Model-Based Design of Energy-Efficient Vacuum-Based Handling Processes

Abstract

Vacuum-based handling is used extensively in automated production and is typically realized through vacuum ejectors. In compressed air-based vacuum generation, only a small fraction of the initially invested electrical energy is useable for the vacuum-based handling process. In practice, oversizing of the vacuum generation system is therefore used to compensate for process-related uncertainties, e.g. leakage. To enable a significant reduction of the required energy consumption, this paper proposes a method for the design of vacuum handling systems and the corresponding handling process with regard to gripper-specific sealing and force transmission capabilities for the gripping of curved or edged objects.