CBOXTEC RoboticsRobotics guides

Will an electric gripper keep holding a part after power loss?

Ask for separate evidence of unpowered holding and recovery behavior. A gripping-force value or a known finger position does not answer both questions.

Three separate document cards: A an interrupted-power symbol, B a lock with a question mark, C a circular arrow with a question mark.
Original symbolic illustration. A: describe the interruption. B: request holding evidence. C: review recovery behavior. The cards do not show a gripper mechanism, a power circuit or an approved recovery sequence.

Start with the exact model and interruption

Do not assume so from the word electric or a catalogue gripping-force value. Ask for the proposed model's documented behavior when its power supply is lost, including applicable conditions and limits.

Robotiq's manufacturer article discusses loss of power to the gripper alone as well as wider equipment interruptions. Its discussion also considers the workpiece, motion and consequences of dropping it. Describe the event your project needs reviewed; a robot stop and loss of gripper power should not be treated as the same event.

Holding and knowing the position are separate features

SCHUNK's current EGU family page lists gripping-force maintenance and workpiece-loss detection. Separately, it links restarting without a reference run to an absolute encoder. These are named product features, not CT-EG specifications.

Ask what the holding claim covers: the exact variant, fitted fingers, part, grip direction, loading and applicable conditions. Also ask what position information remains available. Neither a known position nor a normal gripping-force figure establishes how long the gripper with its fitted fingers will retain your part without power.

Review what happens when power returns

The archived generic Robotiq 2F-85/2F-140 control manual identified by the 20190524 path describes activation after power loss and warns that activation moves the gripper for calibration. This is a historical model-specific example of why recovery deserves its own review.

Request the applicable manual and written explanation for the selected model and firmware: which actions may move the fingers, how the retained part is addressed and who defines the recovery procedure. This article gives no activation commands or instruction to cut power, trigger a stop or test a suspended part.

Send an enquiry that can be checked

Provide the gripper shortlist, finger design, part mass and geometry, contact surfaces, grip orientation and intended movement. State which interruption and recovery situations need review. Ask the responsible project team to assess the proposed measures and define the necessary validation using the applicable documents.

CBOXTEC supplies robot arms and grippers. Holding after power loss, recovery behavior and safety suitability for a proposed CT-EG configuration remain subject to model-specific evidence and project review. An enquiry does not confirm those capabilities or a complete-cell integration service.

Manufacturer references

Discuss arm and gripper requirements