Play it safe

Fipa GmbH is expanding its product portfolio with new flat, bellows, and oval suction cups made of conductive silicone or NBR. The electrically conductive materials of the body and sealing lip protect against electrostatic discharge (ESD), which can cause irreversible damage to electronic components and assemblies. ESD is one of the most common causes of failure, especially in semiconductor-based components.

ESD-protected handling is essential in many high-tech industries. These include, for example, the automotive industry, electronic component manufacturers, printed circuit board assembly, the automation of material flows and handling processes in semiconductor factories, as well as machine and control cabinet construction. Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS), specialized contract manufacturing providers in the electronics industry, also rely on protecting sensitive components from electrostatic discharge to prevent malfunctions or failures and ultimately ensure maximum product quality. "We are pleased that our customers can now play it safe when handling sensitive electronic components," says Oliver Richter, Product Manager at Fipa.

The antistatic vacuum cups are made of highly conductive silicone or NBR, which safely and effectively dissipates electrostatic charges, i.e., a sudden current flow between two objects on the workpiece. Fipa offers the suction cups in various designs. Flat suction cups (available from 0.7 to 15 mm in diameter) guarantee good positioning accuracy when placing the component and enable fast cycle times and high repeatability. Bellows suction cups with 1.5 folds (available from 6 to 16.5 mm in diameter) compensate for height and angle differences and are suitable for gently placing on components and gripping curved surfaces. The slim design of the oval suction cups (available from 4 x 2 to 30 x 8 mm) ensures the best possible holding force with minimal space requirements and is ideal for narrow components or with a narrow available contact area.

The antistatic vacuum suction cups are suitable for handling circuit boards, electronic components, and sensitive components in the electromobility sector, for gripping plastic parts, and in the assembly of sensors and control units. Antistatic vacuum suction cups are also suitable for handling display glass and battery components.