Application
Vacuum pumps for pick & place and vacuum lifters
In pick & place, suction cups grip workpieces, cartons or panels, lift them and set them down; vacuum lifters pick up heavy panels and stacks. For this, Becker names negative pressure for suction cups in automated lifting and transferring, Leybold suction cups that hold, lift and move goods and electronic components. Below you can see how the application works, what vacuum the manufacturers name and which of their series are intended for it ā 356 models from 5 manufacturers.
Compare 356 modelsHow it works
- 356Models
- 28Series
- 5Manufacturers
- ā290 to ā440 mbarSV side channel blowers for vacuum lifters (Becker)
Touch the points: each part of the system explains itself.
In short
Pick & place and handling: the key facts
- Negative pressure at the suction cupBecker describes pick & place as negative pressure for suction cups in automated lifting and transferring; Leybold names suction cups that hold, lift and move goods and electronic components, Busch grippers that move panels and handle products hygienically.
- Pump typesBecker distinguishes by lifting device: SV side channel blowers for tube and column lifters with 195ā1,250 mĀ³/h and ā290 to ā440 mbar, BCV claw vacuum pumps for robotic pick & place ā BCV 100 down to 50 mbar, BCV 300 down to 150 mbar.
- 20,000 operating hoursFor pick & place, Becker names a case study with 20,000 maintenance-free operating hours and the series KVT, VT and SV.
- Cartons and traysBusch names cartoning machines that erect cartons by vacuum, suction cups that lift and fold cartons, and the handling and palletising of cartons ā with MINK, R5, SAMOS, SECO and TYR.
Operating principle
How it works: Pick & place and handling
The drawing shows the basic principle in section. The systems and pumps of the individual manufacturers differ in detail.
- ApproachThe suction cup moves onto the workpiece and seals tightly against its surface ā panel, carton, printed circuit board or electrode sheet.
- SuctionThe valve connects the suction cup to the pump, the air beneath the suction cup is extracted, and the external air pressure holds the part. For this, Becker names ā290 to ā440 mbar for side channel blowers and down to 50 or 150 mbar for claw vacuum pumps.
- ReleaseThe part is transferred, the valve vents the suction cup, and the part comes free at the target position ā when palletising, in the cartoning machine or when stacking cells.
Vacuum and sizing
Pick & place and handling: how much vacuum is needed
What the manufacturers say about pressure, pumping speed and sizing.
Which vacuum
According to Becker, SV side channel blowers for vacuum lifters work at ā290 to ā440 mbar, the BCV claw vacuum pumps BCV 100 down to 50 mbar and BCV 300 down to 150 mbar.
Which pumping speed
For the SV side channel blowers in panel handling, Becker names 195ā1,250 mĀ³/h.
What determines the sizing
Becker distinguishes by lifting device: side channel blowers for tube and column lifters, claw vacuum pumps for robotic pick & place. For placing butter packs, Busch names claw vacuum pumps and side channel blowers without naming a series, Leybold the central VACUBE for stacking battery electrodes.
What the manufacturers point out
Becker names a case study with 20,000 maintenance-free operating hours. Busch names the hygienic movement of food, fast component handling in automotive manufacturing and the precise positioning of parts and packaging materials in the pharmaceutical industry; Edwards and Elmo Rietschle list pick & place without further details.
Technology
Pick & place and handling: the vacuum pumps the manufacturers name
Listed are the series the manufacturer itself names for this application. āShow only ā¦ā sets the filter of the product overview.
Side channel blowers
117 models Ā· 24ā2,200 mĀ³/h
Oil-lubricated rotary vane vacuum pumps
90 models Ā· 3ā1,800 mĀ³/h
Claw vacuum pumps
54 models Ā· 18ā1,150 mĀ³/h
Dry-running rotary vane vacuum pumps
50 models Ā· 1.9ā495 mĀ³/h
Screw vacuum pumps
26 models Ā· 63ā5,136 mĀ³/h
Rotary lobe blowers
16 models Ā· 535ā4,000 mĀ³/h
Claw compressors
3 models Ā· 65ā238 mĀ³/h
Elmo Rietschle names the application without naming a series for it.
Product overview
Pick & place and handling: all 356 models compared
Use the filters on the left to narrow the selection ā by manufacturer, technology and the modelsā key figures, for 50 or 60 Hz.
Atlas Copco DBD series 6 models
DBD 90Pumping speed 91 mĀ³/h 50 Hz110 mĀ³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 650 ā 700 mbarRated motor power 1.1 ā 1.5 kW 50 Hz1.3 ā 1.7 kW 60 HzVariants 2Atlas Copco DBDt series 17 models
DBDt 140Pumping speed 139 mĀ³/h 50 Hz168 mĀ³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 700 mbarRated motor power 2.2 kW 50 Hz2.6 kW 60 HzVariants 1Atlas Copco DBS series 29 models
DBS 70Pumping speed 74 mĀ³/h 50 Hz89 mĀ³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 850 ā 900 mbarRated motor power 0.37 ā 0.55 kW 50 Hz0.42 ā 0.65 kW 60 HzVariants 2Atlas Copco DBSt series 12 models
Atlas Copco DHS VSD+ series 1 model
Atlas Copco DVS series 10 models
Atlas Copco DZS series 8 models
Atlas Copco GHS VSD+ series 21 models
Atlas Copco GVS series 9 models
Becker BCV series 7 models
Becker KVT series 4 models
Becker KVX series 4 models
Becker SV series 16 models
Becker VASF series 6 models
Becker VTLF series 6 models
Becker VT series 7 models
Becker VXLF series 5 models
Becker VX series 4 models
Busch MINK series 32 models
Busch R5 series 58 models
Busch SAMOS series 31 models
Busch SECO series 10 models
Busch TYR series 16 models
Edwards EDC series 2 models
Edwards nEDC series 3 models
Leybold CLAWVAC series 5 models
Leybold NOVADRY series 4 models
Leybold SOGEVAC series 23 models
No model matches these filters.
Atlas Copco DBD series 6 models
Atlas Copco DBDt series 17 models
Atlas Copco DBS series 29 models
Atlas Copco DBSt series 12 models
Atlas Copco DHS VSD+ series 1 model
Atlas Copco DVS series 10 models
Atlas Copco DZS series 8 models
Atlas Copco GHS VSD+ series 21 models
Atlas Copco GVS series 9 models
Becker BCV series 7 models
Becker KVT series 4 models
Becker KVX series 4 models
Becker SV series 16 models
Becker VASF series 6 models
Becker VTLF series 6 models
Becker VT series 7 models
Becker VXLF series 5 models
Becker VX series 4 models
Busch MINK series 32 models
Busch R5 series 58 models
Busch SAMOS series 31 models
Busch SECO series 10 models
Busch TYR series 16 models
Edwards EDC series 2 models
Edwards nEDC series 3 models
Leybold CLAWVAC series 5 models
Leybold NOVADRY series 4 models
Leybold SOGEVAC series 23 models
Models a manufacturer no longer carries in its current range are listed in its āOutdated modelsā section.
Industries
Pick & place and handling: where the manufacturers name it
The manufacturers list these uses on their own pages.
Packaging
Busch names cartoning machines, carton packing, tray loading systems and secondary packaging with suction cups, Becker the loading of packaging (e.g. chocolates) and the opening of film bags and sacks during filling; Atlas Copco names the mounting of cans onto mandrels and plates for coating and printing.
Woodworking
Becker names vacuum lifters and panel handling with SV side channel blowers and BCV claw vacuum pumps (press feeding, panel storage), Busch grippers that move panels and feed systems that hold parts in conveyor systems; Elmo Rietschle lists handling and lifting.
Semiconductors, electronics and displays
Becker names PCB assembly with chip mounters, Elmo Rietschle lists pick-and-place for electronics; Atlas Copco lists electronics and printed circuit boards for DZS, DVS, DHS VSD+, DB and GVS A.
Battery manufacturing
Leybold describes stacking: vacuum grippers position the anode, separator and cathode, supplied by the central VACUBE; Busch also names handling in battery manufacturing.
Mechanical engineering and manufacturing
Becker names automatic loading and unloading machines, gantry systems, tube lifters and automated logistics processes, Leybold vacuum lifters and pick & place with SOGEVAC, NOVADRY and CLAWVAC.
Food and beverage
Busch names grippers that move products hygienically and secondary packaging, in which suction cups lift and fold cartons ā with MINK, R5, SAMOS, SECO and TYR.
Dairy
Busch describes placing butter packs in cartons and trays, grippers that load cheese and place slices in packs, and the gripping and stacking of bags, cans and cartons of milk powder.
Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
Busch names pick-and-place, in which parts and packaging materials are positioned precisely, with MINK, SAMOS, SECO and TYR.
Automotive and transport
Busch names fast component handling and lists MINK for it.
Printing and paper
Becker names sheet feeding in offset machines as a pick & place application.
Plastics and recycling
Becker names loading and unloading at thermoforming and injection moulding machines.
Glass, ceramics and stone
For stone processing, Atlas Copco names vacuum lifters that grip heavy slabs.
Medical and healthcare
Atlas Copco names vacuum grippers on pick-and-place robots for the assembly and handling of medical devices.
Fish farming and aquaculture
Busch names handling and palletising ā lifting, moving and palletising cartons ā and carton packing, in which cartons are erected with suction cups, with SAMOS, SECO and R5.
Refrigeration and air conditioning
Busch also lists the application for refrigeration and air conditioning without describing it there in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Pick & place and handling: frequently asked questions
How does a vacuum gripper work in pick & place?
A suction cup rests on the workpiece, the vacuum pump extracts the air beneath it, and the external air pressure presses the part against the suction cup. To set the part down, a valve vents the suction cup. Becker describes this as negative pressure for suction cups in automated lifting and transferring, Leybold as suction cups that hold, lift and move goods and electronic components.
Which vacuum pump for pick & place?
Becker names the dry-running rotary vane series KVT and VT, the SV side channel blowers and, for robots, the BCV claw vacuum pumps. Busch names MINK, SAMOS, SECO and TYR, Leybold SOGEVAC, NOVADRY and CLAWVAC, Atlas Copco DVS, GVS A, DZS, DHS VSD+ and the DB side channel blowers, Edwards EDC and nEDC.
How much vacuum does a vacuum lifter need?
For vacuum lifters with SV side channel blowers, Becker names ā290 to ā440 mbar at 195ā1,250 mĀ³/h. For robotic pick & place with claw vacuum pumps, Becker names lower pressures: BCV 100 down to 50 mbar, BCV 300 down to 150 mbar.
Side channel blower or claw vacuum pump for vacuum lifters?
Becker distinguishes by device: SV side channel blowers for tube and column lifters, BCV claw vacuum pumps for robotic pick & place. For placing butter packs, Busch names both technologies; alongside claw and rotary vane vacuum pumps, Atlas Copco also lists DB side channel blowers.
Oil-free or oil-lubricated for pick & place?
Most of the series named run dry: claw vacuum pumps (Becker BCV, Busch MINK, Leybold CLAWVAC, Atlas Copco DZS, Edwards EDC and nEDC), dry-running rotary vane vacuum pumps (Becker VT and KVT, Busch SECO, Atlas Copco DVS), side channel blowers (Becker SV, Busch SAMOS, Atlas Copco DB) and screw vacuum pumps (Leybold NOVADRY, Atlas Copco DHS VSD+). Oil-lubricated rotary vane vacuum pumps are named by Busch with R5, Leybold with SOGEVAC and Atlas Copco with GVS A.
Which vacuum pump for carton erectors and cartoning machines?
For cartoning machines that erect cartons by vacuum, Busch names MINK, R5, SAMOS, SECO and TYR; for carton packing with suction cups SAMOS, SECO and R5; and the same series for the handling and palletising of cartons.
Which vacuum pump for PCB assembly and chip mounters?
Becker names PCB assembly with chip mounters as a pick & place application without assigning a series. Atlas Copco lists electronics and printed circuit boards for DZS, DVS, DHS VSD+, DB and GVS A, and Elmo Rietschle lists pick-and-place for electronics. Leybold names suction cups that hold and move electronic components, with SOGEVAC, NOVADRY and CLAWVAC.
How long does a vacuum pump last in pick & place operation?
For the application, Becker names a case study with 20,000 maintenance-free operating hours. How long a pump lasts in an individual case depends on the design, operating time, dust load and maintenance.
Which vacuum pump for pick & place in food packaging?
Busch names grippers that move products hygienically, with SECO, MINK, SAMOS and TYR, and for dairies the placing of butter packs, the loading of cheese and the stacking of bags, cans and cartons of milk powder. Becker names the loading of packaging, for example with chocolates, and the opening of film bags during filling.
What can be done if the suction gripper does not hold the part?
The suction cup only holds if the pressure beneath it is well below atmospheric pressure: leaking sealing lips, long lines and a clogged filter cost holding force. Air-permeable surfaces need volume flow rather than a low ultimate pressure. For tube and column lifters, Becker names side channel blowers with 195ā1,250 mĀ³/h, and for robotic pick & place claw vacuum pumps down to 50 mbar.
A single pump or a central vacuum system?
A central system in a room of its own keeps noise and heat away from production and matches its output to the demand. Central vacuum systems are planned and built by Eugen Theis Vakuum, a company of the Ehrler & Beck group ā more under Central Vacuum.
Does Ehrler & Beck also supply spare parts and service?
Yes. Ehrler & Beck offers original spare parts and accessories as well as maintenance and repair.
Which pump suits your process?
Tell us the application, the medium and the volume ā we advise you on selection, spare parts and service.
