For handling of non-porous materials, you can’t beat the suction cup gripper. Simple to actuate, simple programming I/O, and fast. But for anyone who hasn’t intentionally vacuumed lines into the carpet, suction sometimes leaves a mark.
As nobody wants to buy a ham with a circular imprint on it, preventing deformation is critically important in many industries, including food, packaging and aerospace.
The Evidence: Marks and Deformation Left by Suction Cups
Suction cups can easily mark polished surfaces such as glass in much the same way a fingerprint could. Non-marking cups are typically molded without a release agent to avoid leaving residue. The compounds used in some cups may leach plastisols, which may also deposit residue on surfaces. Release agent marks are especially dangerous when handling items to be painted or coated, because the release agent residue may prevent good paint adhesion.
In addition to marks, strong suction can deform thin materials such as sheet metal, paper and cardboard, or thin plastics. To avoid this, the suction cup should be designed for minimal movement.
Vacuum technology company Coval has recently developed a range of suction cups specially designed to avoid marking and deformation. The product line is called the VPSC Series.
Their flat profile and system of vacuum distribution across the surface of the cups provide optimized gripping with no mark and no deformation. The extra thin sealing lip contours to the product shape without restriction.
The specific characteristics of these suction cups enable its use in aerospace and other fields such as cheese handling, as well as other fragile, easily deformed products.
CovalVPSC cups are available in two materials:
- Polyurethane 60 Shore A (PU) which has high resistance to hydrocarbons and high durability.
- Blue Silicone 50 Shore A (SIBL5) for food compliance, meeting FDA and CE standards.
For more information, visit the company website.