The problem is well-known: the automatic handling of cans with raised edges, cans with pull tabs, glass jars with concave lids, drinking glasses, soft-drink and beer cans or cosmetics jars causes great difficulties.

This is particularly true in cases where the products have varying dimensions and are to be gripped and lifted in complete layers with a single gripper.
Even the so-called flexible large-area gripping systems are often faced with more than they can handle in such situations, and this results in an unacceptably low level of system reliability in packing, palletising, depalletising and commissioning tasks. The vacuum specialists at J. Schmalz GmbH, D-72293 Glatten realised that this problem resulted from vacuum leaks caused by a poor contact between the gripper and the objects to be handled and have now developed a new foam sealing mat which solves the problem once and for all.

The suction mat, made of a special foam matched precisely to the handling requirements and with many small suction apertures, permits fast and safe gripping and reliable transport of many different products and objects, such as cans, glass jars other workpieces and even boards. Even variable dimensions, undefined product positions or, within limits, varying product heights within a layer can be handled by a vacuum gripper equipped with such a sealing mat. It is thus possible to use a single gripper to handle many different products. Combined with an industrial robot, such a gripper is ideal for the flexible packing, palletising and commissioning of goods.

When they become worn, the sealing mats can be replaced quickly and easily, but this should be necessary only rarely, since they are made of a special hardwearing foam with a long service life.