SMC vacuum handling: gripping, holding, conveying
Vacuum handling grips workpieces without mechanical clamping force: sheet metal, plastic parts, films, packaging or delicate electronics. For this to work reliably, pads, vacuum generation, filter, regulation and monitoring have to match.
The building blocks of a vacuum system
- Pads: SMC ZP3 in flat, flat with groove or bellows design, diameter 1.5 to 16 mm. Materials NBR, silicone, urethane, FKM or conductive. The ZP3P variant is intended for films and food contact (FDA).
- Vacuum generation: SMC ZM, ejector with valve and switch, up to –84 kPa, only 15.5 mm wide. More ejectors are in the Vacuum Technology collection.
- Filter: SMC ZFC, inline filter with 10 µm, protects ejector and valves from sucked-in dirt.
- Regulator: SMC IRV, regulates vacuum from –100 to –1.3 kPa, so delicate parts can be gripped with adapted vacuum.
- Monitoring: Vacuum switches such as the SMC ZSE report whether the part is held securely.
Sizing tips
- Choose pads by part weight, surface and acceleration, with enough safety margin against dropping.
- Rough or oily surfaces often need bellows pads or softer materials.
- Short tubing and a suitable cross-section shorten response time and save compressed air.
- An ejector that only uses air on demand clearly lowers energy cost. More on the SMC Energy Saving page.
- Clean, dry compressed air extends service life. See SMC Compressed Air Quality.
Values are manufacturer data and depend on the individual case. Send us your part and cycle time and we will suggest the right combination.