SMC ZGS-X7 Foam Vacuum Gripper for Cobot Palletizing of Bags and Shrink-Wrap
2026-11-05Anyone who has palletized bagged goods or shrink-wrapped bottle packs with a cobot knows the complaint: the suction cups won’t seal, the vacuum keeps leaking, and every so often a pack drops. SMC’s ZGS-X7 foam vacuum gripper is aimed squarely at these uneven loads. This article collects what SMC has published about its specs and design and adds a checklist of what to confirm before you commit. Anything SMC has not made public is left out; for full data, use SMC’s catalogue.
The short answer
The ZGS-X7 is SMC’s foam-type vacuum gripper system for collaborative robots, intended for palletizing and depalletizing bags, shrink-wrapped packs and similar products. SMC’s web catalogue lists a 400 × 240 mm gripping surface and 1870 N lifting force, support for Universal Robots, OMRON/TECHMAN ROBOT, FANUC and YASKAWA cobots, and includes it among SMC’s IO-Link compatible products.
The key is the “-X7” design: a large square ring hole with a hollow space at the centre of a soft, thick foam pad that conforms to uneven surfaces. SMC says this reduces air leakage and suction marks on the workpiece.
Why bags and shrink-wrap are hard to grip
General principles, not SMC data:
- Uneven surfaces. Bags wrinkle and bulge; bottles under shrink film make the top surface rise and fall. Cup lips cannot seal, so air leaks continuously and vacuum stays low.
- Soft, deforming loads. A bag sags as it is lifted, changing the surface under the cups and peeling some of them away.
- Scattered contact. A shrink pack is several bottles; a small cup grips only part of it, so the load is uneven.
- Porous packaging. Some bag materials leak air through the material itself, increasing the flow the vacuum system has to handle.
Combined, these explain why a cup gripper that works well on rigid cartons becomes unreliable on bags and shrink packs. For more on porous loads, see our article on the Festo OVPN multistage vacuum generator for porous materials, and for the wider picture, vacuum gripping trends in packaging automation.
What the ZGS-X7 is: official specs
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Vacuum gripper system (foam type) ZGS-X7 | SMC new product page / web catalogue |
| Category | Listed under “Vacuum Grippers (Ejector Type)” | SMC web catalogue |
| Gripping surface | 400 × 240 mm | SMC web catalogue |
| Lifting force | 1870 N | SMC web catalogue |
| Supported robots | Universal Robots, OMRON/TECHMAN ROBOT, FANUC, YASKAWA Electric | SMC web catalogue |
| Robot-side tools | FANUC CRX, TMComponent, URCap, YASKAWA Plug and Play Kit | SMC web catalogue, “Other information / tools” |
| Communication | Listed among SMC IO-Link compatible products | SMC web catalogue |
| Applications | Palletizing / depalletizing of bags, shrink-wrapped packs, etc. | SMC new product page |
Sources: SMC web catalogue, ZGS-X7 and SMC new product page, ZGS-X7.
Workpiece mass, supply air requirements, vacuum level, gripper mass and air consumption are not listed on SMC’s public pages. Check the full catalogue (registration required on SMC’s site) or ask SMC.
The “-X7” design: square ring hole with hollow centre
SMC’s new product page highlights three points:
- Square ring-hole, hollow structure. A large square ring hole with a hollow space at the centre of the foam holds the workpiece.
- Conforms to uneven surfaces, reducing leaks. Soft foam of sufficient thickness follows highly uneven surfaces such as shrink-wrapped plastic bottles.
- Fewer suction marks. The soft material reduces marks left on the workpiece surface.
Put simply, a cup seals with a thin lip, so any unevenness breaks the seal. Foam is a thick, compliant block that deforms to follow the surface and fills the gaps air would leak through.
Foam gripper or suction-cup gripper?
SMC offers cobot vacuum gripper systems in both suction-cup and foam types. The table below is a general rule of thumb, not SMC data. Test with real workpieces.
| Situation | Leaning | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Uneven or wrinkled surfaces (bags, shrink packs) | Foam | Foam conforms and leaks less |
| Several small items picked together | Foam | Continuous gripping area; no need to align a cup with each item |
| Flat, rigid cartons | Cups usually suffice | Flat surfaces seal easily |
| High positioning accuracy needed | Cups more common | Compressed foam lets the part float slightly |
| Surface must not be marked | Foam | SMC says soft foam reduces suction marks |
If your loads are flat cartons, a cup-based design with a suitable generator may be enough; our SMC vacuum generator selection guide (ZP vs ZH vs ZU) and the ZK2A12K5RWA-08-B vacuum generator system article are good starting points.
Checklist before choosing the ZGS-X7
| Area | What to confirm | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Workpiece | Size, mass, packaging material, surface condition; whether the bag material is porous | SMC catalogue / ask SMC |
| Gripping area | Whether the load is sensibly covered by the 400 × 240 mm surface | SMC web catalogue |
| Lifting force and safety factor | 1870 N is the published lifting force; usable payload depends on safety factor, acceleration and load condition | SMC catalogue / selection data |
| Robot | Model on the supported list; payload covering workpiece plus gripper; flange | SMC web catalogue; gripper mass per SMC catalogue |
| Control and software | IO-Link use; robot-side plug-in (URCap, TMComponent, etc.) | SMC web catalogue |
| Safety | Drop risk on loss of air or power, and the countermeasures | Project risk assessment |
Do not convert 1870 N directly into kilograms and treat that as the payload. Real-world vacuum handling has to allow for acceleration, a safety factor, surface condition and porosity; use SMC’s catalogue or selection data. For drop-risk design, see our article on vacuum system safety design in automation and robotics.
Talk to us
Gather the workpiece size, mass and packaging type, the robot make, model and payload, and your cycle time, then email us. We will help you list the points to confirm with SMC.
FAQ
How heavy a load can the ZGS-X7 handle?
SMC publishes a lifting force of 1870 N. Usable payload also depends on safety factor, acceleration, surface, porosity and robot payload; confirm with SMC’s catalogue or selection data.
Which robots does it support?
SMC lists Universal Robots, OMRON/TECHMAN ROBOT, FANUC and YASKAWA Electric, with tools including URCap, TMComponent, FANUC CRX and the YASKAWA Plug and Play Kit.
Does it need an external vacuum pump?
SMC lists it under ejector-type vacuum grippers, which generate vacuum from compressed air. Check SMC’s catalogue for supply air requirements.
What does “-X7” mean?
On SMC’s pages, -X7 refers to the square ring-hole structure with a hollow space at the centre of the foam.
Is it IO-Link compatible?
SMC’s web catalogue lists the ZGS-X7 among its IO-Link compatible products.
Can it pick cartons?
As a general rule, flat cartons are usually handled well by cup grippers; SMC positions the ZGS-X7 for uneven loads such as bags and shrink packs. Test with your actual workpieces.