A stacking apparatus of a sheet-shaped workpiece includes a pick-and-place machine that holds and picks up a sheet-shaped workpiece cut out from a sheet material and places the workpiece onto a stacking position to stack sequentially, a detector that is provided in the pick-and-place machine and detects a position of the workpiece in a lifted state by the pick-and-place machine and a controller that controls the pick-and-place machine. The controller calculates a position shift of the workpiece based on the position of the workpiece detected by the detector and adjusts, based on the calculated position shift, a holding position of a workpiece by the pick-and-place machine in a future operation.

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).

The present invention relates to a handling installation for handling sheets of cardboard or similar material applicable for implementation thereof in an automated production facility, comprising a first receiving station (1) configured to receive packages formed by cardboard sheets, each of the sheets being defined by four sides, and a second distribution station (2) in which the sheets are delivered face-down coming from the receiving station by means of sheet handling means. The first and second stations comprise modules that are independent from each other, the handling means comprising a robot arm provided with a head with clamping means to hold the package of sheets on any of the four sides, the head having a hinge point that can be coupled to a robot arm, capable of conveniently moving and orienting the clamping means in any of the coordinate axes, the robot arm being mounted on a base that is independent with respect to the first and second stations.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes a storage section, an input section configured to receive at the storage section at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section.

A method for operating a postpress processing installation (1) for producing and processing product units, in particular completed final printed products (D) such as periodicals and newspapers, which are preferably compiled from a jacket product (A) and a plurality of part products and/or inserts (a, b, c, d), and a corresponding postpress processing installation (1). The final printed products (D) are produced according to a predetermined production plan in a manner adapted to the route along which they travel and are processed by means of at least one stacking device (70, 70.1) to form a sequence of standard packages (N) and part packages.

An assembly (10) to engage seemingly closed bags (11) that contain a product. The assembly (10) includes a conveyor (14) that has a length (16) that is moved in a conveying direction (17). A compression device (24) is adjustable in respective distance from the length (17) by a parallelogram arrangement. The compression device (24) engages the bags (11) and compresses the bag (11) against the length (12), with sensors (33 and 34) providing a signal indicative of the depth of the bags (11), and therefore a signal indicative of bags (11).

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes an enclosure, a storage section within the enclosure, an input section configured to receive at the enclosure at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section within the enclosure, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the enclosure.

A sheet transporting mechanism transports a sheet from a storage tray to a stacking tray, and includes: a first transporter that moves between initial and first positions to transport the sheet from the initial position toward the stacking tray; a second transporter that transports the transported sheet by the first transporter to the stacking tray; a single motor that drives the first and second transporters; a guide rail that guides movement of the second transporter; a first transmission gear that transmits a driving force of the single motor to move the first transporter between the initial and first positions; a second transmission gear that transmits the driving force of the single motor to move the guide rail in an upward and downward direction; and a third transmission gear that transmits the driving force of the single motor to allow the second transporter to be guided by the guide rail.

The application relates to an unloading device for a substrate magazine, wherein the substrate magazine has multiple drawers in which substrates are arrangeable for storage or temporary storage, having at least one controllable conveyor belt on which substrates can be placed, and having at least one controllable gripper arm, which is designed to push at least one substrate out of a drawer of the substrate magazine to the conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt and the gripper arm are arranged on a common and movably mounted carrier, wherein the gripper arm is arranged at least in a starting position below the conveyor belt in order to grip at least one substrate from below for pushing out. It is provided for this purpose that the gripper arm is designed to push a substrate stack having several substrates lying one on top of another out of one of the drawers above the conveyor belt, that a separating device is arranged above the conveyor belt, into which the substrate stack is insertable by the gripper arm and that the separating device is designed to release the lowest substrate of the substrate stack from the substrate stack and deposit it on the conveyor belt underneath.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes an enclosure, a storage section within the enclosure, an input section configured to receive at the enclosure at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section within the enclosure, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the enclosure.