Ismaning, Germany - An innovative two-layer polyurethane construction offers optimal sealing and long cycle life for a sealing lip for vacuum cups used in automated handling, said developer FIPA GmbH.
The combination of a stable body and flexible sealing lip with these new vacuum cups made from the material Varioflex, allows FIPA to offer this novel solution for automating handling ofabrasive products with rough surfaces. "The robust Varioflex suction cups are aimed at a wide range of automation applications in which high resistance to mechanical abrasion, oil, ozone and weathering is required" said Rainer Mehrer, ceo of FIPA, in a 12 Nov statement.
The new bellows suction cups with 1.5 and 2.5 folds made from the composite material Varioflex are manufactured using a special wear-resistant polyurethane that is extremely low-marking.
Automation applications with fast cycle times, in particular, become more reliable thanks to the high stability of the body with its excellent ability to reset itself. In applications with angle and height adjustment, the high degree of hardness of the body of 60° Shore reduces the risk of bending perceptibly, according to FIPA.
An optimal seal with uneven and rough product surfaces, such as cardboard, is ensured by the soft sealing lip with a hardness of 30° Shore. The special polyurethane blend provides good protection against premature wear of the sealing lip by abrasive products. Thanks to an improved polymer, the Varioflex bellows suction cups are resistant to oil and ozone and are also able to withstand the effects of the weather over a long period.
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