In many industries, palletizing, depalletizing, case packing, and general box handling are creating critical production issues. There may be efficiency concerns, ergonomic / safety concerns, or even workforce availability that play a factor when considering the best way to equip your facility. A vacuum box lift assist device:

• Enables any employee to lift heavy items regardless of personal physical strength
• Eliminates the need to team lift heavy items and empower a single person to perform the work of two or more people
• Reduces employee fatigue therefore increasing efficiency and errors (dropping and damaging product)
• Minimizes the opportunity for injury due to poor ergonomics and repetitive motion of lifting moderate to heavy weights

As a result, companies that employ vacuum box lifting devices effectively achieve optimized production with lowered overhead costs.

Customer Application Video

Common Applications and Industries

What is a Vacuum Lifter?

A vacuum lifter is a device the leverages the power of vacuum to help operators lift, move, or orient materials in a safe and efficient manner.

Both the vertical motion and gripping force of common vacuum lifters are generated by a single vacuum generation system. Different types of gripping mechanisms can be employed to engage product depending on the type of product and handling requirements. Vacuum lifters can be built in stainless steel and of sanitary / FDA approved components as well.

What are the Core Components of a Vacuum Lifter?

Suction Feet

This is the part of the device that comes into contact with the item to be lifted. Suction feet are infinitely configurable based on the size / shape / material of the item to be lifted. Suction feet are interchangeable via a quick-disconnect mechanism for fast application changeover.

Suction Head

This is the human interface of the vacuum lifter and how the operator controls the movement of material. Lifting handles can be one hand or two hand operated and can have different levels of customization depending on the form of the item to be handled.

Lift Tube

The lift tube is the vertical load bearing component and expands or contracts based on the vacuum pressure in the tube. Releasing pressure at the lifting handle lowers or releases the material whereas higher vacuum pressure grasps or raises the material. The type and size of lift tube employed is dictated by the desired lifting capacity of the system. For example, heavier lifting capacities require larger diameter lift tubes whereas lower capacities require less vacuum flow and thus, a smaller lift tube.

Structural Support System (Crane)

All vacuum lifters require a structural support system. The type of support relies on the desired application or space constraints within a given facility. Common structures include bridge cranes, jib cranes, portable jib cranes, and even specialized mobile order pickers which can attach to a forklift or fork truck. Cranes can be freestanding or integrated into an existing roof truss or column in a given building.

Vacuum Pump

Each vacuum lifter is powered by a single vacuum pump. This is similar in size and shape as a small air compressor and can be enclosed in a sound dampening device to lower the ambient decibel level in your facility. Along with the vacuum generator, hoses and connections are used to deliver suction at the point of use.

How do I know a Vacuum Lifter is Right for My Application?

There are many ways to handle material, and a vacuum lifter is just one option on the market today. There are several factors that you need to consider before you can select the right vacuum lifter configuration for your lifting situation:

• Area the lifter needs to traverse
• Weight / shape / material of the item being lifted
• Facility space constraints
• Special requirements such as ATEX certification or FDA compliance

TAWI USA offers free application testing at our Bolingbrook, IL Innovation Center. Simply send us your products and provide us with your lifting challenge, and then we will provide a video or livestream demonstrating how our vacuum lifters can help lift your product. Additionally, if you wish to visit our facility and test your application with your operators, training takes less than 5 minutes and your team can get an understanding if this is the right solution for you.