Suction Cups
Suction Cups are the critical point of contact for pick and place applications for handling corrugated cardboard, metal or glass sheets, food processing and packaging, and even bag opening tasks. They are designed in a wide range of diameters ranging from 0.8mm to 200mm for tiny objects to heavy-duty applications. SMC's standard cup shapes include: flat, thin flat, bellows, deep, oval, and oval flat. Suction cup materials are: Silicone, NBR, urethane, FKM, mark-free, and FDA compliant food grade materials. Installation options can be specified on either spring loaded buffers or threaded stems. Special application cups include: integrated with vacuum generator, with check valve, and in porous materials.
Suction Cups without Adapter
SMC's series ZP, ZP2 and ZP3 suction cups are standalone vacuum pads sold without the metal mounting hardware. They are purchased by machine builders designing custom end-of-arm tooling and maintenance technicians making routine replacements because they can source exactly what they need for irregular or delicate workpieces. Our wide range of sizes, shapes and materials is found nowhere else, including specialty materials such as FDC compliant, silicone, and mark-free resin in flat and ribbed shapes.
Adaptor & Suction Cup-Vertical Entry
The ZPT series suction cups are designed for automation engineers and robotic integrators building standard pick-and-place systems where the vacuum hose connects straight down into the top of the cup. They are commonly used in automotive manufacturing, robotics, and general automated production lines. The optional integrated spring-loaded buffers allow the suction cup to compress on contact, providing height compensation and preventing rigid robotic arms from crushing fragile parts. The ZP3 has a shortened buffer body, making it an ideal choice for compact robotic cells with tight overhead clearances.
Adaptor & Cup-Lateral Entry w/One-touch Fitting
The ZP, ZP2 and ZP3 series lateral entry adapters are used by machine designers and mechanical engineers who need to minimize the vertical height of their lifting mechanisms. They are often used in semiconductor manufacturing, medical device assembly, and when manufacturing in confined spaces. These units feature a vacuum port on the side, which keeps the tooling profile flat. The one touch push to connect pneumatic fittings are integrated into the adapter block, which eliminates the. need for engineers to buy, thread, and seal separate fittings.
Adaptor & Cup-Lateral Entry
ZPX, ZPY and ZP2 series vacuum cups are engineered for heavy-duty material handlers, structural engineers, and integrators designing large lifting frames for sheet metal stamping, glass manufacturing, automotive chassis assembly, and lumber handling. They are designed to handle objects with large surface areas or extreme weight. Specialty conductive pad materials can be added, which allows for safe electrostatic discharge (ESD) when handling large panes of glass and molded plastics.
Non-contact Grippers
Non-contact suction cups ZNC and XT661 are specialized tools for process engineers who need to move materials that are too fragile, porous, or sticky to be touched by a standard suction cup. Instead of using direct vacuum suction, they utilize the Bernoulli principle where they blast air outward; creating a low-pressure zone that lifts the part, allowing it to hover just below the gripper face without making physical contact. Ideal applications are in semiconductor wafer fabrication, printed circuit board assembly, and solar panel manufacturing.
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A vacuum cup, also called a suction cup or vacuum pad, is the contact interface between a vacuum system and the workpiece. It creates a seal against the product surface so the system can grip, lift, move, position, and release the object.