The New VPFS10T Foam Ring Pad from Wood's Powr-Grip

by Bryan Strobel

The long-awaited VPFS10T vacuum pad with replaceable foam ring will be available for order as an upgrade/replacement part starting March 1, 2014.

The New VPFS10T 10

The VPFS10T is redesigned to offer better value, longer life and ease of replacement. The low-cost sealing ring requires no adhesive to keep it in place and can quickly be replaced, if it becomes worn or damaged in the field, shortening down-time and increasing productivity.

The sponge rubber seal facilitates easy attachment of this vacuum pad to rough and irregular surfaces, while a durable rubber face protects and grips the surface of the load. The profile of the sponge rubber seal tapers to a narrow tip, which easily conforms to irregularities up to 3/16" [5 mm] in depth, accommodating a better seal across changing surface features while also reducing the effort needed to initiate attachment of the pad. The surface of the sponge rubber seal is both smooth and pliable, providing a reliable vacuum seal and making it resistant to wear and damage.

The New Foam Ring Is Easily Replaceable with Tools or Adhesives.

The new VPFS10T vacuum pad will be particularly valuable in the insulated metal panel industry, the stone industry, and other industries that deal with rough or irregular surfaces. While the popular HV11F vacuum pad has facilitated some of these applications in the past, the VPFS10T can attach to surfaces with 50% taller features, with up to 5x better sealing on irregular surfaces, and it offers a longer life, thanks to the replaceable seal. (Note: While replacing the seal renews the ability of the pad to attach to the load, the entire pad should be replaced when the face of the pad is no longer pliable and loses the required coefficient of friction or "grip" with the load.)

Upgrading the HV11F pads on most lifters is as easy as purchasing the correct quantity of VPFS10T pads, unbolting the existing HV11F pads and mounting the new pads using the existing hardware. Due to the height difference between the two pad types, all of the pads must be replaced at one time. Upgrading an MT8 stone lifter (ordered before April 1, 2014) requires a conversion kit, which includes VPFS10T pads and hardware required to provide necessary clearance on this vacuum lifter.

Due to the benefits of the VPFS10T vacuum pad, all lifter models previously equipped with HV11F pads ordered after April 1st, 2014 will come standard with VPFS10T pads (unless specifically requested otherwise). Vacuum lifters ordered before April 1st may be equipped with the new pad at the discretion of Woods Powr-Grip®.

If the HV11F pads on your vacuum lifter are due for replacement, consider the value of upgrading them to VPFS10T vacuum pads. Your Wood's Powr-Grip Authorized Dealer will answer any questions you may have regarding appropriate applications for the new VPFS10T pads. If you need additional information, please feel free to contact a Wood's Powr-Grip Technical Sales Representative.


Bryan Strobel is the Chief Engineer at Woods Powr-Grip. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and specializes in product analysis and design.