The present invention relates to an inversion transfer module (60) for a converting machine having a printing module (16) comprising a first printing unit (17) arranged to print on a top side (S1) of the sheet (1), and a second printing unit (17) arranged to print a bottom side (S2) of the sheet. The inversion transfer module is arranged between the first printing unit and the second printing unit and comprises a first inversion vacuum transfer (62) arranged to contact the first side of the sheet and a second inversion vacuum transfer (64) configured to contact the second side of the sheet, whereby the inversion transfer module is configured to change the side of adherence and transportation of the sheet.

A printing system includes a driving belt configured to drive media through the printing system relative to one or more print heads and a vacuum conveyor system. The vacuum conveyor system includes a vacuum chamber cover having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, as well as a plurality of openings through the cover from the first surface to the second surface. A number of seals are disposed to match the location of openings. Each seal extends along the length of the vacuum chamber cover and is drivable to open or close a region with openings. A vacuum chamber below the second surface of the vacuum chamber cover is configured to apply a vacuum to the media through one or more of the openings that are open. The applied vacuum constrains the media on the driving belt by flattening it against the driving belt.

A sheet supplying device includes: an air blow opening configured to blow air to a side portion of an uppermost part of stacked sheets; and a flow adjuster extending from above the air blow opening over an edge of a top sheet of the stacked sheets and configured to cause an air flow blown from the air blow opening to travel along an upper surface of the top sheet of the stacked sheets.

A paper feed mechanism includes: a paper storage to store sheets of paper; an air blowing unit disposed on each of both sides of the paper storage in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction corresponding to a paper conveyance direction, in which the air blowing unit blows air to a side end of each of the sheets of paper in the paper storage to float one or some of the sheets of paper in the paper storage; and a paper conveyance unit disposed above the paper storage, in which the paper conveyance unit holds, by suction, an uppermost sheet of paper among the floated sheets of paper, and conveys the uppermost sheet of paper. An air blowing position of the air blowing unit is changeable in the first direction according to information about the sheets of paper.

A plate handling system (500, 600) for transporting printing plates between workstations in a process workflow. A plurality of vacuum gripper end effectors (512) configured to grip the printing plates are mounted to a computer-controlled transporter (514) configured to translate in at least three orthogonal directions and to rotate about at least one rotational axis. At least one sensor (560) detects orientation of the plate relative to a staging location and a controller (630) causes the transporter to move based upon programmed instructions in accordance with information provided by the sensor. A mobile preparation table (1000) may be provided in the staging location. A thickness measurement system (1090) may be included in some embodiments.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for uncut material detection while lifting from an automated cutting table select pieces of thin, flexible material. The apparatus comprises a structured energy source and a structured energy sensor. The structured energy can be used to detect undesired lifting of a peripheral portion of the flexible material resulting from the presence of uncut material.

Alignment apparatuses include a frame and contact elements connected to the frame. The contact elements contact items that are to be transported in a processing direction relative to the frame. The contact elements are in permeant fixed positions relative to the frame, and do not move relative to the frame. Adjustable mounts are connected to the frame and move the frame in the processing direction and in a perpendicular cross-processing direction. A controller is electrically connected to the adjustable mounts, and the controller is adapted to control the adjustable mounts to simultaneously move the frame and all the contact elements in the cross-processing direction and the processing direction while rotating the frame. Methods laterally shift imaging on sheets that have had rotational correction performed by such alignment apparatuses.

A tape-laying apparatus includes a material feeder configured to feed tapes, and a laying device configured for picking up and placing tapes onto a laying table. The laying device includes a transporter and a vacuum. The vacuum is connected to the transporter such that at least one tape is configured to be held on the transporter by a negative pressure generated by the vacuum. The transporter includes at least two endless transport belts, which circulate around deflection rollers. The transport belts run parallel to one another in a same transport plane.

Certain examples described herein relate to transporting sheets of print media. In one example, a media transport apparatus has a plurality of media transport sections including a first media transport section and a second media transport section offset from the first media transport section in a media transport direction. The media transport apparatus has a holding section arranged to receive a sheet of print media from the first media transport section. The holding section is moveable to deposit the sheet of print media upon the second media transport section.

Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.