EXAIR’s E-Vacs are a great solution for many applications including pick and place, chucking, surface mounting, lifting, and vacuum forming. When selecting which is the right model for you, there are several points you need to consider. Although selecting the right vacuum cup size is important, and knowing the size and weight of the part is necessary, one of the main considerations is evaluating the nature of the material you are working with. Specifically, is the material porous or non-porous?
Porous materials, as the name suggests, have many holes in them. This will allow air to flow through them when trying to pull a vacuum. This can be a challenge when trying to use an E-Vac. To overcome this, you need a high vacuum flow. Non-porous materials, on the other hand, will not allow air to flow through them, so a higher vacuum level can be achieved with a low vacuum flow. If you know which category your material falls into, we can select the correct E-Vac.
If you are working with porous materials such as paper, cardboard, or some fabrics, we would recommend one of our vacuum generators that produces a low vacuum level and high vacuum flow. With vacuum levels up to 21” Hg and vacuum flows up to 18.5 SCFM, this style generates more vacuum flow to overcome the porosity and leakage. An additional benefit is that they can also be used to lift or hold delicate materials and prevent any warping or disfiguring of the surface due to excessive vacuum.
Alternatively, if your material is non-porous, like glass, steel sheet, or plastic, you will need a generator that produces a high vacuum level with lower vacuum flow. EXAIR’s non-porous high vacuum units can achieve vacuum levels of up to 27” Hg and vacuum flows up to 15.8 SCFM. These vacuum generators offer maximum holding capacity for heavy materials. Sizes are available with compressed air requirements as little as 2.3 SCFM at 80 PSIG and up to 30.8 SCFM for the largest and heaviest materials.
If you would like to talk to an Application Engineer to help you determine the best option for your application, give me a call!
Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer
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