Custom-made flat suction cups
At GUME, we manufacture custom flat suction pads to your drawings. As a manufacturer of vacuum suction grippers, we design the vulcanisation tool and use it to produce your flat vacuum suction gripper, from prototypes to large-scale production.
- Customised production
- Batch sizes 1 to 1 million units.
- Express production from 2 weeks
- 100% Reliability & proactivity
Custom flat suction cups manufactured for your application
Our custom-made rubber flat suction cups are used to handle flat, parallel workpieces that do not require height compensation. Their low profile and small internal volume reduce evacuation time and, consequently, cycle times. The flat design transfers lateral forces directly to the gripper connection and keeps the workpiece stable even during rapid robot movements. We tailor the diameter, sealing lip geometry, Shore hardness, material and connection to your specific application.
Flat design with a smooth, continuous sealing lip for dry, plane-parallel surfaces. The standard version for general handling tasks in assembly, packaging and automation
Standard flat vacuum cup
A ribbed or stepped sealing lip displaces liquid films to the side and conforms to slightly textured surfaces. We manufacture this design for damp, slightly oily or uneven workpieces.
Flat vacuum cup profiled sealing lip
Internal ribs prevent thin or flexible workpieces from being drawn into the suction chamber. We manufacture this design for films, thin sheet metal, paper and bags
Flat suction cup support ribs
Elongated or angular sealing surfaces for profiles, strips, plates and narrow workpieces where a round sealing surface does not find a continuous support
Flat suction pad rectangular
A metallic connection nipple (M5, G1/8, G1/4 or customer-specific) or threaded insert is integrated into the rubber body with a material bond during the vulcanisation step. This leak-tight, pressure-resistant interface requires no additional O-rings or adhesive bonding.
Shallow-well pump connection
Contour-matching oval-shaped flat suction pads for workpieces where round or square standard suction pads do not seal reliably
Oval flat suction cup
What are the advantages of vacuum flat suction units?
A flat suction pad is the right choice when a flat-surfaced workpiece needs to be picked up quickly, stably and with low air consumption.
- Short cycle time: Due to the small internal volume, the suction cup is quickly evacuated and vented again
- High positional stability: The flat design transfers lateral forces directly into the gripper connection without the suction cup deflecting sideways
- High positioning accuracy: the workpiece sits directly against the sealing surface and maintains its position even during rapid movements
- Low air consumption: The small suction chamber volume reduces the demand for vacuum performance compared to suction units with a large stroke.
- High holding force: Per area, the sealing lip uses the workpiece surface for power transmission and securely holds heavy, flat workpieces.
- Low overall height: The flat design saves installation space on the gripper and allows tight arrangements in multiple grippers
Made-to-measure flat vacuum pump -
individually made by GUME
- In-house toolmaking: moulds are created internally, with no external waiting times
- Express production possible: first samples already available in 2–3 weeks
- Flexible sizes and quantities
- Custom production from single items to large-scale series
The right material
for your flat suction cup
The choice of elastomer determines the static friction, sealing performance, media resistance and service life of the sealing lip. We supply our flat suction pads in all common elastomers and tailor the compound to suit the workpiece surface, media and temperature, ESD requirements and your colour preferences.
Flat suction pads made of NBR are resistant to mineral oils, greases and fuels, making them the ideal material for oily metalworking workpieces. The continuous operating temperature range is approximately -30 to +110 °C. NBR has only limited resistance to ozone.
EPDM resists ozone, UV radiation, hot water and weathering, and is suitable for outdoor use as well as for water and steam applications. However, EPDM flat suction pads are not resistant to mineral oils and fuels. The continuous operating temperature range is approximately -50 to +130 °C.
Natural rubber offers high tear strength, high abrasion resistance and high static friction at the sealing edge. NR is suitable for dry, rough surfaces such as cardboard, wood, stone or uncoated packaging. The operating temperature range is approximately -55 to +70 °C. NR is not resistant to oils and ozone.
Silicone covers a temperature range of about -50 to +220 °C, is resistant to ageing and in FDA-conforming version available. We use silicone flat suction pads in the food and medical technology industries, at high temperatures, and for sensitive surfaces. Their mechanical load-bearing capacity is lower than that of NR or NBR.
In which industries are flat vacuum suction pads used?
Flat suction pads are the standard design for the automated handling of flat workpieces and are used in numerous industries. While the geometry remains comparable, the design varies: we adapt the material, Shore hardness and lip shape to suit the surface, media and cycle time requirements of the respective application.
Glass processing
Handling of flat glass, panes and displays with a smooth, plane-parallel surface. What is crucial here is a mark-free sealing lip and a continuous support surface.
Sheet metal and metal working
Recording planner for sheet metal blanks, panels and stamped parts. For oily surfaces resulting from forming and machining, we use NBR.
Packaging handling
Flat box blanks, folding cartons and label sheets. A soft NR lip conforms to the fibre structure.
You have questions about
vacuum flat-suction pads
We have answers!
What is a flat suction cup?
A flat suction pad is a vacuum suction pad with a flat, low-profile design and a sealing lip around the circumference. It picks up plane-parallel workpieces without height compensation. Due to its small internal volume, it achieves short cycle times and high positioning accuracy. For curved workpieces or those with varying heights, however, a bellowed suction pad is the suitable design.
What diameters and special shapes for flat vacuum suction pads are possible?
We manufacture round flat suction cups as well as oval, rectangular and custom contour-matched shapes according to your drawing. We produce large-surface suction cups up to a component size of 650 × 750 mm, and round geometries up to Ø 650 mm. For large-surface suction cups, we recommend a vulcanised fabric reinforcement to ensure dimensional stability.
How do I prevent thin workpieces from being sucked in?
For films, thin metal sheets or paper, we use flat suction pads with internal support ribs. The ribs support the workpiece above the suction opening and prevent it from being drawn into the suction chamber or deformed.
What Shore hardness should a flat rubber or silicone suction pad have?
Soft compounds from around 30 Shore A compensate for fine unevenness and are suitable for sensitive surfaces. Medium shore hardnesses of 50 to 60 Shore A are the standard and transmit higher transverse forces. Harder compounds from 70 Shore A absorb heavy workpieces and high accelerations, but require flat contact surfaces.
Can flat suction pads be made antistatic or conductive?
Yes. For electronics manufacturing and ESD-sensitive areas, we manufacture flat suction pads from antistatic or conductive compounds that dissipate electrostatic charges in a controlled manner. Which variant is suitable depends on your ESD requirements and how the gripper is connected to the earthing concept.
Are flat suction pads approved for use in the food industry?
Yes. For use in the food industry, we manufacture flat suction pads from FDA-compliant silicone or other food-grade compounds. These materials do not release migratable components into the food and are resistant to the cleaning and disinfecting agents commonly used in food production. For applications with a risk of breakage or foreign bodies, metal-detectable compounds are also available, which can be detected by the inspection technology on the production line.
How can marks on painted or high-gloss visible components be avoided?
Marks on visible parts have two causes: the mechanical contact pressure of the sealing lip and the chemical migration of compound components. We use compounds without migratable components, so that neither plasticisers nor free oils or sulphur compounds transfer to the paint surface. For light-coloured paints, we additionally use low-pigment or carbon-black-free compounds that leave no staining. We reduce the contact pressure via a softer lip of 30 to 40 Shore A, which distributes the pressure across the sealing edge. For workpieces that are painted, labelled or coated after handling, we supply silicone-free compounds, as silicone residues can lead to wetting defects.
