Vacuum clamping technology (EN)

Vacuum clamping systems are used above all in the wood, plastics and non-ferrous metals industries for quick, simple machining; they are compatible with CNC machine tools. Here vacuum technology is used in connection with special handling systems, for example in order to fix an aluminium plate and machine it from all sides. This increases productivity and cost-effectiveness: the fixing does not cause any damage to the workpiece, and no laborious, time-consuming aligning of the workpiece is required. The latest clamping systems allow attachments of various sizes and shapes to be exchanged in a very short time, thus facilitating flexible handling of a wide range of workpiece shapes. Why does a vacuum generate a holding force? All surfaces of an object are subjected to an even pressure of approx. 1 bar by the surrounding atmosphere. The integrated Venturi nozzle or an external vacuum pump then removes some of the air from under the workpiece being held, thus removing part of the pressure load on that surface. What remains is a one-sided pressure on the top surface of the workpiece, whose size depends on the degree of the vacuum. Generally it is 0.7 - 0.8 bar. This means, for example, that a vacuum of 200mbar (absolute pressure) is generated. The pressure differential acting on the workpiece is therefore 800mbar (approx. 0.8 kp/cm²). The size of the clamping force is then only dependent on the clamping area. Calculation formulae: > Force = Pressure x Area > F (N) = bar x A (m²) x 105 > 1 bar = 10 N / cm²