We often take for granted the power and convenience of a simple suction cup. How do suction cups work? They are typically round, shallow cups made of a flexible material that you attach to a surface by pressing the cup against the surface until the air between the cup and surface is removed. They are manufactured from materials flexible enough to change shape and create a seal when applied to an object, but strong enough to support the required loads. There are an incredible variety of cup designs, each incorporating specific shapes or materials to best handle the desired operation. Below we will highlight some creative solutions industrial suction cups can provide over several different industries.
Industrial Suction Cups for a Variety of Industries
Electronics
Industrial suction cups come in quite handy in the electronics industry. CD’s or compact discs are optical discs designed to store data in digital format. The data stored on the disc are read by lasers, so the device must be treated with the utmost care in order to maintain its functionality. The suction cups come into play during the mass production stage of the compact discs, before they reach the market. Ring suction cups are designed to hold objects with a central hole, such as compact discs. These cups contain an extremely thin sealing lip which allows for rough surface adaption. They can be used to handle perforated discs of any material.
Food and Beverage
Suction cups are also prevalent in the food and beverage industry. During the production of glass bottles, the raw materials from which the glass is made of are melted in furnaces and cut by shearing machines before being molded into their cylindrical shape. After the furnace stage, the bottles must be handled for packaging. Industrial suction cups are able to grip and handle the cylindrical shape in order to place the bottles into their appropriate packaging. Suction cups are also used to handle different food items to and from the furnace, such as bread, hamburger buns, and even pies. They also can be used for depositing eggs into cartons.
Construction/Transportation
The vacuum cup is a type of industrial suction cup used heavily in the transportation and construction industry. They can assist with handling appliances such as flat screen televisions, granite countertop sections, washers, dryers, and other awkward loads while protecting the material’s surface from damage. As an environmentally conscious community, solar panels are a popular source of energy conservation today. Although durable, if the panels are damaged at all, they lose efficiency. The vacuum cup is used to install the panels ensuring the protection of the panels and providing maximum efficiency.
Automotive
Glass suction cups are ideal for handling sheet metal, aluminum or glass for installation purposes in the automotive industry. Think windshields. These cups are also powerful enough to pull out dents in auto body panels.
Whatever type of suction cup your job calls for, Manufacturer’s Rubber and Supply has you covered. Contact us or request a quote today!
