Lightweight vacuum generators ease installation
A
Festo product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
May 9, 2008
VN series vacuum generators can easily be installed in the gripping zone, making them ideal for automation systems employing decentralised control architectures.
Festo has released a series of modular venturi vacuum generators that use integrated electronics to help maximise operational efficiency.
Offering a wide choice of configuration options, the company's VN series vacuum generators provide machine builders with a very flexible and cost-effective means of facilitating the movement of workpieces in pick and place systems.
VN series vacuum generators are suitable for a broad range of light industrial applications, including packaging, pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturing and general precision engineering.
They are small, lightweight units that can easily be installed in the gripping zone, making them ideal for automation systems employing decentralised control architectures.
The vacuum generators are also particularly suitable for applications involving fast cycle times - their efficiency and placement flexibility help minimise air path evacuation times.
All VN series vacuum generators are designed to operate from standard 1 to 8bar compressed air supplies and offer a choice of -0.85bar high vacuum or -0.5bar high suction models , the latter providing extremely fast evacuation times.
They are all available in standard 'T' and 'inline' mounting configurations, with a choice of Quick Star push-in or threaded connections.
The vacuum generators use de Laval nozzles to accelerate airflow across the top of their venturi vacuum tubes.
For maximum efficiency the nozzle needs to be optimised to suit the vacuum flow rate and the porosity of the material that is being handled, so Festo offers a choice of six nozzles, ranging in size from 0.45 to 3.0mm.
Festo's VN series vacuum generators are available with integral 15-30V DC solenoid valves for fast vacuum on/off control and with a mechanical ejector pulse function, which quickly dissipates the vacuum when the generator is turned off, to ensure reliable release of the workpiece from the suction cup and thereby help speed cycle times.
The ejector pulse enables the workpiece to be released using a quick 'blip', instead of having to let the suction cup and associated air pathway come slowly back up to full atmospheric pressure.
The VN-P models also optionally feature a fully integrated piezoresistive pressure sensor, which provides a very useful process monitoring function.
The sensor's threshold comparator can be set to have either fixed or variable hysteresis, based on two pressure values that are acquired using a 'teach-in' pushbutton on the body of the unit.
When the applied vacuum reaches the preset pressure, the workpiece is regarded as gripped.
If it is more than the preset, the workpiece is regarded as not fully gripped and is therefore flagged as unacceptable.
Using the window comparator mode, the lower pressure value can be employed to indicate safe workpiece handling, while the higher pressure value can control vacuum switch-off, turning off the airflow until the vacuum level rises.
This saves a significant amount of compressed air, up to 50% in many applications.
All VN series venturi vacuum generators are designed to operate from dried, filtered and unlubricated compressed air.
As standard, the vacuum generators are supplied with high-efficiency, maintenance-free open silencers.
These use a combination of sound absorption and reflection principles to achieve low flow resistance and high noise attenuation characteristics.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Festo
Tel +44 1252 775000
Other Festo stories
-
Festo cylinders employ linear-motor technology
Festo has launched two series of high-performance electric cylinders employing the company's tubular linear-motor technology. -
Festo cushioning offered on DSNU actuator
Festo has developed a self-adjusting pneumatic cushioning system, available as a build-to-order option for the company's DSNU series round-cylinder pneumatic actuators. -
Festo unveils linear motor based actuators
Festo has developed a class of electric actuators based on very high-performance linear motors. -
Festo solutions aid Guernsey water treatment plant
Guernsey Water has adopted various valve solutions recommended by Festo at one of the island's water treatment plants to improve the supply of drinking water to about 24,000 households and businesses. -
Festo valve for pneumatically-operated automation
Festo has launched the MS6-SV electrically-operated pneumatic soft-start and exhaust valve that provides safer start-up and reliable venting of compressed air supplies in the event of an emergency.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,488)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (531)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,123)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (474)
- Production line blowers and fans (73)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (963)
- Consultancy and Services (917)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,105)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (813)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (188)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (203)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,197)
- Plantwide control (1,347)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (573)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (390)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,421)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,289)
- Industrial Motors (501)
- Linear Drives and Motors (119)
- Precision Motors and Gears (425)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,083)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,276)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (575)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (709)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (647)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (3)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (374)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (719)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (428)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (821)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,319)
- 2D CAD software (202)
- 3D CAD software (1,177)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (576)
- Data, document management software (320)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (17)
- FEA and structural analysis software (376)
- File conversion software, data capture (358)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (338)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (324)
- PLM and collaboration software (658)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (269)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (206)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (947)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,198)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (435)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (849)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (575)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (365)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (414)
- Engineering Training Courses (456)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (180)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (284)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,608)
-
Materials and Processing (3,020)
- Materials and components (2,258)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (466)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,620)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (485)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (505)
- Data loggers (425)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (641)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (757)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (429)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (158)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (518)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,253)
-
Powertrain Design (3,691)
- Bearings (973)
- Chains and belts (333)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,469)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (439)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,237)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (446)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (637)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (289)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (157)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (534)
- Linear Position Sensors (412)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (724)
- Pressure sensors (634)
- Proximity Sensors (710)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (559)
- Sensors (10)
- Temperature sensors (620)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,402)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,021)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,708)
