Duty: taping machines keep components seated in the carrier tape pockets, and pickup and inspection stations often hold parts by vacuum. Weaving, heat sealing and winding run continuously, so the vacuum action has to keep pace with the cycle.
What the station needs: the vacuum level does not need to be high, but it has to be steady, and both establishing and releasing it must be crisp so that components are neither drawn off-centre nor left sitting proud. The working area carries plastic debris and dust.
Configuration direction: count holding points and their areas to establish the flow, then set the acceptable time to build vacuum from the cycle time. A small oil-free rotary vane pump in the V8, V10 or V16 class serves most stations on one machine; where stations are numerous, one pump with a vacuum receiver feeding the whole machine is easier to maintain.
Watch points: debris and dust must be filtered before the pump, with the element changed on differential pressure rather than by the calendar; long holding lines slow the response, so keep the pump close to the machine. In continuous duty, watch body temperature and the cooling conditions.
This page describes a selection method, not a specific project record.