Flat Suction Cups
Flat suction cups consist of suction cups (elastomer part) with a flat design. Our vacuum gripper are available in oval or round design. Schmalz also offers bellows suction cups as an alternative to flat.
Flat Suction Cups Connect the Handling System and Workpiece
Flat vacuum cups are distinguished primarily by their smaller internal volume. The internal volume of a suction cup has to be evacuated during handling, i.e. the air has to be sucked out. Only then will the difference between the ambient pressure and the pressure between the suction cup and workpiece be large enough for the workpiece to adhere to the vacuum gripper. The larger the internal volume, the longer the evacuation process takes.
These suction cups are mainly used for handling flat or slightly curved workpieces. The shape of the suction cups ensures high intrinsic stability. This means that the vacuum gripper can withstand high lateral forces. Flat suction cups are also chosen because of their low overall height.
Flat vacuum grippers are mainly used in highly dynamic processes. They achieve high cycle frequencies and high positioning accuracy thanks to their inherent stability. They are often also the method of choice when handling air-permeable workpieces such as wooden panels.
Suction cups are available in various materials. This allows flat vacuum suction cups to be optimally adapted to the requirements of the application. When combined with a connection element, the flat suction cup becomes a Schmalz flat vacuum gripper. A suction cup is often purchased as a spare part for a vacuum gripper. You can then continue to use the connection element and only the elastomer part (suction cup) is replaced.
