Abstract: A reel support assembly (14) for a web material processing machine is described. The reel support assembly (14) comprises a support frame (16) and at least a first support arm unit (34a) having at least one holding stub (40) for mounting a reel (12) on the first support arm unit (34a). Furthermore, the reel support assembly (14) comprises an elevator unit (24) having a support element (26) on which a reel (12) may be placed. The support element (26) is supported on the support frame (16) in a vertically movable manner. Additionally, a hotfoil stamping machine (10) is presented which comprises such a reel support assembly (14). The reel support assembly (14) is arranged at an upstream end of the hotfoil stamping machine (10) with respect to a web travelling direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing system, the sealing system comprising two first sealing members (62) which are each disposed at opposite lateral ends (56) of a doctor blade chamber (48), and two second sealing members (64) which are each disposed at opposite lateral ends (60) of the rotatable roller (46), wherein in operational mode, each of the two first sealing members (62) is in rotating contact with each of the two second sealing members (64) such that a leakage of ink at the opposite lateral ends (56) of the doctor blade chamber (48) is prevented.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary printing press (10) for printing substrates (18), comprising a substrate transport system (12) which comprises a winder station (14) and an unwinder station (16) configured to transport a substrate (18) during a printing process along a printing handling path (19) from the unwinder station (16) to the winder station (14), wherein the rotary printing press (10) further comprises at least one cleaning unit (46) which is assigned to the printing handling path (19) and adapted to remove ink from the front side of the substrate (18). Further, the invention relates to a method for cleaning a substrate (18).

Abstract: A clamping device (18) for supporting a reel having a tubular core is described. The clamping device (18) comprises a base body (20) with a mounting interface (22) for fixing the base body (20) on a machine frame. Additionally, it has a carrier body (36) configured for being placed inside the tubular core of the reel. The carrier body (36) is rotatably supported on the base body (20) such that the carrier body (36) can rotate with respect to the base body (20) about an axis (38) of rotation. Moreover, a plurality of clamping elements (42) are coupled with an actuation mechanism (76) such that the clamping elements (42) can selectively protrude from an outer circumference of the carrier body (36) and selectively be retracted to be at least flush with the outer circumference of the carrier body (36). Furthermore, a brake mechanism is arranged between the base body (20) and the carrier body (36) for selectively decelerating or blocking the rotation of the carrier body (36) with respect to the base body (20).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of aligning a plurality of printed motifs on a sheet (3) in a converting machine (10). An actual position (Pa_1) at a first sensor is defined as an initial reference position (P_ref1) for the sheet, and at least one displacement error (?d2) is calculated and compared to a first threshold (T1). If the displacement error is lower than the first threshold, then the angular position (?) of a printing cylinder (42) in the second flexographic printing unit (16b) is adjusted. However, if the error is higher than the first threshold, then at least part of the of the displacement error (?d_2) is corrected by modifying the speed (V) of a vacuum transfer unit located between the first printing unit and the second printing unit.

Abstract: A device for changing a sheet pile (14) in a sheet feeder (10) for a sheet treating machine comprises a main pile supporting unit (18) with a main pile actuating unit (20) for lifting and lowering the main pile supporting unit (18), wherein the main pile supporting unit (18) comprises a supporting surface (22) adapted to support a pallet (16) carrying a sheet pile (14). The device further comprises a residual pile supporting unit (24) with a residual pile actuating unit (26) for lifting and lowering the residual pile supporting unit (24).

Abstract: This document discloses a system to dispense a precise and continuous amount of ink for a large printing press. The dispensing system can be judiciously combined into a more elaborate dispensing system that uses two chambers with ink having a different density to dispense ink with a precise, adjustable and stable ink density. The dispensing system can be used to compensate the drifts in quality observed in presses when the speed, or any environmentable parameters vary.

Abstract: A die cutting machine has a mobile stair (14), the mobile stair (14) being able to assume a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the extended position the mobile stair (14) is accessible by an operator. The mobile stair (14) is configured to be pushed into the retracted position by a transport rack (16) and pulled into the extended position when the transport rack (16) is pulled in the opposite direction. A coupling mechanism (30) is arranged on the mobile stair (14) that is configured to couple the transport rack (16) to the mobile stair (14) to pull the mobile stair (14) from the retracted into the extended position and to decouple the transport rack (16) from the mobile stair (14) when the transport rack (16) is moved from the die cutting machine (12) beyond the extended position of the mobile stair (14).

Abstract: A positioning assembly (30) for positioning a sheet material, especially at an entry portion of a sheet material processing machine, is described. It comprises a support beam (32) on which at least a portion of a sheet material to be positioned can be placed and a plurality of clamping fingers (38). The support beam (32) is coupled to a drive unit (60) configured for translationally moving the support beam (32) along a travelling direction (y) of the sheet material, translationally moving the support beam (32) along a direction (x) transverse to the travelling direction (y) and rotationally moving the support beam (32) with respect to a pivot axis (z) being perpendicular to the traveling direction (y) and the transverse direction (x). Each of the clamping fingers (38) is coupled to an individual clamping finger actuation unit (40). Moreover, a sheet material processing machine comprising such a positioning assembly (30) is presented.

Abstract: A method for processing a cardboard (12) with a laser beam (14) is provided, wherein the laser beam (14) is moved over the cardboard (12) along a desired folding line (24) such that an upper layer of the cardboard (12) is ablated without cutting through the cardboard (12), wherein the laser beam (14) is adjusted such that the laser beam (14) is focused below the cardboard (12). Further, a device (10) for carrying out a method for processing a cardboard (12) with a laser beam (14) is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an advance shaft transition apparatus for sheet processing equipment, which comprising: a plurality of advance shafts for feeding foils, the plurality of advance shafts being arranged along a horizontal direction; an advance shaft supporting frame, the advance shaft supporting frame supporting the ends of the advance shafts so that the advance shafts can freely rotate; and a lifting means, the lifting means is provided with a driving means and a transmission mechanism, the lifting means is connected to the advance shaft supporting frame to enable the advance shafts to move between a first position and a second position, at the first position, the advance shafts is operably rotated to feed the foil, and at the second position, the advance shafts being lifted up from the first position to leave a position where the foil can be fed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for folding a corrugated cardboard blank (1) intended to form a folded box, the method comprising the following series of steps: i) supplying a blank (1) comprising at least one longitudinal crease (11); ii) applying a liquid to the longitudinal crease (11) so as to make the corrugated cardboard more flexible at the location of the longitudinal crease (11), the application being performed by means of a liquid application arrangement (130) comprising a liquid-ejection nozzle (134) provided with a liquid outlet; iii) folding the blank (1) around the longitudinal crease (11); wherein an aspiration of liquid is produced inside an aspiration compartment (163) of the liquid application arrangement (130) during step ii). The aspiration making it possible to remove any excess liquid which might not have been absorbed by the cardboard and/or the cardboard dust produced.

Abstract: A gripper assembly for recovering a layout (22) from a sheet material (12) is presented. It comprises a vacuum gripper (26) with a gripper body (32) on which an array of air flow openings (34a, 34b) is arranged. Air flow openings (34a) associated with one or more blanks (20) of the layout (22) are selectively open and air flow openings (34b) associated to waste (28) of the sheet material (12) are selectively closed. Additionally, an apparatus for recovering a layout (22) from a sheet material (12) comprising such a gripper assembly is described. Furthermore, a method for separating a layout (22) from waste (28) of a sheet material (12) is explained.

Abstract: A printing machine (10) comprises a doctor blade (14), a drive system (20) for urging the doctor blade (14) against a printing cylinder (16) of the printing machine (10), a sensor (32) adapted for sensing a force with which the doctor blade (14) is urged against the printing cylinder (16), and a mechanical locking element (34) adapted for locking the drive system (20) in its operating position. Further, a method of operating a printing machine (10) is presented.

Abstract: A sheet processing device has a moveable beam (36) that moves in the vertical direction, a gripper bar (30) for gripping a sheet that travels through the sheet processing device (10), and a gripper bar locking device (40) that can lock the gripper bar (30) in a precise position. The gripper bar locking device (40) has a locking lever (68) that is pivoting between a rest position and a locking position. The locking lever (68) is connected to a vertical linear guide coupled with the moveable beam (36) resulting in a precise, compact and simple system to lock the gripper bar.

Abstract: A printing machine (10) for printing on a substrate having the form of a web (12) is described. It comprises a web entry unit (14) for receiving the web (12) on which a printing process is to be performed and a web exit unit (20) for dispensing the web (12) after the printing process. Furthermore, at least two printing units (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) are provided, wherein each of the printing units (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) is configured for applying an ink of a predetermined color on the web (12). Additionally at least two web paths (A, B) are provided between the web entry unit (14) and the web exit unit (20), each of the web paths (A, B) passing by all of the printing units (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38). The web paths (A, B) pass the printing units (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38) in a differing sequence. Moreover, a method for changing a color sequence within a printing process is presented.

Abstract: A refrigeration unit (26) for a printing machine is presented. It comprises a dryer interface (28) connectable to a dryer unit (18) of the printing machine in a heat conductive manner and a print interface (30) connectable to a printing unit (14) of the printing machine in a heat conductive manner, wherein the refrigeration unit (26) is adapted to transfer heat (32, 34) from the print interface (30) to the dryer interface (28). Furthermore, a printing machine is described. It comprises a printing unit (14) adapted for printing on a web of carrier material, a dryer unit (18) being adapted for drying printed web of carrier material, and a refrigeration unit (26) as mentioned above.

Abstract: A sheet processing machine with a transfer mechanism for moving sheets along a handling direction of the sheet processing machine and with a waste evacuation device (36) for releasing the sheets. The transfer mechanism comprises a sheet handling element (28) for moving a sheet, the sheet handling element (28) comprising at least one sliding element (54). The sheet handling element (28) is adapted to release the sheet when passing the waste evacuation device (36). The waste evacuation device comprises at least one alignment element (38) adapted to interact with the at least one sliding element (54) for minimizing deformation of the sheet handling element (28) when passing the waste evacuation device (36).

Abstract: The invention relates to a station for receiving sheet-form elements and discharging bundles of sheet-form elements for a packaging manufacturing machine, comprising: an arrangement for feeding sheet-form elements successively one after the other (8), a lift table (16), mobile in a vertical direction, comprising several continuous conveyor belts (17) extending in a longitudinal horizontal direction, for receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form, an output conveyor (14), for discharging the sheet-form elements in bundle form, and a separator (21), mobile in the vertical direction, comprising several reception arms (22) being deployed in the longitudinal horizontal direction, for transiently receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form, the arms (22) being disposed so as to be able to cross in the vertical direction without interacting with the belts (17) of the table (16).

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.