IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer MCP Server

Let an AI agent heat and stir with IKA hotplate stirrers (C-MAG HS control, IKA Plate / RCT digital) and drive IKA overhead stirrers (EUROSTAR control) through IKA's documented NAMUR interface commands: read plate, probe and medium temperatures, speed and torque; set and start heating and stirring; wait for a temperature; and arm the hotplate's hardware watchdog so it switches itself off if the computer stops…. Its 14 documented tools cover watchdog, temperature, heating, stirring.

People who work with watchdog, temperature and heating and want it reachable from Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or another MCP client. The project is written in Python.

One of 32 MCP servers published from k-dense-ai/lab-instrument-mcps. Stars and repository activity are shared across all of them. See all 32 →

VERIFIED ACTIVE

LAST COMMIT 2026-09-26 · VERIFIED 2026-09-30

Apache-2.0 · Python servers · how we verify → /methodology

01 · Install IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer

Claude Code

claude mcp add k-dense-ai-lab-instrument-mcps-servers-c -- uvx labmcp-ika

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "k-dense-ai-lab-instrument-mcps-servers-c": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "labmcp-ika"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

repo age created 2026-09-25 - young repo, little track record yet

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

pypi package labmcp-ika - check the name against the project README before installing (PyPI has no namespace ownership)

registry namespace io.github.K-Dense-AI is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can cancel watchdog mode 2 (OUT_WD2@0) and stop the background refresh. g. after it was power cycled or a cable was re-plugged), set the stirring speed setpoint (OUT_SP_4). Does not start the motor, and stop the stirring motor (STOP_4). Heating (if on) continues.

Capability map

Tools grouped from the project's README - what IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer lets an agent do.

read & search

3 tools - e.g. Return the most recent raw commands sent to / replies received from the instrument (newest last). Useful for debugging and for recording what was done.; Report which instrument is connected (identity…

get_command_log · get_connection_info · get_status

update

2 tools - e.g. Set the stirring speed setpoint (OUT_SP_4). Does not start the motor; if it is already running, the speed changes immediately. Refused above max_speed_rpm (and,; Set the hotplate temperature setpoint…

set_speed · set_temperature

Heating

2 tools - e.g. Switch the hotplate heater on (START_1). It heats towards the current setpoint, which is checked against max_temperature_c first. Make sure the vessel and its c; Switch the hotplate heater off (STOP_1).…

start_heating · stop_heating

Stirring

2 tools - e.g. Start the stirring motor (START_4) at the current speed setpoint, which is checked against max_speed_rpm first. Make sure the stir bar or impeller is in place a; Stop the stirring motor (STOP_4). Heating…

start_stirring · stop_stirring

Disable

1 tool - e.g. Cancel watchdog mode 2 (OUT_WD2@0) and stop the background refresh. Watchdog mode 1 has no cancel command; this tool reports an error for it.

disable_watchdog

Enable

1 tool - e.g. Arm the hotplate's communication watchdog (OUT_WD1@m / OUT_WD2@m). The server then re-sends the watchdog command in the background; if the computer, this server

enable_watchdog

Reconnect

1 tool - e.g. Close and re-open the connection to the instrument (e.g. after it was power cycled or a cable was re-plugged).

reconnect

run & execute

1 tool - e.g. Emergency stop: switch the heater off (hotplates) and stop the motor. Every stop command is sent even if one of them fails. Also ends a running wait_for_tempera

stop_all

Limitations (from the README)

- Two device types. The default is --option device=hotplate. Overhead stirrers need --option device=overhead; they have no heater, report their PT1000 probe on IN_PV_3 and torque on IN_PV_5. Tools that don't apply to the configured type return a clear error and send nothing. - No state query for the heater. The NAMUR set has no "is the heater on?" command, so get_status reports the last start/stop this server sent (h

04 · Who maintains IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer

IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer is maintained by k-dense-ai. We track 32 MCP servers from k-dense-ai - 32 actively maintained, 9 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Sep 2026. Full record: all servers from k-dense-ai.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/k-dense-ai/lab-instrument-mcps
website: https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/lab-instrument-mcps/tree/main/servers/chemistry/ika-stirrer
category: other - actively maintained as of 2026-09-30.
registry: io.github.K-Dense-AI/labmcp-ika (active, first published 2026-09-26 · 2 versions)
packages: pypi:labmcp-ika

06 · IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer FAQ

Is IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-09-30, its last commit was 2026-09-26. We re-verify nightly.

What can IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer do?

How do I install IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer?

Run `uvx labmcp-ika`. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via uvx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer

Alternatives to IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer

Maintained other servers if IKA Hotplate & Overhead Stirrer isn't the fit.

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