Glass suction cups have many uses, but they are especially favoured in the glazing industry. Their ability to securely attach to smooth, flat surfaces makes them essential for lifting and moving glass. Glaziers benefit greatly from glass suction cups as they enable them to form a grip on the glass load as well as avoid fingerprints. At GGR Glass we have all the expertise needed to help you find the most effective glass suction cup for your project.

Using an effective glass suction cup can improve your productivity as there is less time wasted struggling to lift glazing. Due to the superior grip glass vacuum cups provide it means you may not need as many people to lift one glazing unit. They also reduce breakages and reduce injuries as you are less likely to drop the glass or hurt yourself on the sharp edges.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Most Effective Glass Suction Cups

There are plenty of factors that can affect your approach to lifting glass and what glass suction cup you choose. In order to choose an effective glass suction cup, you should first assess what you intend to lift using it. Many factors go into selecting a suitable lifting tool such as the size, weight, shape, and texture of the glass. Suction cups come with many different specifications so there are none that are suited for every lift.

Your choice may also be affected by how often you intend to use your glass suction cup. An expert glazier is much more likely to invest in advanced features and durability if they are using it every day. However, a novice may only need to use it a few times so may just want a safe but cheaper tool. Some of the most important features to look out for are vacuum control, handle design, and stability. These features can be the difference between an easier and safer lift as they allow better grip and ergonomics.

Single-Cup Suction Lifters

The traditional glass suction cup has just a singular cup for lifting and shifting glazing. Although more cups usually provide extra lifting power that doesn’t always mean more cups are better. Through decades of research and perfecting the capabilities of suction cups, they can lift more than one would expect. For example, our strongest vacuum cup at GGR Glass is the Nemo Grabo which has a maximum SWL of 170kg. Single cups are also ideal for smaller glazing or jobs that need extra manoeuvrability.

Multi-Cup Suction Lifters

Having multiple cups on your lifter can be massively beneficial for achieving better stability and a balanced weight distribution. Suction lifters such as the GGR3 Suction Cup Triple Pad achieve this through a triangulated formation. The coverage offered by these cups provides better leverage which is especially important for lifting larger glazing. These types of suction cups are ideal for commercial and industrial window installation due to their higher capacity and enhanced manoeuvrability.

Specialised Suction Cups for Curved Windows

Not all windows a customer requires are going to be completely flat. Whether for style or practicality, many glazing features will have some curvature. However, the average suction cup is not designed for sticking to curved surfaces. Which is why it is important to invest in a specialised vacuum cup that can handle more than standard glazing. Suction cups such as the Powr-Grip N6450 Curved Suction Cup offer a capacity of 79kg on curved and irregularly shaped surfaces.

 

Some of the most effective glass suction cups for glazing are specialised cups like those designed for curved surfaces, lifters with multiple cups, and the simpler single-cup suction lifters. The best glass suction cup for you will entirely depend on the project, so glaziers must choose their tools based on factors such as shape, size, weight, texture and more.

GGR Glass offers expertise in all things glazing and can help you select the best tools for you. With over 25 years of supplying lifting solutions our team of experts is always happy to help. Browse more of our hand cups here or contact us here for further help.