Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a stack with advertising material compilations respectively consisting of an envelope with inserts therein, and having a common, leading folded edge. The apparatus includes a feed conveyor, a transfer conveyor and a stacking device. The transfer conveyor comprises a central wheel that rotates around a first rotational axis, a carrier wheel that rotates around a second rotational axis oriented parallel to the first rotational axis, and a number of pivoting arms with respectively one gripper. The second rotational axis is arranged below a horizontal plane extending through the first rotational axis. The grippers are respectively positioned on the pivoting arm to rotate around an axis. The grippers take over the advertising material compilations in a takeover region from the feed conveyor, transfer the adverting compilations in a transfer region to the stacking device which extends into the transfer region and deposit these on the stacking device.

Abstract: A method for processing a print job in a computer-aided prepress stage for which the print job comprises a number of same printed products (B), respectively containing several different pages (A). At least one of the printed products (B) comprises at least one page (A) with at least one additional information element (C) that differs from at least one additional information element (C) of at least one otherwise identical page (A) of a different printed product (B) and for which the pages (A) of the printed product (B) and the additional information elements (C) are transmitted to a computer used in the prepress stage. Pages (A) which appear multiple times in the printed products (B) are imposed only once and only the different pages (A) of a print job are ripped. A digital work list (E) generated from the print job is made available jointly with the ripped pages (A) to a digital printing press used to print the products (B) of the print job.

Abstract: A method for controlling a feeder of a gathering-stitching machine reduces the operating effort when setting the feeder, increases reliability when laying folded sheets on a transport device and improves quality during collating and stitching. Opening and closing times of grippers are regulated under program control, continuously and as a function of format when controlling the feeder of the gathering-stitching machine. Data relating to the dimensions and to the number of pages of the folded sheets is thus entered into a control device, from which data actuating signals for actuating elements of the grippers are generated.

Abstract: A device for delivering print shop products supplied in a product stream in two separate stacks contains a transport belt on which the print shop products are deposited, a first deflection roller, a second deflection roller arranged in an horizontal plane with the first deflection roller, a third deflection roller arranged below the second deflection roller, and a stationary fourth deflection roller arranged below the third deflection roller and guiding the transport belt. An actuator jointly moves the second and third deflection rollers in parallel with a horizontal plane from a first delivery position, in which the print shop products are transported to a first stop, into a second delivery position, in which the print shop products are transported to a further stop. First and second first adjustment devices change a distance between the bottom of the respective first and second product receiving spaces and the horizontal plane.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying book blocks includes a feed conveyor to successively transport the book blocks with optional spacing. A buffer conveyor, arranged downstream of the feed conveyor and connected to a control unit, receives a plurality of the book blocks from the feed conveyor and transports them at a first speed, fitting against each other without a gap. A downstream clocking-in conveyor, coupled to the control unit, respectively receives a single book block from the buffer conveyor at the first speed, accelerates and transports the single book block from the first speed to a second speed. A downstream despatch conveyor includes a plurality of spaced apart pushers defining respective gaps between successive pushers. Each book is transported at the second speed toward the despatch conveyor and is inserted into one of the gaps between two successive pushers on the despatch conveyor.

Abstract: A method and device for the conversion of a production plant for the post print processing, which production plant includes several post print processing machines and a plant central control unit. The method and device may be used for successively processing different production orders for turning partial products into finished print products. According to the method, it may first be determined when a last partial product of a first production order has left a post print processing machine. The post print processing machine may then be automatically and/or semi-automatically converted by the plant central control unit. The method may include determining, by the plant central control unit, when the conversion of the post print processing machine has been completed.

Abstract: A method for operating a device that applies a force to a print sheet during a folding operation, wherein the print sheet is in a specified starting position prior to the folding operation. Braking-force triggering pulses are directed toward the print sheet to counter the acceleration of the print sheet in the starting phase of the folding operation and/or to counter fluttering movements that occur during the intake of the print sheet. The pulses exert an intermittent, uniform or oscillating force onto at least a section of the print sheet. The pulses are controlled by a control unit which operates based on control profiles resulting from queried operating parameters and/or based on stored control profiles.

Abstract: A device for braking and positioning a print sheet in a processing machine, wherein, along a feeding direction for the print sheet, at least one mechanism exerts a braking force onto the print sheet, to position the print sheet in connection with an operation of a downstream-arranged processing station. The device includes at least a first mechanism operative to release pneumatic, braking-force triggering pulses that act upon the print sheet. At least a second mechanism is operative to generate at last one frictional force that acts upon the print sheet, wherein with aid of at least one of the first mechanism and the second mechanism, intermittent, uniform or oscillating braking forces are generated that act upon the print sheet. A control unit controls the braking forces based on at least one of changeable control profiles resulting from queried operating parameters and stored control profiles.

Abstract: A conveying arrangement is provided for a transport member for conveying product. The transport member traverses on rollers inside a conveying arrangement which includes a plurality of tunnel shaped guide channel segments connectable together via end flanges. A continuous opening is provided on the underside of each channel segment in a conveying direction to accommodate a device attached to the transport member to take over conveying of the product. Guide rail elements inside the channel segments support run surface elements which present a rolling surface for the transport member. At least one run surface element has an excess length, relative to the length of the guide channel segment. An adapter element including a transition piece is positioned at least in a region of a separating plane between adjacent flanges to present a planar transition for the rolling surface of the at least one run surface element.

Abstract: A book forming and pressing machine includes a pressing device that has a number of spaced-apart pressing plates, joint-burn-in rails and at least one station for accommodating a book block. A loading device has a loading table. A reshaping device includes a mechanism to shape a front cut of a book block. The mechanism includes a tool carrier having a shaping tool to shape the front cut. Tool carrier and/or the shaping tool executes a series of movements in one plane or in three-dimensional space, relative to the front cut to be shaped, while the book block is held in the pressing device.

Abstract: With a method for transmitting process-control data before and/or during a printing process for the production of printed products in a printing press, the data are detected at least with the aid of at least one print mark that is effectively connected to a printed product. The data obtained from the print mark are transmitted and/or transferred to at least one processing unit that is arranged downstream of the printing operation. Within the printing process, the data obtained from the print mark are subjected continuously to at least one redundant check in at least one downstream-arranged processing unit, with respect to the data determined during the integral printing process and/or with respect to a further processing location for the printed products which is specified ahead of time.

Abstract: A book forming and pressing machine includes a reshaping device to perform a shaping operation on a book block, a pressing device having a number of spaced-apart pressing plates and burn-in rails to press the book block during the shaping operation, and a loading device that includes a loading table. The loading table includes a book block back support arrangement to support the book block back during the shaping operation. The latter arrangement includes at least one pair of prism plates having shaped upper edges and arranged spaced-apart, extending parallel or quasi-parallel to each other to support a correspondingly shaped book block back during the shaping operation. The arrangement further includes at least one feed element operatively connected with each prism plate and adjustable to a position to support a differently shaped book block back in place of the shaped upper edges of the prism plates.

Abstract: A method for operating a book forming and pressing machine that includes a pressing device and a re-forming device to form a front cut of a book block. Values relating to the book block are determined with a higher order control along a book production line upstream of the book forming and pressing machine. The determined values are transmitted to the pressing device, the re-forming device and/or pressing plates of the pressing device for finishing the book block. A forming tool of the re-forming device is selected based on values that meet operational requirements for the processing of the front cut. The selected forming tool is moved in a plane or space to an operating position for forming the front cut of the respective book block. Movement of the pressing plates is controlled based on the measured book thickness and thickness of the book cover for the book block.

Abstract: A method and a device for the quality inspection and testing of a flat print product. A print product, including at least one structural element, is initially deposited on a support element and illuminated by at least one light source. At least one image of the illuminated print product is generated using at least one image recording unit. An image is also generated of at least one structural element on the support element and a geometric object of the support element is determined from the at least one structural element of the support element. Actual values for the at least one geometric object of the support element are compared to predetermined desired values for this geometric object and the result of the comparison is used for controlling the further processing of the print product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming stacks of printed products supplied in an overlapping flow by an endless conveyor to a stacking shaft. A main stack is formed on a stack support in the stacking shaft. An auxiliary rake is moved from an idle position outside of the stacking shaft to an end position inside the stacking shaft. The stack support is lowered to form an intermediate space below the auxiliary rake between the main stack and a partial stack. An intermediate element is extended into the intermediate space to an end position in the stacking shaft. The printed products are deposited on the intermediate element or on previously deposited printed products, wherein a partial stack forms on the intermediate element. The main stack is carried away from the stacking shaft and the auxiliary rake is retracted to its idle position.

Abstract: A method for regulating a speed of a cutting device comprising a cutter for cutting printed products includes transporting the printed products consecutively on a first conveying component of a feed device. A final printed product of a stack of the printed products to be formed is detected. The stack is formed in a stacking device. The stack is transported to the cutter using the feed device. An actual number of cycles of the cutter is regulated based on a time of the detecting the final printed product of the stack such that the stack is fed to the cutter within a time window.

Abstract: In an apparatus for exchanging a duct roller, a first application roller, rotatable on a joint drive shaft and initially in contact with the duct roller, is swiveled away from the duct roller with a first adjustment element that is connected with the joint drive shaft and to a machine control. The first application roller is exchanged with a second application roller. A spacing between the axes of rotation for the joint drive shaft and the duct roller and a contact pressure between the duct roller and the second application roller are pre-set with a second adjustment element that is also connected to the joint drive shaft and to the machine control. The second application roller is swiveled against the duct roller with the aid of the first adjustment element.

Abstract: A method and a device for monitoring a post print processing machine through which printed products are successively transported. An image recording device is assigned to the post print processing machine and connected to a computer unit for recording during each operating cycle an image series with at least two images of a printed product, spaced apart by a time interval. The images of the image series are transmitted to the computer unit and the images are displayed in real time on a display device that is connected to the computer unit.

Abstract: A device for feeding a book block, which is formed of at least one printed sheet and transported flat, to a processing station in a clocked manner includes a first and a second transport device. The first transport device has a comb-shaped introduction flap and transport units. The introduction flap includes teeth disposed on a base part and recesses formed between the teeth. The second transport device has a transport duct and a transport finger. The transport duct has a contact surface, a clearance and a gap. The first transport device engages, by the introduction flap, in the clearance. The recesses are open in a direction facing away from the transport duct. The transport units are disposed on a first side of the introduction flap. The introduction flap is connected to a controllable drive and has a pivot axis disposed on a second side of the introduction flap.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying book blocks includes a feed conveyor to successively transport the book blocks with optional spacing. A buffer conveyor, arranged downstream of the feed conveyor and connected to a control unit, receives a plurality of the book blocks from the feed conveyor and transports them at a first speed, fitting against each other without a gap. A downstream clocking-in conveyor, coupled to the control unit, respectively receives a single book block from the buffer conveyor at the first speed, accelerates and transports the single book block from the first speed to a second speed. A downstream despatch conveyor includes a plurality of spaced apart pushers defining respective gaps between successive pushers. Each book is transported at the second speed toward the despatch conveyor and is inserted into one of the gaps between two successive pushers on the despatch conveyor.