Best Vacuum Grippers for Porous Packaging
For porous packaging, vacuum flow matters as well as the vacuum level printed on a data sheet. Air can leak through cardboard or around a damaged surface, so a suction cup that holds a smooth test plate may fail on the real package. The best vacuum-gripper purchase starts with that leakage problem.
Shortlist Schmalz area-gripping systems, Piab’s configurable suction-cup/gripper components and OnRobot VGP20 for different integration models. They are not equivalent complete kits, and their headline specifications should not be compared without the rest of the vacuum system.
This is a research-based guide. No cartons were lifted and no flow, cycle-time, energy or payload benchmark was performed. Manufacturer claims are identified as such and require application-specific verification.
Specify the packaging before the hardware
Collect representative cartons, recycled board, bags or other intended materials. Include the permitted range of porosity, dimensions, surface wrinkles, labels and damage. A sealed sample chosen for a sales demonstration is not representative of every delivery.
Identify which surfaces can be contacted and whether marks or deformation are acceptable. A gripper that can lift the package may still be unsuitable if it damages a printed surface or leaves an unacceptable trace.
| Candidate | Architecture to evaluate | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Schmalz FM-SW and related area systems | Area gripper with selected sealing element and external vacuum source | Gripper and generator must be sized as a system |
| Piab piGRIP/configurable components | Cups, lips and supporting components matched to the material | A cup specification is not a complete end-effector performance result |
| OnRobot VGP20 | Integrated electric vacuum-gripper approach | Actual achievable vacuum and payload depend on the material and configuration |
Schmalz: size the complete flow path
Schmalz documents area-gripping systems with flow resistors and options for suction cups or sealing foam. Its FM-SW material describes an external vacuum generator supporting high volume flow.
That makes the architecture relevant when a packaging surface needs a distributed contact area or when leakage must be managed across several contact points. The evaluation must include the actual generator, tubing and sealing element, not just the gripper body.
Ask the supplier to identify the permitted leakage and the operating point for the representative material. Include partially covered areas and damaged corners. A nominal vacuum value does not establish the flow available when several zones leak simultaneously.
Also specify wear and cleaning. Foam and cups are consumable contact interfaces; changing their condition can change the grasp. Include replacement access and inspection in the operating plan rather than assuming the initial setup remains unchanged indefinitely.
Piab: choose the lip and cup for the surface
Piab’s piGRIP documentation describes modular suction cups with different lips and bellows. Its product material identifies configurations intended for porous or surface-leaking objects such as cardboard.
This is a useful component approach when the integrator needs to tune contact geometry across a packaging family. The qualification is the complete assembly: cup, fitting, generator, distribution and mounting. A compatible-looking cup is not a guarantee that an existing vacuum source can sustain the required leakage.
Ask the evaluator to show the chosen configuration on the least favorable approved material. Include an off-center load and the required acceleration. A cup can seal successfully while the complete package rotates or deforms in a way that makes the grasp unacceptable.
Keep the exact article numbers in the acceptance record. Broad family names are not sufficient when lip material, diameter or bellows can change the result.
OnRobot VGP20: integrated vacuum with material-dependent limits
OnRobot positions VGP20 for boxes, irregular shapes and porous surfaces, with a published maximum payload of 20 kg. Its data sheet makes clear that achievable vacuum on porous material depends on the material itself.
This can be attractive when a team prefers an integrated electric approach to assembling a separate pneumatic system. Do not treat the headline payload as the validated payload for your cardboard. Ask for the actual cups, configuration and operating conditions used to establish the application result.
OnRobot’s documentation also discusses cup suitability and possible surface traces. Include the package’s surface-quality requirement in the demonstration. A cosmetic issue can be commercially important even when the lift itself succeeds.
Define a successful grip
The acceptance criteria should cover acquisition, retention during the required motion, package condition and release. Decide what the cell does when vacuum does not reach the required condition or drops during the move.
Use the same material set for all candidates. Record the vacuum system, cup arrangement, contact area and motion. Avoid comparing a supplier’s ideal package with another supplier’s difficult recycled carton and calling the difference a product benchmark.
Include empty cups or incomplete coverage if those conditions occur in the application. The system’s response to a missing contact point matters as much as the best-case lift.
Commercial and maintenance scope
Compare complete installed configurations: gripper, generator, control, mounting, power or air requirements, sensors, commissioning and consumables. A lower-priced cup assembly and an integrated gripper are not equivalent quoted scopes.
Ask who can qualify a new packaging material after launch. A supplier changing carton board can alter the operating conditions without changing the SKU name. The operation needs a controlled way to identify and review that change.
Do not buy excess complexity for a stable nonporous package. If the material seals reliably and varies little, a simpler vacuum arrangement may fit. Conversely, a porous-packaging problem should not be dismissed by increasing the nominal vacuum setting without understanding the leakage and available flow.
FAQ
Is the highest vacuum level the best choice?
Not by itself. The system needs adequate flow at the actual leakage condition, suitable contact geometry and a validated motion.
Can more suction cups solve every problem?
No. Additional cups can change contact area and leakage. Evaluate the complete configuration rather than assuming a monotonic improvement.
Does a 20 kg rating mean every 20 kg carton is supported?
No. Material, cup arrangement, load geometry and motion remain relevant. Validate the exact application against the manufacturer’s limits.
Should we compare energy-saving claims directly?
Only with equivalent operating conditions and a documented measurement method. This guide has not measured comparative energy use.
What should trigger requalification?
Changes to material, coating, package condition, cup configuration, vacuum source or motion are reasons to review the established application evidence.
Related reading
- The Physical AI Technology Stack Explained
- Robot Capability Profile Template for Arm RCF
- Best Robot Integrator Training Programs for Small Engineering Teams
- Best Robot Programming Tools for Surface Finishing
- Best Robot Programming Tools for Welding Path Generation
Sources
Schmalz FM-SW area systems, Piab piGRIP configuration, OnRobot VGP20, and VGP20 data sheet. Checked 22 October 2026. Proposed application checks are editorial analysis.