Abstract: A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus is discloses which comprises a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface. The drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for stripping away portions of substrate are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a flexible and/or soft impact-element(s) rotates around a rotation axis to drive a peripheral portion across a substrate plane of the substrate and/or to repeatedly collide with the substrate. At least some of the collisions are effective to partially dislodge or to strip away portion(s) of substrate.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including a male die film and at least one female die. The female die includes a female-die contact surface including at least one cavity defining the relief pattern. The male die film includes a flexible male-die contact surface which is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one female die. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted, when the substrate is disposed between the male die contact surface and the female die contact surface, to move the male die film and the at least one female die towards one another so as to impress the relief pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus is discloses which comprises a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface. The drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a surface of a substrate includes a cleaning element including a resilient compressible material. A liquid source provides liquid directly to the cleaning element, and a squeezing roller engages the cleaning element and applies pressure thereto, to squeeze out excess liquid from said resilient compressible material. A counter element opposes said cleaning element such that the substrate is disposed between the counter element and the cleaning element. The substrate moves between the counter element and the cleaning element such that a surface of the cleaning element, having a suitable amount of liquid absorbed therein, engages and cleans the surface of the substrate without damaging the substrate.

Abstract: A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including at least one male die including a contact surface and defining a relief pattern, a compressible counter film including a base layer, a contact layer disposed opposite the contact surface of the at least one male die and spaced therefrom, and a compressible layer disposed between the base layer and the contact layer and attached thereto. The contact layer is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one male die. The compressible counter film has a compressibility, in a direction perpendicular to a broad face of the compressible counter film, in the range of 5-30% at 1.35 MPa. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted to move the at least one male die and the compressible counter film towards one another in an operative mode.

Abstract: Die and counter-die systems, polymeric rule dies for such systems, and polymeric formulations suitable for producing such rule dies using digital rule writing. There is provided a rule die for pressure-contacting of a cardboard workpiece surface, including: (a) a die body; and (b) at least one elongate polymeric rule, each rule having: (i) a first elongate base surface adhesively attached to a surface of the die body; and (ii) an elongate protrusion, distally protruding from the die body, the elongate protrusion having an elongate die surface, the elongate die surface including a polymeric material, the elongate die surface having a contact surface adapted to contact the workpiece surface; the contact surface having a length of at least 5 mm and a first width (W) within a range of 0.4 to 1.0 mm, the rule having a height (H) within a range of 1.0 to 4.5 mm; wherein, over a total length of the contact surface, the contact surface having at most 5 surface pocks/meter, the pocks having a diameter above 0.1 mm.

Abstract: A system and methods for operating a cardboard processing machine, the method comprising creating a pre-processing crease at a location on the cardboard where it is required to process the cardboard; and processing the cardboard along the pre-process crease.

Abstract: A system and methods for operating a cardboard processing machine, the method comprising creating a pre-processing crease at a location on the cardboard where it is required to process the cardboard; and processing the cardboard along the pre-process crease.

Abstract: Die and counter-die systems, polymeric rule dies for such systems, and polymeric formulations suitable for producing such rule dies using digital rule writing. There is provided a rule die for pressure-contacting of a cardboard workpiece surface, including: (a) a die body; and (b) at least one elongate polymeric rule, each rule having: (i) a first elongate base surface adhesively attached to a surface of the die body; and (ii) an elongate protrusion, distally protruding from the die body, the elongate protrusion having an elongate die surface, the elongate die surface including a polymeric material, the elongate die surface having a contact surface adapted to contact the workpiece surface; the contact surface having a length of at least 5 mm and a first width (W) within a range of 0.4 to 1.0 mm, the rule having a height (H) within a range of 1.0 to 4.5 mm; wherein, over a total length of the contact surface, the contact surface having at most 5 surface pocks/meter, the pocks having a diameter above 0.1 mm.

Abstract: Die and counter-die systems, polymeric rule dies for such systems, and polymeric formulations suitable for producing such rule dies using digital rule writing. There is provided a rule die for pressure-contacting of a cardboard workpiece surface, including: (a) a die body; and (b) at least one elongate polymeric rule, each rule having: (i) a first elongate base surface adhesively attached to a surface of the die body; and (ii) an elongate protrusion, distally protruding from the die body, the elongate protrusion having an elongate die surface, the elongate die surface including a polymeric material, the elongate die surface having a contact surface adapted to contact the workpiece surface; the contact surface having a length of at least 5 mm and a first width (W) within a range of 0.4 to 1.0 mm, the rule having a height (H) within a range of 1.0 to 4.5 mm; wherein, over a total length of the contact surface, the contact surface having at most 5 surface pocks/meter, the pocks having a diameter above 0.1 mm.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a stack of pre-stripped layers of substrate. Each object layer is formed by (i) providing substrate comprising waste portion(s) and substrate-retained portion(s) that are attached to each other and separated from one another by cut(s) within the substrate; (ii) subsequently, subjecting the subject of each layer to a stripping process which selectively strips away substrate-waste portion(s) from the substrate-retained portion(s). After stripping, the object layer is added to a stack of previously-stacked object layers to grow the stack. This process is repeated to further grow the stack. Object layers of the stack are bonded to each other to build the three-dimensional object therefrom. Apparatus and methods for stripping are also described—any teaching or combination of teaching(s) related to stripping substrate may be employed in any additive-manufacturing process described herein.

Abstract: There is provided a system for handling and creasing cardboard, as well as sub-systems of said system. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Die and counter-die systems, polymeric rule dies for such systems, and polymeric formulations suitable for producing such rule dies using digital rule writing. There is provided a rule die for pressure-contacting of a cardboard workpiece surface, including: (a) a die body; and (b) at least one elongate polymeric rule, each rule having: (i) a first elongate base surface adhesively attached to a surface of the die body; and (ii) an elongate protrusion, distally protruding from the die body, the elongate protrusion having an elongate die surface, the elongate die surface including a polymeric material, the elongate die surface having a contact surface adapted to contact the workpiece surface; the contact surface having a length of at least 5 mm and a first width (W) within a range of 0.4 to 1.0 mm, the rule having a height (H) within a range of 1.0 to 4.5 mm; wherein, over a total length of the contact surface, the contact surface having at most 5 surface pocks/meter, the pocks having a diameter above 0.1 mm.

Abstract: A multiple-orifice nozzle that is employed for creating surface-adhesive rules onto the surface of a surface-adhesive die. The multiple-orifice nozzle is fluidly in communication with a source of flexible material that is forced or pulled through a selected orifice profile. The orifice profile can be selected based on a variety of criteria and, in some embodiments the orifice profile can be dynamically adjusted or controlled by adjusting the relative position of the multiple-orifice nozzle and/or by adjusting the position of one or more tubes that define various orifices such that the orifice profile is modified.

Abstract: System and methods of treating or handling cardboard sheets.

Abstract: Method and system for laser cutting is disclosed. Using a novel dual-focus optical conversion unit. The dual-focus optical conversion unit may comprise a beam splitter and a convex mirror. The beam splitter may be insensitive to the polarization of an incident beam. The convex mirror may be placed beyond and parallel to the beam splitter, wherein the surface of the convex mirror may be coated with a reflective phase-retarder coating.

Abstract: A cardboard-handling system with a rule-die associated to a first drum and a counter die associated to a second drum for pre-treating cardboards. A cardboard-alignmentor on a first side of the rule-die and counter-die aligns and conveys a cardboard together with one or more synchronized-cardboard transferors toward a side-gripper conveyor. The side-gripper conveyor transfers the cardboard toward and through the rule-die and counter-die drums for pre-treatment of the cardboard. Next the side-gripper conveyor conveys the cardboard toward and through a laser-treatment module to be further pre-treated. The side gripper conveyor movement is synchronized with a laser-treatment module for which a base with a plurality of protruding elements has moving capabilities and is synchronized with the side-gripper conveyor (via a timing belt for example).

Abstract: A system and methods for operating a cardboard processing machine, the method comprising creating a pre-processing crease at a location on the cardboard where it is required to process the cardboard; and processing the cardboard along the pre-process crease.

Abstract: A surface-adhesive-rule technology (SART) method and system for creating a surface-adhesive-rule die and counter die for pre-treating cardboard. Wherein the pre-treating comprises: creasing and/or cutting and/or embossing the cardboard. The SART system may comprise: a rule-drawer having one or more cartridges, one or more nozzles, and one or more pressure actuator; a leading mechanism that carries the rule-drawer; and a controller that controls the rule-drawer and the leading mechanism according to a layout of a surface-adhesive-rule die. Each cartridge may comprise flexible materiel and may be associated with one of the nozzles having an orifice with a profile. Further the leading mechanism moves the rule-drawer and the rule-drawer draws a plurality of surface-adhesive rules from the flexible material having an attribute to reserve the shape of the orifice profile through which it is deposited on the surface of a die's body according to commands obtained from the controller.