Vacuum Tube Lifters
Vacuum tube lifters from 25 to 200 kg
Cowest Machinery offers sixteen vacuum tube lifter models in four series, from a 25 kg compact unit to a 200 kg two-handle lifter; four of the sixteen are battery-powered mobile units for work that moves. This page sets the four series side by side so you can find the right one before going into its models.
- ESL-SG single-handle, four models from 35 kg
- ESL-MD two-handle, six ratings from 45 to 200 kg
- ESM compact, rated 25 and 35 kg, with a handle that tilts and rotates
- MD and AD mobile, 45 or 60 kg on a battery column
Every rating on this page is a catalogue value for airtight loads; plain cartons and paper sacks lift less and are checked with your samples.
- Series:
- 4
- Models:
- 16
- Rated capacity:
- 25–200 kg
- Lifting height:
- 1,700 or 2,500 mm
Definition
What a vacuum tube lifter is
In one sentence: a hand-guided lifting aid that hangs from a crane or rail and uses one vacuum both to hold the load on a pad and to shorten a flexible tube, so the load rises without the operator carrying its weight.
All four Cowest series work this way; they differ in handle, rating, tooling and in whether they hang from a fixed crane or travel on their own column. For the parts and the physics behind them, read how a vacuum tube lifter works.
Specifications
Range at a glance
Read the table by load first: the series whose range covers your heaviest item with room to spare, then the handle and movement the job needs.
| Series | Handle and movement | Models | Rated capacity | Lifting height | Vacuum source | Supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL-SG | One stainless-steel handle | 4 | 35–80 kg, 80 kg per catalogue | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | Blower, 2.2–3.0 kW | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD | Two handles; quick-release valve; tilt to order | 6 | 45–200 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | Blower, 3.0–5.0 kW | 380 V three-phase |
| ESM | One-piece handle; 90° tilt; 360° rotation | 2 | 25 or 35 kg | 1,700 mm | Pump; blower option on ESM35 | 380 V three-phase |
| Mobile MD / AD | Own column, 3 m arm; pushed or 5.5 km/h | 4 | 45 or 60 kg | 1,700 mm | Confirmed when quoted; 2.2–3.0 kW by model | 12 V deep-cycle battery |
Read the ESL-SG180/30's 80 kg as a catalogue figure: it sits above what one-hand units usually reach in the industry, so heavy loads lifted all shift are planned on the two-handle ESL-MD. The source of the vacuum on the mobile units is confirmed in the quotation.
the heaviest load, its surface, the pick and place heights and your power supply are enough to start.
| Model | Series | Rated capacity | Lifting height |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESM25 | ESM compact | 25 kg | 1,700 mm |
| ESM35 | ESM compact | 35 kg | 1,700 mm |
| ESL-SG120/22 | ESL-SG single-handle | 35 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-SG140/22 | ESL-SG single-handle | 45 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD140/22 | ESL-MD two-handle | 45 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| MD-ESM | Mobile, pushed | 45 kg | 1,700 mm |
| AD-ESM | Mobile, self-propelled | 45 kg | 1,700 mm |
| ESL-SG160/30 | ESL-SG single-handle | 60 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD160/30 | ESL-MD two-handle | 60 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| MD-SG | Mobile, pushed | 60 kg | 1,700 mm |
| AD-SKG | Mobile, self-propelled | 60 kg | 1,700 mm |
| ESL-SG180/30 | ESL-SG single-handle | 80 kg per catalogue | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD180/30 | ESL-MD two-handle | 80 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD200/40 | ESL-MD two-handle | 120 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD275/50 | ESL-MD two-handle | 150 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
| ESL-MD300/50 | ESL-MD two-handle | 200 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm |
Several ratings appear in more than one series; at 45 or 60 kg the handle, the tooling and the mounting decide between them.
Product range
Single-handle, two-handle, compact or mobile
Start from the job, not from the catalogue: how heavy, how often, whether the load turns, and whether the work stays in one place.
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ESL-SG: light loads, many lifts
Frequent lifts of cartons, 25 kg sacks and pails, with one hand on the handle and the other free to guide the load; one-hand units are the industry's usual choice up to about 50 kg at high rates. Models and selection: ESL-SG single-handle lifters.
View the series -
ESL-MD: heavy loads and tilting
Two handles for 50 kg sacks, heavy cases, drums on the three smaller models and airtight loads up to 200 kg, with the quick-release valve on every model and a 90° tilt to order that carries a lower rating of its own. Models and selection: ESL-MD two-handle lifters.
View the series -
ESM: small loads that must turn
For small loads that have to be stood on edge, turned to a fixture or hung by a handle: the ESM is rated 25 and 35 kg, its one-piece handle tilts and rotates, the SHP hook takes pails, and any tilt job is sized on the manufacturer's tilt rating, which sits below those figures. Models and selection: ESM compact lifters.
View the series -
Mobile MD / AD: work that moves
When one lifter serves several docks or lines inside the building, the floor cannot be drilled or the work is seasonal, a 45 or 60 kg unit on its own battery column moves between work areas and is kept stationary while lifting. Models and selection: mobile vacuum lifters.
View the series
Suction pads and grippers
The pad has to suit both the load and the series, because each series has its own listed tooling.
| Series | Cartons | Sacks | Drums and pails |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESL-SG | SFD / HB carton pads | SUS190×290R on the 120/22; SUS230×380R on the rest | HB bellows pads |
| ESL-MD | SFD / HB carton pads | SUS230×380R up to the 180/30; larger models in the quotation | Round drum pads, 140/22 to 180/30 |
| ESM | SFD / HB carton pads | None listed | SHP hook, pails with a handle only |
| Mobile MD / AD | Confirmed in the quotation | Confirmed in the quotation | Confirmed in the quotation |
Power
Power supply and vacuum source
| Series | Supply | Vacuum source | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESL-SG | 380 V three-phase | Blower | 2.2–3.0 kW |
| ESL-MD | 380 V three-phase | Blower | 3.0–5.0 kW |
| ESM | 380 V three-phase | Pump, or blower on the ESM35 | 40/60 m³/h pump; 2.2 kW blower |
| Mobile MD / AD | 12 V deep-cycle battery | Confirmed in the quotation | 2.2–3.0 kW by model |
Mounting
Mounting options
Three of the four series hang from a crane or rail; the fourth brings its own column.
Pillar jib crane:
the WJC serves a sector around its column, of 180°, 270° or 360° as ordered, less a dead zone next to the column, and suits a single workplace.
Aluminium rail:
laid as a single run, the AM profiles serve work spread along a conveyor or a row of pallets; covering a rectangle takes a bridge layout, and whether we supply that set is confirmed in the quotation.
Own column:
the MD and AD units stand on a battery-powered base and need no floor installation.
| Series | Mounted on | Sized in the proposal |
|---|---|---|
| ESL-SG | WJC jib crane or AM rail | Crane class from the full suspended weight |
| ESL-MD | WJC jib crane or AM rail | Crane class from the full suspended weight |
| ESM | WJC jib crane or AM rail | Crane class from the full suspended weight |
| Mobile MD / AD | Its own column, 3 m arm | No crane needed |
Safety
What happens if the power fails
As published safety guidance and makers' manuals describe most tube lifters of this type, a load cannot stay up for long without power: the non-return valve only slows the loss of vacuum, so the load sinks under control instead of falling, and sooner if it is porous.
That is why a load is never left hanging and nobody stands beneath one; on a Cowest unit, the manual for your model is the reference, so ask us before ordering if the behaviour on power loss matters for your work. Next step: the how to choose a vacuum lifter guide takes the load, the task, the environment and the site in turn.
Tools
Tools and documents for choosing a series
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Lift capacity calculator:
from a load weight, its porosity class and the site altitude, the airtight rating to look for across the four series
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NIOSH lifting calculator:
how a manual lift scores today, before any series takes it over
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Downloads:
data sheets for every series and the lifting systems, one page each
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Vacuum lifter price guide:
the cost drivers behind a tube lifter quotation, trade terms included
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Spare parts:
the wear parts of a tube lifter, from pad seals to filter cartridges, ordered by model and serial number
FAQ
Which series should I look at first?
The one whose ratings cover your heaviest load: the ESM for small loads up to 35 kg, the ESL-SG for light frequent lifts, the ESL-MD from about 50 kg up to 200 kg, and the mobile units when the work moves.
How heavy a load can the range take?
Up to 200 kg on the ESL-MD300/50 for an airtight load; anything heavier is outside our tube lifter range.
Can one lifter handle several loads?
Often, by changing the pad, as long as each load stays within what the model holds for that surface; the tooling table above shows what is listed per series.
Do all series run on 380 V?
The fixed series do, with other voltages and 60 Hz on request; the mobile units work from 12 V deep-cycle batteries.
What about warranty and lead time?
Both are stated in the quotation for your configuration, together with the payment terms.
Scope
What this range does not cover
The range stops at 200 kg, there is no explosion-proof version and no rental, and glass and stone vacuum lifters are outside this site's range. Above about 300 kg the industry moves from tube lifters to vacuum lifting devices.
Founded in 2008, Cowest Machinery designs and manufactures vacuum tube lifters at its factory in Qingyuan, Guangdong, China; the lifters are CE marked, with Attestation of Conformity No. CE-1629-01-011123 (CGS Test, valid to 2028) available on request.