Vacuum Grippers are the most versatile gripping solutions available, covering the widest range of application requirements. They are suitable for handling items from small products to large components, and can accommodate both rigid boxes and flexible bags with irregular shapes. Due to the extensive variety of available options, selecting the appropriate gripper represents one of the most critical and challenging decisions when purchasing a Robotic Palletizer. Today, we present five essential steps to simplify your selection process.

1. Clearly Define Your Requirements for the Robotic Palletizer

• Are you seeking to increase throughput?
• Do you need to free up workers for other tasks?
• Are you looking to improve product quality consistency?

2. Why Choose Vacuum Grippers? Applications Suited for Vacuum Grippers Include:

• High-speed pick and place operations: When properly configured, vacuum grippers offer extremely fast cycle times.
• Gentle handling requirements: Since only the suction cups contact the workpiece, there is virtually no force applied to the product surface, making them ideal for fragile items such as food products and electronics.
• Wide, flat workpieces: While fingered grippers can handle most items within their finger spacing limitations, they are unsuitable for wide, flat objects (such as glass panels or metal sheets). Vacuum grippers excel with these product types.
• Hygiene-focused applications: Vacuum grippers are popular in food and pharmaceutical industries because they are easy to clean, sanitize, replace, and ensure process cleanliness throughout the entire operation.

3. Suction Cup Characteristics - Key Considerations:

• Cup shape requirements: Determined by workpiece material and surface characteristics. Generally preferred for handling products with smooth, slippery, and rigid surfaces (such as construction materials like insulation panels, ceiling tiles, wall panels, or product boxes). However, they can also accommodate irregular-shaped bags and porous surfaces, such as lifting sacks in the food industry.
• Cup type selection: Two main categories are available - Flat Cups (non-collapsible) and Bellows Cups (collapsible). If using collapsible cups, determine the required compression range. Greater compression capability provides increased flexibility and gentler product handling.
• Number of suction cups required: While vacuum grippers can operate with a single cup, practical applications typically employ multiple cups simultaneously to distribute weight across the entire product surface. More cups provide greater stability when handling larger items.

4. External Air Supply Requirements

External air supply becomes necessary for applications with these characteristics:

• Porous surface products: Such surfaces cause air leakage, requiring external air supply for compensation.
• Short cycle times: External air supply provides higher airflow rates, enabling faster lifting and placement operations, potentially reducing overall cycle times.
• Safety-critical applications: External air supply generates higher suction force, providing more secure product gripping.

5. Vacuum Head Configuration

The market offers numerous pre-designed vacuum heads for purchase, or custom configurations can be manufactured to specification. The only requirement is standard fittings that accommodate air line connections, ensuring the system is optimally suited for the specific application.

6. Vacuum System Types for Robot Palletizers - Matching System to Application:

• Venturi Vacuum: Provides rapid response and programming flexibility. This system generates vacuum using compressed air, allowing multi-point vacuum generation and adjustment.
• Vacuum Pump: Offers lower operating costs (depending on application), but provides slower response times and reduced operational flexibility. This system generates vacuum using motors or pumps.