For vacuum technology, "packing machines" and the related industry means the handling of many different workpieces, each with its own very specific requirements!

It is thus necessary to continually observe and analyse the requirements for the automatic handling of products such as plastic or paper bags, products sealed in plastic films, cardboard boxes, cans, blister packs or tubes.
The many different shapes and materials used in the "packing industry" mean that there is no such thing as a "typical suction pad" (which exists, for example, in the automotive industry).

In the packing industry, vacuum components – even if we think only of suction pads – are used wherever products have to be packed and where packed products have to be handled. In the first case, the packing materials have to be presented with suction pads and/or the actual products have to be handled. In the second case, the packed products have to handled, primarily to place them in cardboard boxes or on pallets.

For all of these different applications and objects to be handled, Schmalz has developed a complete series of standard suction pads in various shapes and materials:

• SGPN, made of natural rubber: long tapered sealing lip. Designed specially for the handling of easily damaged packing materials such as plastic films or paper.
• Suction pads made of Vulkollan: robust suction pads for the handling of rough cardboard. These suction pads are very hard-wearing.
• Suction pads made of silicone: available in foodstuff quality, particularly suitable for applications where foodstuffs are packed and where the suction pad touches the products.
• Suction pads with foam-rubber seals: the suction pad consists of an aluminium base and a foam-rubber seal. The inside of the suction pad has an adjustable support designed especially for the handling of bags and medium-sized sacks (such as those containing cat litter). The support can be adjusted for use with various types of bags and sacks.

              NEW:

• Suction pads made of VU with an integrated seal made of special foam: an additional foam-rubber seal is mounted on the sealing lip of the suction pad to permit lifting of extremely flexible packages. These suction pads are also suitable for the handling of cardboard boxes with structured surfaces.
   

New suction pads to meet the demands of the packing industry:
 
Many cardboard boxes have ribbed surfaces, and Schmalz therefore decided to look for new possibilities for using suction pads on such surfaces, since none of the existing suction pads was sufficiently flexible and adaptable to meet this requirement: the ribbed surface prevented the necessary seal between the suction pad and the surface of the box.
 
Such cardboard boxes can now be handled with the new suction pad VU with integrated foam seal!
 
The improved sealing of this new suction pad reduces the amount of air leakage and permits the handling of structured or ribbed packing materials which are easily damaged. The suction pads also have a further positive effect: due to the reduced leakage, it is no longer necessary to select a vacuum generator (such as an ejector) one size larger than actually required. This, in turn, reduces the amount of compressed air needed for operation and thus reduces the operating costs.
 
Messrs. MAF Verpackungstechnik GmbH in Fürstenau has now being using the new suction pads with special foam seal for some time. MAF needs to handle finely structured cardboard boxes with vacuum. Due to this surface structure, all previous attempts to do this had failed; the suction pads were generally too stiff, and could not adapt themselves to the structure of the surfaces. In contrast, the new suction pads, type FSGAO, with special foam seals were immediately successful!
 
Try our new suction pads for the packing industry:
Ask for samples of the suction pads you would need to use and test them.
Send us an email and we will contact you to arrange this.
 
 
Application photos published with the kind permission of MAF Verpackungstechnik GmbH, Fürstenau.