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11/2022 www.emicorp.com/gimatic 216-535-4848

When vacuum is created inside a suction cup that rests on a surface, the suction cup adheres to the surface not just on its own account, but also thanks to the higher external pressure. The lifting force is proportional to the contact surface and the vacuum level. If the vacuum level increases from 60% to 90%, the lifting force increases by a maximum of 1.5 times. In order to limit the energy consumption, it is preferable to limit the vacuum level and instead increase the surface area of the suction cup. As well as highlighting the object's dimensions, a visual assessment identifies whether the object is curved or flat. Using the suction cup that best fits the surface is essential. A further contribution could come from the analysis of the structure of the object. A more careful examination could reveal a certain roughness which, in addition to limiting the use of suction cups, represents a potential leak. It is often necessary to check the operating temperature required to perform that particular application. Too high temperatures, as in thermoforming, or too low, require the use of suction cups made with special compounds. Silicone is the best solution even if there is a risk of releasing small particles (halo), which makes it difficult to perform a subsequent painting. In this case our HNBR suction cups are the ideal solution. What is the porosity of the material? This question is very important for the definition of the suction cup format and for the sizing of the pump. Porosity is defined as the amount of air at atmospheric pressure passing through a material subjected to a depression. Glass does not allow air to pass through, while paper, for example, is full of tiny pores. Once the weight and size of the object have been determined, the type and diameter of the suction cup must be determined. The use of the largest possible suction cup allows to reduce the vacuum level. This solution offers a number of advantages including shorter evacuation time, reduced power consumption and longer suction cup life. THE HIGHER THE VACUUM LEVEL, THE GREATER THE ENERGY REQUIREMENT WILL BE SURFACE AND STRUCTURE MATERIAL POROSITY SELECTION OF THE SUCTION CUP