Piab‘s Kenos KVG series of vacuum grippers is extended to include the option of using suction cups instead of the technical foam pads offered as standard. The popular vacuum grippers can now be configured with suction cups from Piab’s flexible and durable suction cup series DURAFLEX BX as well as the generic Value Line series.

“This new suction cup option for Kenos KVG vacuum grippers will help our customers to better address certain materials or items that might be particularly difficult to grip. It is intended as an alternative to the foam grip used in standard models and will extend the range of applications that can be served by Kenos® KVG vacuum grippers,” says Josef Karbassi, Vice President of Piab’s Automation Division.

Using Piab’s proprietary air-driven multi-stage COAX technology to provide highly efficient vacuum generation, the Kenos KVG gripper series is designed to safely grip, lift and handle objects, with focus on packaging and furniture industries. Standard models use an easily replaceable technical foam pad that molds itself around objects to provide a strong grip regardless of shape or dimensions. FDA approved foam pads are available, and the number of pitch holes and the thickness of the foam can be varied to suit different applications.

“KVG with suction cups offers further advantages in circumstances where the surfaces of objects might be wet or oily. The alternative suction cups can better withstand the challenges posed by the presence of water and oil. Under such conditions, and in general where the flexibility of foam is not needed, the suction cups would be more durable and offer a longer life,” explains Josef Karbassi.

Piab’s Value Line suction cups offer good performance at a value price for standard/basic applications. Cups in flat-concave, bellows and long-bellows shapes, and with long thin lips for good sealing on slightly corrugated surfaces, such as corrugated cardboard, are available globally with off-the-shelf deliveries.

The company’s DURAFLEX suction cups combine firm bellows with soft, flexible lips made from a specially developed material that features the elasticity of rubber and wear resistance of polyurethane, making them particularly suitable for uneven and porous surfaces.

Piab also recently introduced piCOBOT, a vacuum gripper designed for the collaborative robotics market. Offered as a development kit, piCOBOT comprises a vacuum pump unit, a gripper unit and two suction cups. The standard kit includes four different sets of suction cup models suitable for a variety of tasks, but customers can also choose freely from the company’s extensive range of suction cups for more tailored solutions.