A sheet feeding parameter management system includes: a plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses each including an air sheet feeder that feeds a sheet and enabled to change a sheet feeding parameter; and a management apparatus connected to the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses, wherein each of the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses includes: a sheet type information acquisitor that acquires sheet type information; and a hardware processor that: adjusts the sheet feeding parameter; and transmits the sheet type information and the sheet feeding parameter to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus includes the hardware processor that: causes a storage to store an adjustment result associated with the sheet type information and the sheet feeding parameter; and sets, based on the adjustment result, for an air sheet feeding apparatus to be processed among the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses.

A sheet feeding parameter management system includes: a plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses each including an air sheet feeder that feeds a sheet and enabled to change a sheet feeding parameter; and a management apparatus connected to the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses, wherein each of the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses includes: a sheet type information acquisitor that acquires sheet type information; and a hardware processor that: adjusts the sheet feeding parameter; and transmits the sheet type information and the sheet feeding parameter to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus includes the hardware processor that: causes a storage to store an adjustment result associated with the sheet type information and the sheet feeding parameter; and sets, based on the adjustment result, for an air sheet feeding apparatus to be processed among the plurality of air sheet feeding apparatuses.

A vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles comprises an upper chassis, a modular lower suction plate supported beneath the chassis, a controller and a source of vacuum air pressure, the suction plate comprising a suction lifting surface for providing vacuum lifting pressure to said articles. The modular suction plate has plural side-by-side modules, each module providing a different portion of the suction lifting surface and having one or more air outlets, outlets of one module separate from outlets of other modules and in fluid communication with the corresponding portion of the suction lifting surface and not with different portions of the suction lifting surface. The chassis comprises at least one air outlet connected to said source of vacuum air pressure, and a plurality of separate air flow channels through the chassis. Each air flow channel has an associated air flow valve and a valve actuator.

An insertion assembly for the continuous and automated feeding of laminar elements into a graphic printing station without the involvement of roller elements in the process, allowing the distance between the laminar elements in question to be adjusted such that adjacent laminar elements may be positioned very close to each other regardless of their length. Said assembly comprises an insertion device (1) that includes a rotating belt system on which the laminar elements (3) can be moved horizontally, and suction means, with the insertion device (1) connected to a stacking area (4) and; a pulling device (2) that includes a rotating belt system on which the laminar elements from the insertion device (1) can be moved, and suction means, with the pulling device (2) connected to a graphic printing station, said pulling device adjoining the insertion device (1) in a direction of forward motion.

A system for robotic sorting includes a bin system comprising a plurality of bins for holding items to be sorted, where each bin is configured to hold more than one of the items. The system further includes an item handling system configured to travel to each of the plurality of bins. The item handling system utilizes a vacuum force to remove an item held in one of the plurality of bins. The item handling system further utilizes one or more curvature generation devices to enable card manipulation. Additionally, the system includes a drive system coupled to the item handling system. The drive system is configured to move and position the item handling system over each of the plurality of bins. The system also includes a control system coupled to the drive system and the item handling system. The control system controls movement of the item handling system and the drive system.

A vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles, comprises an upper chassis joined to a substantially planar lower suction plate and an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to the suction plate. The suction plate comprises a plurality of suction plate modules, each comprising a housing with a substantially hollow interior and each of said housings being located laterally adjacent at least one other of said housings. Each of said housings comprises a lower plate, an upper plate and at least one side plate, each housing being affixed to said laterally adjacent housing along a seam between adjoining pairs of side plates. The upper plates each comprise at least one opening and said lower plates are each perforated with a plurality of orifices through which, in use, air is drawn along airflow paths through said interior and out of said opening by the airflow suction system.

Disclosed is an automated insert feeding system and related methods, capable of removing bulk-packaged items from a tray or other package, and separating the bulk-packaged items individually for distribution into individual packages in high speed reliable fashion. The disclosed systems can also be loaded with multiple packages of the pre-packaged items for automatic feeding into the system which allows human operators to load several packages and allow the system to work unattended, thereby reducing man-hours spend on the process.

A system and method for separating a layer from a layer assembly when the layer assembly includes a backing layer and a material layer. The system includes an automated machine having a controller and an end effector. A separating tool is attached to the end effector of the automated machine. The separating tool includes a displacing member, with an outer face, configured to establish a void between the backing layer and the material layer by displacing a portion of the backing layer. The separating layer also includes a securing member configured to establish a mechanical connection with a displaced portion of the backing layer.

Apparatus for automatically unstacking a pallet on which at least two stacks of blanks are arranged. The apparatus comprises an unstacking station which is configured for receiving a pallet on which are arranged at least two stacks of blanks in collapsed condition. The unstacking station is further configured for taking off one by one individual blanks from the at least two stacks of blanks which are on a pallet received in the unstacking station. The apparatus further includes a feed track for conveying pallets. The feed track links up by a discharge end with the unstacking station for the purpose of feeding a pallet with stacks of blanks to be unstacked to the unstacking station. Further, the apparatus includes a blank main discharge assembly for discharging individual blanks to a further processing station.

A bag supply device used in a rotary bag-filling packaging machine and including: an empty-bag holding member for holding a bag, a reciprocating mechanism for moving the empty-bag holding member back and forth between a bag receiving position and a bag delivery position, a first turning mechanism for turning the empty-bag holding member around a first axis parallel to a bag width direction thereof upon operation of the reciprocating mechanism and orienting the holding face of the empty-bag holding member vertically in the delivery position, and a second turning mechanism for turning the empty-bag holding member around a second axis parallel to a bag length direction thereof and causing the bag held by the empty-bag holding member in the delivery position to be directly across from the pair of grippers stopped in the empty bag supply position.