A packing system includes a conveyor configured to transport one or more containers. Two or more printers are disposed along the conveyors. The printers are configured to print printed material. Each of the printers has a tray upon which the printed material is deposited from the printer. A robotic arm is disposed proximal to the conveyor and the printers. The robotic arm has an end of arm tool configured to pick the printed material from the tray of each printer. A controller is operatively connected to the printers and the robotic arm. The controller is configured to send one or more print instructions to one or more of the printers to print the printed material. The controller is configured to instruct the robotic arm to place the printed material from the tray into the container.

A handling device which is suitable for repositioning objects has an adhesive gripping device which includes a support structure on which at least one gripping unit is arranged. The gripping unit has an adhesive belt which extends between two holding regions and which, in a working region having a longitudinal portion functioning as a gripping portion, is wound around a release deflection element which is translationally movable relative to the support structure. The release deflection element is part of a release system, by means of which adherence of the object can be released again as required. This release system also has a release drive system, by means of which a rotational movement of the gripping portion around the release deflection element, which movement accompanies the release movement, can be caused, leading to the active removal of the adhesive belt from the gripped object.

A gripper arrangement for lifting a flexible semi-finished product from a support, wherein the gripper arrangement comprises a flexible semi-finished product resting on a support and at least one pair of grippers with a suction gripper or needle gripper and with at least one clamping gripper, wherein the suction or needle gripper is pivotable around an axis between a pick-up position for picking up an edge of the flexible semi-finished product and a transfer position for transferring the edge of the flexible semi-finished product to the clamping gripper. Furthermore, a corresponding method is described.

A gripper arrangement for lifting a flexible semi-finished product from a support, wherein the gripper arrangement comprises a flexible semi-finished product resting on a support and at least one pair of grippers with a suction gripper or needle gripper and with at least one clamping gripper, wherein the suction or needle gripper is pivotable around an axis between a pick-up position for picking up an edge of the flexible semi-finished product and a transfer position for transferring the edge of the flexible semi-finished product to the clamping gripper. Furthermore, a corresponding method is described.

The device comprises at least one module for stitching the tread and a means for moving the module vertically and horizontally. The stitching module comprises a frame which is provided with a fixed stitching assembly, equipped with spikes, and at least one mobile stitching assembly. The at least one mobile stitching assembly comprises at least one stitching plate provided at the base of same with at least one planar horizontal contact surface, from which at least two spikes protrude. The plate is arranged in a vertical guide space provided in the frame such that the spikes protrude downwards and such that it is free to move vertically in this space over a limited travel path. The device also includes a vertical movement device for moving the plate from the top downwards in this guide space and a device for locking the altitude position of the plate in this space.

The device comprises at least one module for stitching the tread and a means for moving the module vertically and horizontally. The stitching module comprises a frame which is provided with a fixed stitching assembly, equipped with spikes, and at least one mobile stitching assembly. The at least one mobile stitching assembly comprises at least one stitching plate provided at the base of same with at least one planar horizontal contact surface, from which at least two spikes protrude. The plate is arranged in a vertical guide space provided in the frame such that the spikes protrude downwards and such that it is free to move vertically in this space over a limited travel path. The device also includes a vertical movement device for moving the plate from the top downwards in this guide space and a device for locking the altitude position of the plate in this space.

A method and apparatus for automated aerating and handling a sub stack of a stack of rectangular paper sheets where the sub stack is gripped near or at opposed corners of a common edge of the sub stack by means of two robotic grippers (A, B) having two opposed gripping fingers (A1, A2, B1, B2), lifting and rotating the corners in mutually opposite first directions such that the work stack achieves an upwards concave form, gripping the corners by the robotic grippers (A, B), and rotating the grippers in second directions opposite to the first directions such that the upper sheet of the sub stack has a curvature smaller than the bottom sheet of the sub stack, preferably a substantially plane form.

A method and apparatus for automated aerating and handling a sub stack of a stack of rectangular paper sheets where the sub stack is gripped near or at opposed corners of a common edge of the sub stack by means of two robotic grippers (A, B) having two opposed gripping fingers (A1, A2, B1, B2), lifting and rotating the corners in mutually opposite first directions such that the work stack achieves an upwards concave form, gripping the corners by the robotic grippers (A, B), and rotating the grippers in second directions opposite to the first directions such that the upper sheet of the sub stack has a curvature smaller than the bottom sheet of the sub stack, preferably a substantially plane form.

An automatic bag loading system includes a transfer arm configured to grab a bag and transfer the bag from a conveyor a bag gripper, which then rotates the bag to a filling station. The system further includes a detection device to detect a location of a leading edge of the bag between the conveyor and the bag gripper.

There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.