Abstract: A sheet material processing unit (10) is described. It comprises an upper tool (18) and a lower tool (14), wherein the upper tool (18) and the lower tool (14) are configured to interact with each other in order to process sheet material (26). Furthermore, a camera unit (40) is provided which is arranged such that it is able to simultaneously capture a portion of the upper tool (18) comprising a first opening (28) and a portion of the lower tool (14) lying behind the first opening (28) for aligning the tools (14, 18). The sheet material processing unit (10) additionally comprises a first and a second set of light sources which are distinct from one another and are configured for subsequently illuminating the portions to be captured. Moreover, methods for assessing an alignment of the upper tool (18) with respect to the lower tool (14) and with respect to the sheet material (26) are presented.

Abstract: A method for tracking the downtime of a production machine (12) comprises the steps of: Receiving sensor data (SD) from the production machine (12) and production target data (PTD), Combining the sensor data (SD) and the production target data over a certain period (40) providing combined data (D) and calculating characteristic data (CD) of the combined data (D), Determining if the combined data (D) is from a downtime period (44) of the production machine (12) based on the characteristic data (CD), and Characterizing the downtime period (44) using a machine learning module (48) implemented in the control unit (32), the machine learning module (48) providing a reason (R) for the downtime period (44) as an output value. Further, a system (19) for tracking the downtime of a production machine (12) is shown.

Abstract: An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system (100) for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system (100) comprises at least one gripper conveyor (150) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system (100) further comprises at least one support conveyor (190) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the supported individual sheet and the support conveyor (190) are movable along the transport direction with respect to each other. The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

Abstract: A positioning device (38) for holding a flat flexible part, especially a sheet, on a positioning surface (46) is presented. It comprises a body (44) having a suction opening (50) for aspiring the part and a fluid port (52) being in fluid communication with the suction opening (50). Furthermore, an abutment protrusion (60) is provided on a connection surface (48) for abutting the positioning device (38) against a base part (28) to which it may be mounted. Also a sealing protrusion (64) is arranged on the connection surface (48) for compressing a gasket (42) being interposed between the positioning device (38) and the base part (28). A height (Ha) of the abutment protrusion (60) is bigger than a height (Hs) of the sealing protrusion (64). Additionally, a positioning assembly (24) is presented which comprises at least one such positioning device (38). Furthermore, a sheet material processing machine comprising at least one such positioning assembly (24) is introduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacking device (10) for placing sheet-shaped elements (P) in stacks in a forming machine (1), said stacking device (10) comprising: a movable stacking surface (11), and an actuating device (12) for moving stacking surface (11): between a retracted position and a vertical forward position in a reciprocating back-and-forth motion for stacking sheets, and between the retracted position and a stowed position to open an access to the stack of sheet-shaped elements (P), characterized in that the actuator (12) comprises cam means configured to move the stacking surface (11) upwardly in the retracted position, in a raised position to be located above the top of the sheet stack. The invention also relates to a machine forming sheet-shaped elements comprising at least one such stacking device.

Abstract: This invention is about an imaging system that uses conventional cameras and a single laser line to perform quality control at the output of a converting machine or a press. The system uses several cameras distributed over the width of the printed sheets. Thanks to the laser line, it can reconstruct the complete image of the printed matter even when the sheets are not perfectly flat or at varying height, compensating geometric as well as photometric distortions. The use of conventional cameras results in a cost effective system.

Abstract: An ejection device for ejecting sample blanks for a processing machine for processing elements in sheet form, the processing machine comprising: a plurality of work stations including at least one waste removal station, and a conveying device comprising a plurality of gripper bars configured to drive the elements through the work stations, the ejection device comprises at least one actuating element able to move between: an inactive position positioned away from the path of the gripper bars, and an active position positioned on the path of the gripper bars, the at least one actuating element being configured to collaborate with the gripper bars as they pass by, so as to open the gripper bars and eject, flat, a sample of blanks. The present invention also relates to a waste removal station, a processing machine for processing elements in sheet form, and a method for ejecting blanks samples in a machine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer module (26) for a folder-gluer machine (1), the transfer module comprising a lower conveyor (36) and an upper conveyor (38) adapted to receive a folding box (2) therebetween and to transport the folding box in a direction of transportation (D) towards a downstream-located loading surface (90) in a stacker module. The upper conveyor (36) of the transfer module extends further in the direction of transportation than the lower conveyor (38) and the lower conveyor comprises a first conveyor belt (38a) and second conveyor belt (38b), each having an inlet end (67a, 67b) and an outlet end (65a, 65b), and wherein the outlet ends are displaceable in the direction of transportation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a capping unit (1) for capping at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3) of a printer (300), in particular an inkjet printer. The capping unit (1) includes a belt element (2.1, 2.2) having an elongated extent, wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) includes at least one flexible cap (3.1, 3.2) for capping the at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3), wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) features a resting setting and a capping setting and is displaceable from the resting setting to the capping setting and back. The belt element (2.1, 2.2) provides a self-stability section (5.1, 5.2) extending over at least a portion of the belt element (2.1, 2.2)'s elongated extent, wherein in the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) is bendable in a movement plane (13.1, 13.2). In the capping setting, at all positions within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), a course of the elongated extent follows a straight line (14.1, 14.

Abstract: A sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) comprises a transport system (32) for transporting sheets (12) or parts thereof from a respective input end (20i, 22i, 24i) to a respective output end (20o, 22o, 24o). A gripper unit (46) is releasably coupled to the transport system (32) and is configured for holding at least a part of one of the sheets (12). Additionally, at least one handover mechanism (47d, 47r) is provided being configured for decoupling the gripper unit (46) from the transport system (32) and providing the gripper unit (46) to a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and/or receiving a gripper unit (46) from a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and coupling the received gripper unit (46) to the corresponding transport system (32). Additionally, a sheet material processing machine (10) is presented which comprises at least two such sheet material processing units (20, 22, 24).

Abstract: A hot foil stamping press (10) comprises a platen press (16), with a supporting plate (22) comprising a base plate (26) and a compensating plate (28) being rotatably attached to the base plate (26) for switching between an operating position and a makeready position and a hook element (38) comprising a base part and a top part being arranged at an angle relative to the base part. The hook element (38) is rotatably attached to a door (30) of the platen press (16) by a fixation axle for switching between a releasing position and a securing position of the hook element, wherein the top part retains the compensating plate (28) in its makeready position when the hook element (38) is in its securing position.

Abstract: The invention relates to grasping system comprising a grasping head (15) for a sheet transporting device, in particular for transporting an insert sheet to be inserted between rows of folding boxes in a receptacle, the grasping head (15) having at least one support frame (80) and a plurality of aspiration elements (17, 18). The aspiration elements (17, 18) are mounted on holding elements (50) which are received on the support frame (80) so as to be displaceable with respect to the support frame (80).

Abstract: A sheet pile supporting assembly (24) for a sheet material processing machine is presented. It comprises a plurality of sheet pile supporting bars (28) and a movable guiding means for selectively moving one or more of the sheet pile supporting bars (28) from a retracted position to an extended position. Additionally, an automatic selection unit (30) is provided for automatically selecting the sheet pile supporting bars (28) to be moved to the extended position and for coupling the selected sheet pile supporting bars (28) to the movable guiding means. Moreover, a method for operating a sheet pile supporting assembly (24) for a sheet material processing machine is explained.

Abstract: A vibrating device (14) ensures the ordered rearrangement of folding boxes (3) in a receptacle (2) for an evacuation conveyor (8), provided with driving elements (12) whose vertices define a horizontal transport plane (S2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a gripper bar body for a gripper bar in a gripper carriage arrangement in a machine for treating sheet material, the gripper bar body being configured to carry gripper brackets for movement between sheet gripping and sheet releasing positions. The gripper bar body is formed as a hollow structure comprising at least two different materials, the two different materials comprising at least a metal material and a composite material and the at least two different materials being at least partly arranged in a superposed manner. The resulting bar has a better resistance to wear than the ones of the state-of-the-art.

Abstract: A tool insert for a machine, in particular a cutting, punching and/or folding machine, is disclosed. The tool insert (24) has an identification element (38) comprising tool information about the type of the tool insert (24) and/or about the area of application of the tool insert (24). The identification element (38) is machine-readable such that the tool information is transmitted to the machine when the machine reads out the identification element. Further, a machine, a machine system and a method for operating a machine are disclosed.

Abstract: A centring block (12) for centring a tooling board (14) in a flat bed die-cutting, stripping or blanking machine is provided, the tooling board (14) having a protruding alignment element (30), comprising a first clamp (24) and a second clamp (26) which are arranged adjacent to each other to define a reception space (28) between them and which are mounted linearly moveable separately from each other in a direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the tooling board (14) and at least one biasing means (34) which is configured to bias the first and the second clamps (24, 26) towards an aligning position against the tooling board (14), wherein each of the clamps (24, 26) comprises a stop portion (31) for restricting a movement of the tooling board (14) in an insertion and an opposite direction and to fix the tooling board (14) is in a centre position. Furthermore, a centring assembly (10) comprising a centring block (12) is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creasing sheets (12) by using a creasing tool (14, 20, 21) cooperating with a counter element (22, 23), comprising the following steps: a creasing plate blank (24?) is provided with at least one creasing projection (26) by plastically deforming the material of the blank (24?) so as to form a creasing plate (24), the creasing plate (24) is mounted to a creasing tool (14, 20, 21), sheets (12) to be provided with at least one crease are advanced through a gap between the creasing tool (14, 20, 21) and the counter element (22, 23).

Abstract: A mounting device (12) for mounting a tooling board (14) in a flat bed die-cutting, stripping or blanking machine comprises at least one first clamping jaw (38) which is moveable from an unlocked position, in which a tooling board (14) may be removed from or inserted into the machine, to a locked position, in which a tooling board (14) may be fixed in the machine, at least one actuator (18) which comprises a moveable piston (54) and a piston rod (56) coupled to the piston (54), wherein the actuator (18) is configured to transfer the at least one first clamping jaw (38) from the locked position to the unlocked position, and wherein the actuator (18) is coupled to the at least one clamping jaw (38) via an attachment point (60) which has a fixed position relative to the first clamping jaw (38). Furthermore, a mounting assembly (10) comprising a mounting device (12) is provided.

Abstract: A method for generating decks of sheet elements (18) comprises the steps of positioning a set of numerous sheet elements (18) onto a transport surface of a transport device (30) to partly overlap in transport direction (T). The set of overlapping sheet elements (18) is moved against a stop member (44). The stop member (44) is moved in the transport direction (T) with a lower velocity than a velocity of the transport surface. By maintaining displacement of sheet elements (18) which are not yet contacting stop member (44) all sheet elements are shifted towards stop member (44) to define a deck. The method is carried out by a corresponding device.