Grabo 16v Li-Ion Cordless Suction Cup

Grabo incorporates multiple patents and technological innovations developed by engineers at Nemo Power Tools over the course of several years. Traditional suction cups are only capable of creating a good seal with flat, clean and airtight surfaces such as glass. However, Grabo’s unique seal allows the tool to adhere to rough, etched surfaces. The maximum surface roughness which Grabo can attach to depends on the exact “Profile roughness parameters” (The geometry of peaks and valleys in the material), and is generally limited to an amplitude of about 2.5mm (0.1 inch). This capability allows Grabo to create a seal with the majority of patterned tiles, pavers and construction materials.

A porous surface is any surface which allows gas to flow though is. Many construction materials are porous to varying degrees. Most common porous construction materials are: Wood, concrete, rock, gypsum boards and many ceramics and tiles.
Standard “suction cups” can not hold porous materials for more than a few seconds, even if the surface is flat enough to create a seal. A vacuum cavity on top of a porous material will quickly fail as air seeps in through the material.
Grabo overcomes this and allows secure adhesion to these materials by constantly pumping out a large volume of air at a rate greater than the diffusion rate of air though the surface.
The physics behind the calculation of flow rates through different materials is both complex and interesting. The flow rate required from Grabo to keep a strong vacuum seal against a porous surface, is generally described by a formula of generalized Murray’s law:

The flow rate is than multiplied by the surface area under the seal for a given pressure differential, which results in the flow rate and power requirement from Grabo’s internal electric pump.

However, as interesting as the engineering is, users of Grabo do not need to worry about the science. All you need to know, is the Grabo is designed to work well on some of the most common porous materials in the industry.
* For specific max lifting force capabilities, refer to the table “Lifting force under different conditions” table in the bottom of this page.

Technical Specs:

Pressure to perpendicular lifting force conversion
For a more accurate estimation, check the pressure gauge on your Grabo and use the table below to convert pressure values to max lifting force values. (Parallel holding force values can be calculated using the P/P ratio provided above for different materials.)