Which type of gripper uses suction to pick up items?

• A. Vacuum
• B. Magnetic
• C. Expandable
• D. Claw

Answer: (A)

Suction-based grasping relies on creating a pressure difference between a suction cup and the item’s surface. A vacuum gripper lowers the pressure under the cup with a pump, and ambient air pressure then pushes the cup onto the surface, sticking to the item without pinching it. This works well for flat, smooth, nonporous surfaces and can be fast and versatile across many shapes. Other options don’t use suction: a magnetic gripper relies on magnetic attraction and only works with ferrous materials; an expandable gripper uses pneumatic or mechanical expansion to grip; a claw uses mechanical fingers to seize the item.