, the end effector type is something you configure, not something you program. The same autorun workflow — same vision recognition, same conveyor tracking, same drop-off logic — runs with either a suction cup or a gripper.

What “no code changes” means in practice

For integrators and line engineers, this keeps the cost of a tooling change low:

• The autorun script stays the same. You do not fork or patch the pick-and-place logic to accommodate a different tool.
• Configuration stays the single source of truth. The controller’s config already defines the robot, conveyor, camera, and end effector settings; the end effector choice sits alongside them.
• Trials are faster. Evaluating whether a part handles better with suction or with a gripper becomes a configuration change and a re-run rather than a development task.

The physical side is covered too. The Delta Robot’s mounting interface uses a standard vacuum cup connector/adapter that allows quick-change tooling without disassembling the robot platform, and custom end effectors can be mounted provided they are compatible with the vacuum cup adapter and/or the end effector connector. Details are in the Delta Robot Manual.

When you need more than autorun

Autorun is the turnkey path, but it is not a ceiling. When an application needs finer control over where each part lands or how the robot moves between picks, the full controller API is available for custom motion, including group end effector engage, eject, and clear commands. The Motion Controller API reference documents the routes and configuration fields, and you can start with autorun and drop down to explicit moves wherever the application demands it.

See autorun in action

Our autorun walkthrough video covers the configuration file, running in simulation mode with a still image in place of a live camera, the drop-off logic, and launching the controller and autorun script side by side.

Try it on your line

If you are evaluating pick-and-place for parts that need suction, a gripper, or both, explore the Adeeb Robot Controller and the Adeeb Delta Robot, grab the trial build from the downloads page, or request a demo to see autorun running with your parts. Questions about your specific tooling? Contact our team.