A How-to for using suction cups
Suction cups are often used in the design of end-effectors. They use vacuum to grip the object. The pros and cons of suction cups are as follows:
Pros
- They are able to grab a lot of different materials;
- Suction cups are really easy to control. You only need some simple valves;
- Compared to other techniques are suction cups a cheap solution. Also the costs for maintenance are low.
Cons
- If you don’t have a smooth surface, it’s hard to use suction cups. If there is any leakage around the surface of the suction cup, then a vacuum can’t be created;
- Vacuum generator valves make noise, but you can easily reduce the noise with a silencer;
- You need air pressure from a compressor for the vacuum.
What do you need for suction cups?
Note: there are a lot of different components and variations for a system with suction cups, this table is only a basic overview of the separated components you will need. Festo has a complete assortment with all components. Have a look to the delivery time, other companies are mostly way faster.