Guidelines for Selecting a Vacuum Hand Lift / Vacuum Tube Lifter
17 Aug 2025
When selecting a Vacuum Tube Lifting System to assist with heavy lifting, there are several key factors to carefully consider in order to ensure the system fits your application and operational needs:1. System Structure
1. Crane System:
- Suitable for: Moving materials across large workspaces, covering wide working areas.
- Advantages: High flexibility in XY-axis movement, can be installed as Overhead Crane or Jib Crane.
- Considerations: More complex installation, requires headroom, may be limited by the factory building’s load capacity.
- Suitable for: Limited floor space, need to save ground space, or require straight-line movements.
- Advantages: Space-saving, no obstruction on the floor, can be installed with long rails to cover a wide area.
- Considerations: Ceiling load capacity must be checked, reinforcement may be needed for installation.
- Suitable for: Work at specific points, precise handling, repetitive tasks in limited spaces.
- Advantages: Easy to control, highly maneuverable within defined working areas, often integrated with pneumatic or hydraulic systems along with vacuum.
- Considerations: Limited working reach compared to crane systems, less suitable for large area material handling.
- Suitable for: Applications requiring mobility around different factory areas, or when permanent installation is not desired.
- Advantages: Easy relocation, no permanent installation, ideal for temporary or frequently changing workspaces.
- Considerations: Lower payload and reach compared to fixed systems, wheel type and floor condition must be considered.
2. Purchasing and Investment Principles
Requirement analysis:
- Average and maximum load weight – key factor for sizing the Vacuum Tube and system capacity.
- Type of materials (sacks, boxes, drums, compressed rubber) – affects gripper selection.
- Lifting frequency (per hour/day) – impacts durability and control system.
- Lifting and travel distances (vertical/horizontal) – influences tube length, arm reach, and structure type.
- Working environment (temperature, humidity, dust, chemicals) – determines material choice for system construction.
Safety: Choose products certified to international safety standards (CE, ISO), with safety systems against material dropping.
After-sales support & maintenance: Availability of spare parts, repair services, and technical support is essential.
3. Gripper Selection
Grippers or suction pads are the contact point with the material. Choosing the right type is critical:
- For sacks: Large surface grippers such as Foam Grippers or Multi-Zone Grippers to handle uneven surfaces and prevent damage.
- For cardboard boxes: Flat suction pads sized to match surface area, usually made from natural rubber or NBR.
- For paint/plastic drums: Concave suction pads or designs that match the curvature of the drum.
- For compressed rubber blocks: Durable, wear-resistant grippers with high suction capacity, often multiple pads.
- For other heavy materials:
- Surface: Smooth/rough requires compatible suction pads.
- Shape: Special-shaped materials may require custom-designed grippers.
- Temperature: Hot or cold materials require temperature-resistant suction pads.
- Porosity: Porous materials (e.g., untreated wood) may require larger pads or higher vacuum flow.
1. Steel:
- Advantages: Strong, durable, high load capacity, lower cost than stainless.
- Considerations: May rust in humid/chemical environments, surface coating required.
- Advantages: Corrosion and rust resistance, ideal for hygiene-sensitive industries (food, pharma) or humid/chemical environments.
- Considerations: Higher cost.
- Environment: Use stainless in corrosive or hygienic conditions.
- Budget: Coated steel is suitable for normal conditions with limited budget.
- Weight: Both can support high loads; stainless may be lighter in some cases.
1. Reach: Determined by the working distance required.
2. Payload Capacity: Maximum weight the system can safely lift – the most critical parameter.
3. Vacuum System Capacity:
- Vacuum pump size: Must maintain required vacuum level quickly and stably.
- Airflow rate: Important for porous materials or fast lifting.
- Maximum vacuum level: Determines holding strength.
6. Tube Length and Hoisting System
1. Vacuum tube length: Must cover required vertical lifting distance. Tube extends and contracts during lifting.
2. Hoisting system: For heavy loads, additional electric or pneumatic hoists may be integrated for vertical control.
- Speed/acceleration control: Modern hoists should allow speed and acceleration adjustment for smooth and safe lifting, typically via inverters or pneumatic control.
1. Wheeled System:
- Number of wheels: Affects weight distribution and stability.
- Wheel size: Larger wheels improve movement over uneven floors.
- Brakes: Strong brakes required for safety.
- Polyurethane wheels: Durable, high load capacity, suitable for smooth to slightly rough floors, non-marking.
- Nylon wheels: Hard, high capacity, best for very smooth floors, may leave marks and cause noise.
- Rubber wheels: Soft, absorb impact, protect delicate floors (e.g., epoxy), but lower load capacity and faster wear.
- Non-marking types: Polyurethane or special rubber wheels prevent floor stains.
1. Evaluate requirements in detail: weight, size, shape, frequency, distance, environment.
2. Choose the suitable system structure: crane, ceiling mount, manipulator, or portable.
3. Match gripper type to the material.
4. Select structure material: steel or stainless, based on environment and budget.
5. Calculate payload and vacuum capacity with safety margin.
6. Consider lifting height and speed requirements.
7. For mobile use, select wheels suitable for the floor, ensuring non-marking if necessary.
8. Prioritize safety and after-sales support for long-term investment success.
Consulting directly with the supplier’s experts and providing detailed information about your application will ensure you get the most suitable Vacuum Tube Lifting System for your investment.
