How to choose suction cups?

How to choose suction cups

What are suction cups and what are they used for?

Suction cups are materials which help in handling objects of varying weights, shapes, surface areas and dimensions. They have less air and pressure on one side than the other which forces them against the surface they stick to.

With the availability of several types of suction cups, sometimes it becomes difficult in deciding which one to use where. They are available in different shapes and different materials and for different applications. For this reason, several parameters should be taken into account in choosing suction cups which are described here.

Choosing suction cups based on application

Since suction cups are used for different applications and different surfaces, it is important to determine which type of suctions cups are best.  There are different suction cups to be used for different application purposes such as suction cups for handling oily sheet metals, handling papers in bookbinding factories, for handling food materials, and materials on which there should not be any marks or trace of the object being handled. Suction cups with hooks are used mainly for hanging things. Suction cups hooks might be made of metals or plastics.

There are several suction cups that are manufactured for household use. Mushroom head suction cups are used for hanging posters, suction cup display holder for holding and displaying milk, juice, beer, etc. inside a fridge.  Suction cups with metal screws are used for holding and displaying thick posters, signs, and banners. Other than these, suction cups razor holders, suction cup vase, suction cups with key rings, etc. are also available in the market.

How different shapes of suction cups determines what to use them for?

The shapes of the suction cups also play an important role in choosing which to use where. Flat suction cups comes in two types- one with cleats and one without cleats. Flat suction cups without cleats can be used for handling flat or slightly curved, rigid or smooth objects. Flat suction cups with cleats is used for handling thin, flexible and deformable objects. Another type of shapes available is bellows type which can be used to grip curved and spherical objects.

Suction cups based on their material

Based on the types of environment where they will be used, suction cups are manufactured using different materials. Choosing suction cups based on their material has various reasons. The most common reason is the hardness of the material.

PVC suction cups are highly preferred because they have more resistance to high temperature, sunlight, and abrasions. These suction cups used commonly for domestic purposes. Silicone suction cups are used in food processing and packaging industries. Nitrile suction cups are common in industries and natural rubber suction cups are used in paper and printing industries.

When you need specific suction cups which are not commercially available

Some manufacturers offer to provide custom suction cups for the customers who are in need for the purpose of handling things like eggs, paper, light bulbs, bags, etc. However, their production limit is usually between 500 and 1000 pieces per order.