Manufacturers using collaborative robots often struggle with end‑effectors that are heavy, generate high acoustic noise, and consume excessive compressed‑air, which limits safe handling of fragile components and raises operational costs. Traditional suction grippers also lack tactile feedback, making it difficult to verify successful part pickup without additional sensors. These constraints reduce flexibility and increase downtime in high‑mix, low‑volume production lines.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Manufacturers using collaborative robots often struggle with end‑effectors that are heavy, generate high acoustic noise, and consume excessive compressed‑air, which limits safe handling of fragile components and raises operational costs. Traditional suction grippers also lack tactile feedback, making it difficult to verify successful part pickup without additional sensors. These constraints reduce flexibility and increase downtime in high‑mix, low‑volume production lines.
Solution
VAC Automation offers the ULCP series of ultralight surface grippers specifically engineered for cobot integration. Each gripper weighs under 1 kg and features soft foam‑lined contact surfaces that eliminate sharp edges, ensuring safe interaction with delicate parts and nearby operators. An integrated three‑stage ejector vacuum system, equipped with an energy‑saving module, reduces compressed‑air demand to as little as 0.4 Nl/s while maintaining reliable suction force. Intelligent wiring provides autonomous power management, real‑time grip confirmation, and visual mode indicators, enabling rapid setup and intuitive programming through standard robot I/O. The low acoustic footprint (<60 dB) allows operators to communicate freely on the shop floor, and interchangeable suction mats increase versatility across varied part geometries. Together, these capabilities deliver a quiet, energy‑efficient, and user‑friendly end‑effector solution for flexible automation.
Target Audience
Primary customers are manufacturers that deploy collaborative robots for handling delicate or lightweight components, such as electronics assemblers, medical‑device producers, and consumer‑goods makers seeking low‑noise, energy‑efficient end‑effectors.
Features
- Weight under 1 kg, making it the lightest surface gripper in its class for minimal payload impact on cobots
- Soft foam‑filled edges and no sharp elements to protect fragile components and enhance operator safety
- Low sound pressure level (<60 dB) for quiet operation in shared workspaces
- Three‑stage ejector vacuum with an energy‑saving module, consuming 0.4–3 Nl/s of compressed air
- Intelligent wiring that autonomously manages power, provides grip‑status feedback, and visualizes operating mode
- Plug‑and‑play programming via standard digital/analog I/O, reducing integration time
- Quick‑swap suction mats for rapid adaptation to different part shapes and surface finishes
- Compatibility with major collaborative robot platforms through standard mounting interfaces