Designing or implementing a vacuum system for material handling applications is an important and often costly expenditure that can cause many decision makers to encounter mixed messages, making the right choice unclear. In order to ensure a profitable investment, engineers should consider the following design parameters: reliability, product safety, efficiency, response time, flexibility, and maintenance issues. Although there are several different types of vacuum systems, this article focuses on compressed air-driven vacuum systems -- specifically, the different features of a centralized vs a decentralized system.

Reprinted with Permission from PIAB