franka_description

Overview

The Franka Description repository offers all Franka Robotics models. It includes detailed 3D models and essential robot parameters, crucial for simulating these robots in various environments. Additionally, the repository provides a feature to create URDFs (Unified Robot Description Format) for the selected Franka robot model.

Features

• Comprehensive 3D Models: Detailed 3D models of all Franka Robotics models for accurate simulation and visualization.
• Robot Parameters: All necessary robot parameters for realistic and reliable simulations.
• URDF Creation: Ability to create URDF files for any selected Franka robot model, essential for robot simulations in ROS and other robotic middleware.

Prerequisites

• Docker

URDF Creation

To start the generation, execute the start.sh script. The arguments passed to the sh script will be used from the create_urdf.py.

# Start the generation of the urdf model
./scripts/create_urdf.sh <robot_type>

The urdf generation is performed by the create_urdf.py script which offers several parameters to customize the output urdf model:

usage: create_urdf.py [-h] [--robot-ee] [--no-ee] [--with-sc] [--abs-path] [--host-dir HOST_DIR] [--only-ee] [--no-prefix] robot_model

Generate franka robots urdf models. Script to be executed from franka_description root folder!

positional arguments:
  robot_model          id of the robot model (accepted values are: fr3v2_1, fr3v2, fr3, fp3, fer, fr3_duo, tmrv0_2, mobile_fr3_duo_v0_2, none)

optional arguments:
  -h, --help           show this help message and exit
  --robot-ee           id of the robot end effector (accepted values are: franka_hand, cobot_pump)
  --no-ee              Disable loading of end-effector (robot-ee would be ingnored if set) [WARNING: this argument will be removed in future releases, introducing "none" as ee id].
  --with-sc            Include self-collision volumes in the urdf model.
  --abs-path           Use absolute paths.
  --host-dir HOST_DIR  Provide a host directory for the absolute path.
  --only-ee            Get URDF with solely end-effector data
  --no-prefix          Override the robot prefix of links, joints and visuals in the urdf file.

Visualize via ROS2

franka_description is offered as a ROS2 package. The urdf file can be visualized via RViz with the following command:

# visualize_franka.sh launches the visualize_franka.launch.py in a ros2 instance running in the docker container
# The arguments given to the .sh script are forwarded as launch arguments
# Accepted launch arguments are:
#     robot_type - accepted values are: fr3v2_1, fr3v2, fr3, fp3, fer, fr3_duo, tmrv0_2, mobile_fr3_duo_v0_2
#     load_gripper - accepted values are: true (default ee_id is franka_hand), false (ee_id will be ignored) [WARNING: this argument will be removed in future releases, introducing "none" as ee id]
#     ee_id - accepted values are: franka_hand, cobot_pump

./scripts/visualize_franka.sh robot_type:=<robot_type>

If you want to visualize the fr3 duo designed for multiple controller managers, the following command must be used:

./scripts/visualize_franka_duo.sh robot_type:=<robot_type>

Troubleshooting

Figuring out your arm type

Identifying which arm type you have purchased is not always obvious, especially for fr3, fr3v2 and fr3v2_1, as the differences are subtle. The easiest way is to check the arm type in Desk->Settings->Dashboard:

franka_description Desk ———————————– ———————————– fp3 Arm3P

fr3 Arm3R

fr3v2 Arm3Rv2

fr3v2_1 Arm3Rv2.1 ———————————————————————–

File truncated at 100 lines see the full file

Changelog for package franka_description

2.7.1 (2026-05-04)

• fix: trigger workflow on X.Y.Z tags instead of v* prefix

2.7.0 (2026-05-04)

• feat: add GitHub Actions workflow to generate and release URDFs for fr3_duo, mobile_fr3_duo_v0_2, and fr3v2_1
• docu: Added the docu to FCI docs
• chore: Split the franka head, spine and mount out of fr3_duo/mobile_fr3_duo and adapted srdf
• fix: mobile_fr3_duo.urdf.xacro forwards is_async and thead_priority to ros2_control parts
• chore: refactored franka_arm.xacro configs
• fix: arm_prefixes index fixed for mfr3duo
• fix: corrected fr3_duo base mount for gazebo
• fix: tmr inertials updated
• feat: ros2 control file added for fr3 duo
• fix: mobile_fr3_duo.urdf.xacro forwards is_async and thead_priority to ros2_control parts
• feat: added mobile_fr3_duo_v0_2.srdf.xacro for moveit support and collision checking

2.6.0 (2026-03-02)

• feat: adaptations for gazebo
• fix: corrected accelerometer frames for fr3v1, fr3v2, fr3v2.1
• fix: properly handle arm_prefixes in srdf

2.5.0 (2026-02-17)

• chore: tmrv0_2 replace lidar with mounting point and add imu mounting point
• fix: mounting point typo in tmrv0_2.xacro
• feat: add the motor inertia and gear ratio to the urdfs of arms
• fix: adaptations for async control

2.4.0 (2026-01-26)

• feat: fr3_duo srdf added to franka description
• feat: fr3_duo urdf now supports different arm prefixes
• fix: removed olv_description_module dependency

2.3.2 (2026-01-22)

• chore: renamed meshes/robot_arms > meshes/robots to support tmr v0.2

2.3.1 (2026-01-16)

• feat: mobile_fr3_duo_v0_2 added to franka description

2.3.0 (2025-12-19)

• feat: tmrv0_2 added to franka description
• feat: arm_id replaced by robot_type
• feat: pass is_async argument to franka_arm.ros2_control.xacro
• feat: pass thread_priority argument to franka_arm.ros2_control.xacro
• feat: bump ros2_control version to 1.0.0

2.2.0

• feat: updated kinematics, meshes, inertials, materials for fr3_duo mount and cover

2.1.0 (2025-10-24) ----------* fix: add fp3 robot joint limits * fix: group definition in SRDF file checking for right TCP * feat: add fr3v2_1 robot variant

2.0.0 (2025-08-26)

• feat: migrate to ROS 2 Jazzy

1.1.0

• feat: added accelerometer frames to urdfs
• feat: update joint limits for fr3v2 and fr3
• feat: add position based velocity limits tags to urdfs for fr3v2 and fr3

1.0.2 (2025-08-01) ---------------* fix: gazebo can be used with prefixes * fix: ee_with_one_link takes the correct arguments to allow visualization

1.0.1 (2025-07-09) ---------------* fix: cover and mount replaced by new designs

1.0.0 (2025-06-26) ---------------* breaking change: cobot pump parameters are not longer selected by default in the robot xacro * fix: urdf xacros include end-effector parameters

0.5.1 (2025-03-19) ---------------* feature: fr3 duo added to franka description * feature: Added additional command interfaces for FX3 to the URDF * feature: identify fr3v2 inertials * feature: add the version tag to ros2_control * fix: change paramater location in xacro/macro from arg to property

0.5.0 (2025-03-07) ---------------* feature: Added prefix

File truncated at 100 lines see the full file