When do we use a silicone suction cup in industry?
Vacuum suction cup is an essential end tool for a wide range of automation systems. This is a common type of grippers frequently used across industries, such as glass, automotive, wood, metal, and food industries. Suction cups are composed with 2 main parts: the vacuum suction cup and the connector that bridges the suction cup with the vacuum system.
The working principle of vacuum suction application is based on the difference of pressure. When applied with vacuum generators, the air between the end point of sucker and workpiece are evacuated. Thus, it creates a negative pressure in between. The negative pressure creates a force to press the workpiece onto the suction cup. As a result, we could transport the parts to the desired places as long as the vacuum is applied.
Why do we use suction cup in industries?
Where there are factories, workshops or storehouse with machines, conveyors, robots or any other kinds of automated process, there are industrial suction cups in place. Mostly they are used for moving workpieces from one place to desired position by machines instead of handling by manpower due to the great weight. When it comes to sheet metal industry, some can be as heavy as up to tons.
There are hundreds of vacuum suction cups in EUROTECH’s product line, which are in a variety of forms, suction cup materials, color and Durometer Shore Hardness. Since NBR black or NBR gray a material with great universal usability, it is regarded one of the most common types to choose from.
EUROTECH also provides industrial suction cups in silicone, Silicone with FDA, Viton, Anti-Static material, and PU (Polyurethane) depending on the required applications for different industries. In a vacuum handling task, the material of the vacuum suction cup plays a critical role on the workpieces.
In handling applications, suction cups, vacuum grippers are applied extensively by the packaging, pick and place, cartoning, robotics, industries, etc. Not only packaged good, a wide range of material are possible to be handled via vacuum handling applications such as sheet metal, glass, plastics, wood, food, etc.
Silicone suction cup, ideal material for engineered wood
It has been a frequent addressed question if vacuum suction cup works in handling wood products. As we may know, engineered wood is also called composite wood or manufactured board. It includes a variety of wood products made by fixing or binding the particles, fibres or veneers of wood together with adhesives agents to form a composite material product.
Most common engineered wood products are plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), fibreboard, particle board (LDF, HDF, HDF), laminated veneer, engineered wood flooring, etc.
In the wood processing industry, suction cups are especially suited for the handling of wood workpieces such as furniture, laminated floorboards or even particle board. Since the wood parts mostly come in various porous surfaces and rough structured conditions, the elasticity of rubber or silicone suction cup can adapt to any of the requirements.
Silicone is a great material for suction cup in wood industry. It is elastic and strong in resistance to permanent deformation. Thanks to the fact that it can endure high temperature up to 200°C, it is ideal for pick and place hot products from press laminating processing such as MDF, HDF products, laminate wood flooring. Surfaces of wood products sometimes come with concave or convex surfaces. The selecting of bellow type suction cups is a great match to compensate for the varying workpiece heights or uneven surfaces.
Silicone in food grade is great for food industry
The application of suction cups in the food industry has become increasingly common. Especially in the process of food handling and packaging, jigs and fixtures must conform to food-grade certified materials to ensure food and personal safety. In the food industry indispensably, once a single parts of the production line will come into contact with the food itself, the system must strictly comply with food safety guidelines such as United States FDA regulations, German Food and Feed Act, Regulation (EC), etc. Also, there are other strict regulations and high quality standards for ensuring maximum cleanliness.
Vacuum technology is important for sealing, sorting or conveying food products or packaged food with efficiency. To ensure that the food products (e.g., cookies, chocolates, breads, fruit and vegetables, etc. can be transported with care, silicone suction cups have to flexibly adapt to the surface following its shapes of appearance. In order to comply with FDA-compliant, the selecting of food-grade silicone suction cups is one of the best way to prevent contamination of the handled food products. EUROTECH vacuum suction cups for the food are manufactured with materials that comply with FDA regulation.
It is important to look for the type of vacuum suction cup that fit into your system as suggested by EUROTECH. And it is recommended to discuss with a reliable company that always uses high-quality materials for these types of items. For handling of cardboard, metal sheets, wood panels, marble plates, granite slabs as well as glass panes, the industrial suction cups from EUROTECH in a variety of conformations are able to meet most of the varied needs.
