A parts supply apparatus includes a supply tray stacking portion where a supply tray containing parts is stacked; a tray raising/lowering unit for separating one of the supply trays from the supply tray stacking portion; a tray holding unit with which the tray raising/lowering unit is provided; and an empty tray stacking portion where an empty tray, which is the supply tray that is emptied after supply of the parts, is stacked. The empty tray stacking portion is disposed above the supply tray stacking portion in a vertical direction.

An apparatus and a method produce multi-layered wafer blocks which are filled with a spreading substance such as a cream, for example, in which a first wafer block component is transported along a conveying surface to a stacking area, is lifted there from the conveying surface by a gripping device, a second wafer block component is subsequently or simultaneously transported along the conveying surface to the stacking area, and the first wafer block component is placed and/or pressed onto the second wafer block component from above in a joining process.

A stage-stacking lift according to the present invention includes a lift unit and a stage-stacking unit mounted in the lift unit. The stage-stacking unit stacks a tray, in which accommodation targets are accommodated, in multiple stages, and the lift unit elevates the tray stacked in multiple stages.

A bundle builder and lifter assembly has a pair of parallel cross beams, and an actuator assembly for actuating the builder and lifter assembly. A pair of lift arms are moved along the parallel cross beams and each has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion forming a finger. The lift arms are also raised and lowered. A conveyor roller assembly is positioned above the lift arms and cross beams, where stacks of material are moved on the rollers of the conveyor assembly. The stacks of material are placed in a stack by the lift arms forming a bundle, which is then removed from the conveyor roller assembly.