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Vacuum cups are used to grip hold and lift a wide variety of products in many different industries.

There are two main categories of vacuum cup; flat vacuum cups & bellows vacuum cups.

In general flat vacuum cups are used where no vertical lift action is required. typical applications include packaging, food containers, lids, circuit boards, glass, metals and plastics. Bellows vacuum cups are usually used where the product has a curved, uneven or flexible surface or where movement of the product is required. A small vertical lifting action can be achieved using bellows cups, this is useful for lifting products out of containers for example.

The same action can be used to open food pouches on filling machines. Bellows vacuum cups can be either round, rectangular or oval and have folds which allow the cup to concertina creating movement. Flat cups however do not have folds and are generally used when the product need to be held firmly without movement. Within these basic types of vacuum cup there are special adaptations which are can be used to lift delicate, hot or textured products. Packaging of chicken eggs is a good example of a special vacuum cup which can safely grip and lift eggs without damage.