# Connector and pinout

The gripper has one connector, an M8 4-pin male on the side of the body, and one cable: 24 V and the CAN bus.

![The M8 connector on the gripper body and its four signals: 24V, GND, CANH, CANL](https://docs.source-robotics.com/MSG-gripper-docs/1.2/assets/MSG_pinout.webp){ width="900" }

## Pin numbers

![M8 male on the gripper: front mating face and numbered signals](https://docs.source-robotics.com/MSG-gripper-docs/1.2/assets/m8-gripper-pinout.svg){ width="650" }

The drawing shows the connector's staggered contact layout. Look **into the male connector on
the gripper**, with its pins visible. The female cable connector has the
mirrored contact view. The solder side is also mirrored: use the numbers moulded into the connector, rather
than matching wire colours or the installed housing's rotation.

| Gripper pin | Signal | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| **1** | **CANL** | CAN low |
| **2** | **CANH** | CAN high, 1 Mbit/s with CANL |
| **3** | **+24 V** | positive motor supply |
| **4** | **GND** | power-supply return |

These pin numbers combine the gripper's signal drawing above with the male contact numbering in the
repository's [cable drawing](https://github.com/Source-Robotics/MSG-compliant-AI-stepper-gripper/blob/main/Photos/Gripper_cable_contact%20layout.png).
They describe the **gripper end**. PAROL6 and PAR6 use different connections at the robot end:
[The cable](https://docs.source-robotics.com/MSG-gripper-docs/1.2/04-installation/cable/) gives both diagrams. Check continuity with the supply disconnected.

!!! danger "The wrong cable destroys the driver"
    A cable with 24 V on a CAN pin destroys the driver inside the gripper the moment it is powered. Use the cable
    made for your robot; check a self-made cable pin by pin against the pin table above and the wiring diagram
    before you plug it in.

## Inside the housing

The STEPFOC driver's own connectors are inside: its UART port (3.3 V, JST SH, 4 pins) under the coupler plate,
used to configure a self-built gripper ([Over UART](https://docs.source-robotics.com/MSG-gripper-docs/1.2/06-operation/uart/)), and its CAN termination switch,
reachable through an opening in the stepper cover ([CAN termination](https://docs.source-robotics.com/MSG-gripper-docs/1.2/04-installation/can-termination/)). The
driver's pinout is in the [STEPFOC documentation](https://docs.source-robotics.com/STEPFOC-docs/latest/03-technical-data/connectors/).