Besides vacuum suction caups, vacuum generator and system monitoring schmalz also offers a wide rang of different valves.

Vacuum valves are used to control the vacuum and to improve the process safety in vacuum-gripper systems.

A distinction is made between groups of valves, according to their principle of operation:

1. Solenoid valves for vacuum and compressed-air

Solenoid valves are used to control the flow of vacuum and compressed-air. The valves themselves are controlled with the aid of electrical signals. Solenoid valves are available in varios nominal sizes, permitting selection of a valve which precisely matches the customer-specivic requirements. Solenoid valves are available in directly controlled versions (EMV, EMVO) and versions with pneumatic pilot control. The latter are particularly quickacting valves.

2. Manually actuated vacuum and compressed-air valves

Valves of this type are used in particular for the manual activation and deactivation of vacuum or compressed-air circuits or of individual suction pads in lifting devices. They are available as 2/2-way oder 3/2-way valves.

3. Check valves, flow resistors and sensing valves

Check valves, flow resistors and sensing valves are used to improve process safety in an vacuum system.

Check valves close automatically when the volume-flow of air through them exceeds a preset value. They can thus be used to deactivate suction pads in a gripper system which are not in contact with the workpiece and to maintain the vacuum in the rest of the system.

Flow resistors reduce the cross-sectional area of the vacuum system and are used primarily in systems used for the handling of porous materials. The reduced cross-sectional area ensures that the system vacuum ist maintained even if one or more suction pads are not in contact with the workpiece.

Sensing valves have a spring-loaded plunger whicht detects whether the suction pad is in contact with the workpiece. If this is the case, the valve opens and applies vacuum to the suction pad.