AREA SURFACE GRIPPER
Multi-Point Vacuum Gripper for Flat and Irregular Surface Handling
Built for Reliable Robotic Pick and Place
- Flat surface pick and place applications
- Fragile product handling (glass, panels, packaging)
- Palletizing and depalletizing
- Logistics and warehouse automation
- Consumer packaged goods handling
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging
- Food and beverage packaging lines
- Multi-SKU flexible production cells
Why Choose the Area Surface Gripper?
VERSATILE
LIGHTWEIGHT
MODULAR
SAFER
RELIABLE
INTEGRATED
Configure the Area Surface Gripper (ASG)
Browse every ASG configuration, compare part numbers and specifications, and build a quote without leaving this page. The catalogue below is filtered to the ASG family.
Prefer a full screen view? Open the ASG catalogue in a new tab.
Three Ways to Configure Your Area Surface Gripper
The Area Surface Gripper adapts to your line across three configuration levels, from fast off-the-shelf units to fully tailored designs. Every gripper handles materials such as cardboard, glass, wood, shrink-wrapped beverages, sheet metal, and plastic, with customizable inlet pitch and one-zone or two-zone vacuum control to match your application.
Preconfigured
Ready-to-use lightweight plenums in a range of widths, lengths, inlet pitch arrays, suction cup sizes, and foam thicknesses. Standard options include suction cups from 20 to 80 mm or EPDM foam in 10 mm and 20 mm thickness, with modular sections joined by advanced adhesive compounds for fast deployment on time-sensitive projects.
Semi-Configured
Standard modules with added customization for inlet pitch arrays, zone configuration, and other components. The right fit when you need more flexibility than a preconfigured unit without the lead time of a fully custom build.
Fully Customized
Work directly with our engineering team to develop a gripper optimized for your exact product, surface, and cycle requirements. The ideal route for challenging geometries or demanding throughput targets.
Flow Restrictors, Redesigned
A system that incorporates non-return or orifice flow control in easy to install, lightweight fittings. Swap between ASG flow restrictor fittings in seconds and tune every vacuum inlet to the product on your line.
Engineered Flow Control at Every Inlet
Our fittings are available with a range of engineered flow restricting solutions, including non-return check valves and fixed orifices with pass-through diameters from 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. Check valves help preserve system vacuum when individual inlets run uncovered, while calibrated orifices balance airflow across the full gripping surface.
Because every fitting is interchangeable, one Area Surface Gripper adapts to new products without redesigning the tool. Select the flow control that matches your application and swap it in.
Insert
Place the fitting into the inlet and align it with the specified screwdriver bit.
Rotate
Twist clockwise to engage the sealed cam action locking system for a leak proof connection.
Two Ways to Meter Flow
The check valve seals when an inlet runs uncovered. The orifice meters airflow through a calibrated passage.
Matched to Your Product Surface
Zoning, sealing, and cup layout are configured around what you handle, so the gripper fits the product instead of the product fitting the gripper.
Two-Zone Vacuum Control
Each Area Surface Gripper includes two individually adjustable vacuum zones that can run independently or simultaneously. Activate the full surface for large cartons and trays, or a single zone for smaller footprints, and keep vacuum efficiency and grip reliable across different product sizes and surface areas.
- Independent or simultaneous zone activation
- Pick one large product or two smaller products per cycle
- Lower air consumption when only one zone is active
Two Sealing Options for Every Surface
Choose foam seals in 10 mm and 20 mm thicknesses for full contact on uneven or porous materials, or suction cups in 40 mm, 60 mm, and 80 mm diameters for precise, high speed gripping on smooth surfaces. Both options maintain consistent vacuum performance during continuous operation.
- Foam sealing for corrugate, wood, and porous packaging
- Suction cups for glass, sheet metal, and smooth plastics
- Interchangeable on the same gripper body
Customizable Cup Layout and Pitch
The spacing, orientation, and number of suction inlets are set during design to match your product size, shape, and surface. Uniform contact across the handling area keeps vacuum performance consistent from the first pick to the last.
The same base system scales from small, detailed components to large packaging formats. Pitch dimensions and inlet arrangements are tailored to your line, so airflow stays balanced and the load stays stable at speed.
The Area Surface Gripper on the Line
Automated Handling with the IVTC-A
The Area Surface Gripper paired with our integrated vacuum tool changer in a continuous handling cycle.
Vacuum Pick and Release Demo
A closer look at pickup, transfer, and release with the ASG and IVTC-A working together.
Browse Our Full Product Catalogue Online
See our complete range of end of arm tooling, compare specifications side by side, and request a quote, all from one interactive catalogue.
MULTI-POINT VACUUM GRIPPING
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Lightweight EOAT | Increased robot speed and lower energy consumption |
| Modular design | Easy integration into existing packaging lines |
| Vacuum gripping technology | Reliable product pickup and transfer |
| Precision engineered structure | Optimized strength-to-weight ratio |
| Compact footprint | Ideal for space-constrained automation cells |
| Fast changeover capability | Supports multiple product formats |
| High cycle performance | Improved production throughput |
| Low maintenance design | Reduced downtime and operational costs |
From 100 x 100 to 100 x 250 in Seconds
The video shows a complete gripper change in real time. The robot docks its Area Surface Gripper (ASG) on the tool stand, picks up the next size, and returns to work in about three seconds. No operator, no tools, and no hoses to disconnect.
The Integrated Vacuum Tool Changer (IVTC) generates vacuum on the changer itself, so every ASG in the cell shares one vacuum source and every format on the line gets exactly the gripping area it needs. Format changeover stops being downtime and becomes a step in the program.
Read the tool changer guide
Multi-point suction for stable grip on large surfaces
Lightweight construction to maximize robot payload
Modular design for fast tool changeover
Compatible with UR, FANUC, KUKA, ABB and more
Integrated vacuum and sensor options available
Suitable for cleanroom environments
Area Surface Gripper Benefits
Cartons and Packaging
Reliable handling of corrugated boxes and shrink-wrapped packs for palletizing and case packing.
Multi-Item Picking
A foam gripping surface lifts multiple bottles or containers in a single cycle.
Custom Robot Cells
Tailored Area Surface Grippers integrated across single and multi-robot automation cells.
Industries We Support
Area Surface Gripper vs Spider Gripper
Both are vacuum grippers built for different handling jobs. Use this comparison to match the right tool to your product weight, footprint, and cup layout.
| Application Benefits |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Palletizing | ||
| Offset load over 5 kg | ||
| Gripper over 390 mm | ||
| Lighter and more cost effective | ||
| Uses foam or suction cups | ||
| Suction cup array over 8 | ||
| 8 suction cups or fewer |
READY TO OPTIMIZE YOUR ROBOTIC HANDLING LINE?
Request a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
What is an Area Surface Gripper (ASG)?
The Area Surface Gripper (ASG) is a robotic end-of-arm tool that uses a multi-point array of vacuum cups or foam to hold objects across their full surface. Spreading the holding force over a wide area makes it ideal for flat, fragile, or irregular products that single-point grippers cannot lift securely.
What materials and surfaces can the Area Surface Gripper handle?
The Area Surface Gripper handles cardboard, glass, wood, sheet metal, plastic, and shrink-wrapped goods. Because the vacuum contact is distributed across the surface, it lifts both rigid panels and uneven loads without leaving marks or damaging the product.
How does multi-point vacuum gripping work?
Multi-point vacuum gripping uses many suction zones across one plenum instead of a single large cup. This keeps the grip stable on large or irregular surfaces, and one-zone or two-zone control lets the same gripper pick different product sizes without a tool change.
What is the difference between the preconfigured, semi-configured, and fully customized options?
Preconfigured grippers are ready-to-use plenums with standard cup arrays for the fastest lead time. Semi-configured units add adjustable inlet pitch and zoning for more flexibility, and fully customized grippers are engineered around a specific product shape and throughput target.
Which robots is the Area Surface Gripper compatible with?
The Area Surface Gripper mounts on most industrial and collaborative robots, including FANUC, KUKA, ABB, and Universal Robots. A printed robot flange or tool changer can be added to match your robot model and speed up integration into an existing cell.
How do I choose the right Area Surface Gripper?
Start with the size, weight, and surface of the product you need to handle, then factor in cycle time and how much customization your line requires. Our engineering team can recommend a preconfigured, semi-configured, or fully customized Area Surface Gripper based on those details.
