Analysis of the Working Principle of Vacuum Suction Cups

Principles of Vacuum Suction Cups

Due to the special structure of vacuum suction cups, a temporary sealed space is formed after contact with an object. We use pneumatic pipelines or certain devices to draw out or dilute the air inside the sealed space. As a result, the air pressure inside the sealed space is lower than the atmospheric pressure outside. This produces a pressure difference between the inside and outside. The atmospheric pressure outside will firmly press the object and the vacuum suction cup together, and we can see that the vacuum suction pad has attached to the object. When we reach our destination, we connect the sealed space to the outside atmospheric pressure, and the vacuum suction cup separates from the object.

Based on the above principles, vacuum suction cups are important components in vacuum systems. When a vacuum system is used to adsorb and grasp a workpiece, the vacuum suction cup directly contacts the workpiece and serves to seal and connect.

Vacuum suction pads are generally used for lifting and fixing objects. We assemble vacuum generators, vacuum switches, vacuum gauges, and other accessories together to save customers' costs, facilitate installation, and provide various functions based on customers' needs.

There are many materials for vacuum suction pads, such as nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, fluorine rubber, natural rubber, etc. Different materials are suitable for different environments, such as silicone rubber vacuum cups for high-temperature environments or nitrile rubber vacuum cups with good oil resistance. Vacuum suction cups also come in various sizes and shapes, with diameters ranging from 2mm to 300-400mm. According to the shape, vacuum suction cups include circular vacuum suction cups, oval vacuum suction cups, and square vacuum suction cups; single-layer, double-layer, and multi-layer vacuum suction cups, etc.

Effective Adsorption Area of Vacuum Suction Cups

Although the suction pad diameter represents the outer diameter of the suction cup, the vacuum pressure will cause the rubber to deform when using vacuum pressure to adsorb the object, and the adsorption area will also shrink accordingly. The shrunken area is called the effective adsorption area, and the suction cup diameter at this time is called the effective suction cup diameter.

Due to differences in vacuum pressure, rubber thickness, and friction coefficient with the adsorbed object, the effective suction cup diameter will also differ. In general, the effective diameter can be estimated to shrink by 10%, so when selecting suction cups, please consider not allowing the vacuum suction cups to protrude from the edge of the adsorbed object.