Electrical Vacuum Generation
Creating a vacuum without compressed air: Electrical vacuum generators for flexible, energy-efficient, and high-performance handling processes.
Electrical Vacuum Generation: Greater Freedom in Automation
Vacuum generation is at the heart of every gripping process. It has a significant impact on process reliability, cycle time, energy efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in an application.
With the increasing electrification of industry, electric vacuum generators are becoming increasingly important. They enable a compressed-air-independent vacuum supply, create new possibilities in system design, and form the basis for flexible, networked, and future-oriented automation concepts. Electric vacuum generators offer decisive advantages, particularly in mobile robotic applications, energy-optimized production lines, and flexible production environments.
Creating a Vacuum—Without Compressed Air
Electric vacuum generators produce a vacuum using only electrical energy. Unlike pneumatic ejectors, they do not require a compressed air supply and can therefore offer new flexibility in machine and plant design.
Whether due to a lack of compressed air infrastructure or a high demand for suction capacity, the Schmalz portfolio offers the right solution for a wide variety of requirements. Different principles of operation ensure that the exact suction flow rates and vacuum levels required for handling, lifting, and clamping processes are achieved.
With its broad range of electrical vacuum technologies, Schmalz covers everything: from compact diaphragm pumps for decentralized applications to high-performance blowers for large suction flow rates.
The advantages of electric vacuum generation
Without the need for a compressed air supply, electric vacuum generators offer maximum flexibility in system design—from mobile robots to flexible manufacturing cells. They are also ideal for brownfield expansions.
A vacuum is generated directly from electrical energy. This can reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs over the long term.
From small workpieces to applications requiring high suction flow rates—electric vacuum generators offer the right power for a variety of requirements.
The compact shape of our variable-speed pumps allows for easy integration into robots, machines, and handling systems.
Our intelligent pumps provide real-time process and status data. This data forms the basis for condition monitoring and process optimization.
Information on electrical vacuum generation
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Comparison of vacuum pumps
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"We want to create alternatives that reduce energy consumption and still function when no or too little compressed air is available."∼ Michael Pojtinger, Head of Business Development, Vacuum Automation
Electrical or pneumatic vacuum generation?
Electrical and pneumatic vacuum generators create a vacuum in different ways, and each has its own specific strengths. The optimal solution depends on factors such as cycle time, suction capacity, available infrastructure, and power supply.
Electric Vacuum Generation (Pumps)
Electric vacuum generators create a vacuum directly from electrical energy and do not require a compressed air supply. They are suitable for mobile robots, decentralized handling tasks, and centralized vacuum systems with high suction flow rates. They enable the easy integration of new automation solutions, particularly in brownfield projects.
Pneumatic Vacuum Generation (Ejectors)
Pneumatic ejectors generate a vacuum using compressed air. Thanks to their compact design and fast response times, they are particularly well-suited for highly dynamic pick-and-place processes. They are robust, low-maintenance, and offer high power density.
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From our customers' practical experience: Efficient processes thanks to electrical vacuum generation
Electrical vacuum generation in use
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Industries and typical applications
- Logistics: carton erectors, palletizing, end-of-line processes in intra-logistics
- Packaging: electrical vacuum technology for packaging machines, automated workpiece handling, end-of-line processes
- Wood: gantry transfer of wooden beams, board removal in sawmills, carpentry automation
- Glass: cutting processes in float glass production, building glass mounting, transport of sensitive glass sheets
- Battery and electronics: stacking processes for pouch cells, printed-circuit board handling, electrical vacuum technology for CFRP components
- General mechanical engineering: For example, injection molding part removal
- Automotive: For example, body construction or final assembly of doors and windshields
- Construction (outdoor): Building glass mounting with mobile lifting devices, handling of heavy components
Current Highlights
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Electrically Powered: How Vacuum Is Becoming Mobile
Modular factories, mobile robotics, and rising energy prices are fundamentally changing automation. In more and more cases, this is opening up an alternative to traditional compressed air systems: electrical vacuum generation, which offers new degrees of freedom. It enables self-sufficient gripping solutions, reduces energy losses, and is integrated seamlessly into digital manufacturing environments.
New
Energy saving in vacuum automation: pump instead of ejector
Compressed air is the basis for successful automation. This form of energy can be used in many ways and combines speed, power as well as low weight. However, the cost to generate it is relatively high, as electrical energy must be converted for this purpose via several efficiency losses. Even though the compressed air-less factory is merely mentioned as a buzzword for a trend, technological alternatives are needed right now to make vacuum automation independent of the compressed air hose.
Automation for tomorrow: digital and green
Automation is both a blessing and a curse: It ensures competitiveness and eases personnel bottlenecks. However, the increasing use of robots also increases energy requirements and thus the product carbon footprint. Schmalz is therefore focusing on resource-efficient product life cycles and designing new systems for sustainable vacuum automation.
High-performer for compressed air-free vacuum automation
With the Compact Pump GCPi, Schmalz presents a powerful vacuum generator with a purely electric suction and venting function. Supplemented by the electric 3/2-way compact valve LQE, the user receives a compressed air-free vacuum system with the performance of conventional ejector solutions.
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