Duty: optical inspection and sorting machines hold wafers, lenses or chips firmly on the inspection station so the part does not shift while it is measured. Handling and transfer stations may also pick and hold parts by vacuum.
What the station needs: holding areas are small, so the vacuum has to be steady and free of obvious pulsation, otherwise the part vibrates during measurement. Inspection happens in a clean environment, so the exhaust must not carry oil mist. Stations are numerous and act frequently, and the pump starts and stops with the machine.
Configuration direction: work out the vacuum level and flow from the holding area and the part weight; a small oil-free rotary vane pump covers most stations. Where one pump serves several stations, fit a vacuum receiver and a non-return valve in the line to keep the stations from interfering with each other. The V8, V10 and V16 are compact enough to sit inside the machine.
Watch points: put filtration and dust collection between the holding station and the pump; where parts are thin and fragile, limit the holding force and fit pressure monitoring. Leaking joints are the most common cause of unstable holding and need checking at intervals.
This page describes a selection method, not a specific project record.