Suction Cup Material List
Vacuum Suction Cup Materials: NBR, Silicone, PU, FKM & More
The material of a vacuum suction cup has a significant influence on its performance, service life and suitability for different workpieces and operating environments.
Common vacuum suction cup materials include NBR (nitrile rubber), silicone, polyurethane (PU/PUR), natural rubber (NR), FKM fluoroelastomer, EPDM and chloroprene rubber (CR). Each material offers different characteristics in terms of oil resistance, abrasion resistance, temperature range, flexibility, chemical resistance and hardness.
There is no single suction cup material that is best for every application. The appropriate material depends on the workpiece surface, operating temperature, presence of oil or chemicals, required wear resistance, food-contact requirements and handling conditions. Suction cup material can also influence friction, deformation and contact behavior on sensitive surfaces. Learn more about why vacuum suction cups can leave marks on glass.
This guide compares the most common industrial vacuum suction cup materials and explains how to select the appropriate material for your application.
Choosing the correct material is only one part of suction cup selection. The cup size, geometry and operating conditions must also be considered. See our guide on how to select a vacuum suction cup? for a complete selection process.
How to Choose a Vacuum Suction Cup Material
When selecting a vacuum suction cup material, consider the actual operating environment rather than material hardness alone.
The most important factors include:
- Oil resistance – important when handling sheet metal, machined parts or oily workpieces.
- Abrasion resistance – important for frequent handling or rough surfaces.
- Operating temperature – especially important for hot glass, food processing and high-temperature manufacturing.
- Chemical resistance – consider acids, solvents, fuels and cleaning agents that may contact the suction cup.
- Workpiece surface – smooth, rough, curved, porous or structured surfaces may require different materials and cup geometries.
- Hardness (Shore A) – affects flexibility, sealing behavior, stability and wear resistance.
- Food-contact requirements – material suitability and the applicable certification must be verified for food-handling applications.
In general, NBR is widely used for general industrial handling, while silicone is commonly selected for applications requiring greater temperature resistance or specific material properties. Polyurethane is particularly useful where high wear and abrasion resistance are required, while FKM is used where higher chemical and temperature resistance is necessary.
Vacuum Suction Cup Material Comparison
| Chemical Name | NBR (Nitrile butadiene rubber) | NR (Natural rubber) | SIR (Silicone rubber) | FKM (Fluoro rubber) | PUR (Polyurethane) | EPDM (Ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) | CR (Chloroprene rubber) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade name | NBR | Natural Rubber | silicone | Viton | PU (PUR) | sponge rubber | Neopren |
| Hardness (Shore-A) | 35 to 80 | 35 to 80 | 15 to 80 | 65 | 65 | 15 | 38 |
| Temperature range | -10 to 80 °C | -20 to 80 °C | -30 to 200 °C | -10 to 200 °C | -30 to 80 °C | -20 to 100 °C | 10 to 80 °C |
| Abrasion resistance | + | + | + | +- | ++ | +- | + |
| Dimensional stability | + | ++ | + | ++ | +- | + | + |
| Ozone resistance | +- | + | ++ | ++ | ++ | ++ | +- |
| Oil resistance | ++ | +- | – | ++ | ++ | +- | +- |
| Fuel resistance | + | – | – | ++ | + | – | – |
| Solvent resistance | + | +- | + | ++ | +- | + | + |
| Acid resistance | +- | + | +- | ++ | +- | ++ | + |
| Suitable for food | – | – | ++ | – | – | – | – |
| Weather resistance | + | + | ++ | ++ | ++ | ++ | + |
| Main applications | universal | universal | all, with restriction | universal | universal | universal | universal |
Note: The properties shown above are general material characteristics and may vary depending on the specific compound, formulation, hardness and operating conditions. Refer to the specifications of the individual suction cup for application-specific performance.
Choice of seal materials are important for different application and working environment. For example, NBR is an excellent material for general industry. Its top performance in many categories and economic cost makes it overall high value. Silicone is excellent for high temperature working environment or product handling. Applications such as removal of glass or hot workpieces require silicone as the main material for seals.
NBR Suction Cups – Best All-Round Material for Industrial Handling
NBR is widely used in both flat vacuum suction cups and bellows vacuum suction cups for general industrial handling. It provides a good balance of mechanical properties, oil resistance, wear resistance and cost.
NBR suction cups are commonly used for handling:
- Sheet metal and oily workpieces
- Glass
- Plastic components
- Wood and panels
- Packaging materials
- General industrial workpieces
NBR is particularly suitable for applications where the suction cup may come into contact with oils or lubricants, making it a common choice for vacuum suction cups for sheet metal handling. NBR is also widely used for vacuum suction cups for glass handlingunder normal operating conditions.
However, NBR generally has lower resistance to ozone, weathering and high temperatures than materials such as silicone or FKM.
Learn more: NBR vs Silicone Vacuum Suction Cups
Silicone Suction Cups – For Temperature and Flexible Sealing
Silicone rubber (SIR) offers excellent flexibility across a wide temperature range and good resistance to ozone and weathering.
Silicone suction cups are commonly considered for:
- Hot workpieces
- Glass handling
- Packaging applications
- Applications requiring very soft sealing lips
- Applications with specific food-contact requirements when an appropriate certified material grade is used
Compared with NBR, silicone generally provides lower resistance to oils and may have different wear characteristics. The suitability of silicone should therefore be evaluated according to the workpiece and operating environment.
Polyurethane (PU/PUR) Suction Cups – High Wear Resistance
Polyurethane (PU/PUR) is known for its high abrasion resistance and mechanical durability. It can be a suitable choice for applications involving frequent cycles, demanding operating conditions or surfaces that cause increased wear.
Depending on the suction cup design and polyurethane formulation, PU suction cups can provide a combination of durability, dimensional stability and sealing performance. These characteristics can be particularly useful in CNC machining applications involving repeated processing cycles.
Typical applications include:
- Automated production equipment
- Glass processing machinery
- CNC handling
- High-cycle pick-and-place applications
- Workpieces where abrasion resistance is important
The actual performance depends strongly on the polyurethane formulation, hardness and suction cup geometry.
Learn more: NBR vs PU Vacuum Suction Cups
FKM Suction Cups – For Chemical and High-Temperature Resistance
FKM (fluoroelastomer) is used for demanding applications where resistance to elevated temperatures, oils, fuels or chemicals is required.
Compared with general-purpose NBR, FKM can provide superior resistance to many aggressive media and demanding operating environments.
However, FKM is generally a more specialized and higher-cost material and is therefore typically selected when the application specifically requires its temperature or chemical resistance.
Does Suction Cup Hardness Matter?
Yes. The hardness of a suction cup material, commonly expressed as Shore A hardness, affects its flexibility, sealing behavior, stability and resistance to deformation.
Softer suction cups can generally conform more easily to uneven, curved or slightly structured surfaces. However, excessive deformation may reduce stability in some applications.
Harder suction cups generally provide greater dimensional stability and may be advantageous for high-cycle or mechanically demanding applications, but they may be less adaptable to irregular surfaces.
The appropriate Shore hardness therefore depends on both the workpiece and the suction cup geometry. A softer material is not automatically better, and a harder material does not automatically provide greater carrying capacity.
NBR vs Silicone vs PU: Which Should I Choose?
| Requirement | Material commonly considered |
|---|---|
| General industrial handling | NBR |
| Oily sheet metal | NBR / suitable PU |
| High abrasion resistance | PU |
| Higher-temperature applications | Silicone / FKM |
| Ozone & weather resistance | Silicone / EPDM / FKM |
| Aggressive chemicals | FKM, depending on chemical |
| Very flexible sealing | Silicone / softer compounds |
| Food-contact application | Certified suitable material grade required |
This table provides general guidance only. Material suitability depends on the specific compound, suction cup design, workpiece, temperature, chemical exposure and operating conditions.
Shore Hardness and ISO 7619-1
The Shore hardness of rubber materials can be determined according to ISO 7619-1, which specifies methods for measuring indentation hardness using a durometer.
Shore hardness provides useful information when comparing elastomer flexibility and stiffness. However, hardness alone does not determine the overall performance or suitability of a vacuum suction cup.
Additional material compounds and Shore hardness values are available for selected suction cups upon request.
FAQ
What is the most common material for vacuum suction cups?
NBR is widely used for general industrial vacuum handling because it provides a useful combination of oil resistance, mechanical properties and cost effectiveness. However, the appropriate material depends on the application.
Are silicone suction cups better than NBR?
Neither material is universally better. NBR is commonly preferred for general industrial and oily environments, while silicone may be more suitable where greater temperature flexibility, ozone resistance or specific material properties are required.
Which suction cup material is best for oily surfaces?
NBR is commonly used for oily industrial workpieces because of its good resistance to oils. The specific oil, temperature and exposure duration should still be considered.
Which suction cup material has the best wear resistance?
Polyurethane is commonly selected where high abrasion and wear resistance are important. Actual durability depends on the specific PU formulation, hardness, workpiece and operating conditions.
Can silicone suction cups be used for food handling?
Certain silicone compounds can be suitable for food-contact applications, but suitability should be confirmed based on the specific material grade and applicable food-contact requirements.
Does a softer suction cup provide more lifting force?
Not necessarily. Softer materials may improve conformity and sealing on some surfaces, but theoretical suction force primarily depends on differential pressure and effective suction area. Material hardness also influences deformation, stability, wear and sealing behavior.
*additional materials and requirement for shore durometers are available on request.