Technology
How Vacuum Technology is Used in Material Lifting
Manufacturing is filled with many innovations in the processes and equipment used to create finished products. One innovation is the use of vacuum technology during assembly to lift and place materials, parts, and pieces. Known as vacuum-assisted manufacturing or vacuum-assisted assembly, these processes are extensively used in production today.
You probably think of a vacuum as a device that removes air from a small space to reduce its pressure. But how can vacuums be used in manufacturing? Let’s look at how vacuum technology is used in material lifting.
What is Vacuum Assisted Manufacturing?
With the help of vacuum technology, materials can be hoisted without the need for mechanical or human assistance. The use of this method makes it possible to move heavier and larger objects. Vacuum technology has many uses in industry, particularly in the transportation of large vehicle components over long distances, as is the case in the automotive manufacturing industry.
Vacuum lifters are able to hold and lift a wide variety of materials, from bags of flour to slabs of stone and even panes of glass. The vacuum lifting method entails the use of a vacuum pump attached to an air hose and a lift tube. A suction head and foot are located at the end of the lift tube to securely grasp and hoist the load. Suction feet can be found in a wide range of sizes and shapes, each one tailored to a specific category of objects. Using a suction foot or suction cups, which create a vacuum between the load and the lifter, a secure grip on the load can be maintained throughout the lifting process.
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How Does Vacuum Assisted Manufacturing Work?
It is necessary for there to be a difference in pressure between the interior and exterior of the suction cup for it to be effective. A suction cup is able to accomplish this by utilizing the negative pressure that is generated as a result of “pushing” out the fluid that is contained within the interior of the cup (cavity) and the positive pressure that is generated as a result of the fluid trying to get back in. Together, these two forces create a vacuum inside the cup, which allows the cup to adhere to the surface it is placed on.
It is a key element to know what are the application of vacuum technology so we will know when and where we can use them for manufacturing. An ejector pump is utilized for the purpose of producing a vacuum between the suction cups and the load. The vacuum level can be easily adjusted by the operator using a control handle, allowing for the lift height to be easily adjusted as well. Both the worker and the load benefit from the use of this suction lifting method. Even when the user is lifting loads that are extremely heavy, they are safe from injury thanks to the suction cups’ ability to secure a firm grip on the object without endangering it in the process.
Benefits of Using Vacuum in Material Lifting
If you were wondering, what are the application of vacuum technology? One of these tasks involves the lifting of materials. Vacuum technology for lifting materials is widely regarded as flexible and useful across a wide range of industries. Using vacuum lifting to boost force and energy efficiency in motion control is an effective strategy. Now let’s look at the advantages of using a vacuum to lift material.
- Lifting mechanisms such as hooks, slings, and chains are no longer necessary thanks to the use of vacuum in material lifting, which minimizes the risk of injury and saves significant amounts of time.
- It results in a shorter amount of time spent waiting between lifts.
- Slings and chains can be attached to trailers without the need for any of the workers to climb up on the trailers themselves.
- It raises material without affecting adjacent components.
- It produces a strong, positive engagement of the load, which is what makes it so effective .
- It lessens or removes the requirement for tag line operators to be present on the ground.
- These vacuum lifting technologies are able to operate in areas where people are not permitted to be.
- Because of this, there is no longer a need for expensive cribbing or spacers for pipe or plate.
- Both visual and auditory alerts show when lifting conditions are hazardous.
Drawbacks of Vacuum Assisted Assembly and Why It Fell Out of Favor
There are also certain disadvantages associated with using vacuum lifting. These are the contributing elements that led to it falling while it was being operated. When you are aware of the risk, it is more likely that you will be able to prevent it.
Weather conditions
While wind is always present, it becomes especially hazardous when lifting heavy objects in the cold and wet winter. The majority of the time, when a vacuum suction machine is used, it is to lift glass panels. In addition to being simple to set up, the product poses no other difficulties. However, the glass units can become entangled in the wind and are difficult to manage during installation when the weather is windy. Because of the danger to both workers and goods, vacuum lifting equipment should not be used when the wind speed is greater than 18 mph. Be sure to take a close look at the situation before beginning work to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Lifting Porous Materials Is Difficult
The vacuum pad won’t work to lift the material if the surface isn’t smooth enough.
Not Designed to Support Bulky Loads
Vacuum suction weight lifters aren’t the best choice when the load to be moved weighs several tons. If you need to lift something that weighs several tons, magnetic lifting devices are the way to go.
How Other Technologies Are Utilized in Vacuum Assisted Assembly Today
Industrial processes for forming sheet metal
Metal is the type of material that is utilized the most in industrial settings. It is difficult to move and can be reshaped into many different configurations, one of which is a flat sheet.
In addition to their use in the industries of metal forming and steel production, some have been asking what are the application of vacuum technology in metal sheets are. Well, the answer will be in shipbuilding, crane lifting, and other areas. With the assistance of vacuum technology, loading them on and off for cutting, shaping, or welding, as well as transporting them to multiple locations within the factory, can become much simpler.
Industry for the processing of glass panes
What are the application of vacuum technology you may say? Of course! The glass pane processing industry is another that relies on vacuum technology. This sector produces a wide variety of flat glasses (e.g., annealed glass, laminated glass, and tempered glass) for use in a wide range of settings. And because of its fragile nature, glass of any kind must be handled with the utmost caution and accuracy.
Wood board processing industry
Wood boards or wooden panels are the third product that is typically utilized in industrial vacuum technology. They are most commonly employed in the sewing industry, the construction of furniture, the recycling of waste wood, and the craft of woodworking.
Conclusion
Therefore, in order to take advantage of the benefits of what are the application of vacuum technology offers, a company must first choose the vacuum suction cup that is best suited for the sector of the market that it serves.
