In one example, a media support includes a continuous loop belt and multiple suction cups arranged along the outer perimeter of the belt. Each suction cup has a port aligned with a hole in the belt so that air may be evacuated from the suction cup when connected to a vacuum source.

A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, MEA, comprises the steps of: continuous conveying, with a first vacuum conveyor belt, a first MEA component in the form of a web material at a first conveying speed; at least partially arranging, with a first arranging device, a second MEA component on the first MEA component while the first MEA component is continuously conveyed by the first vacuum conveyor belt; cutting, with a first cutting device, the first MEA component provided as web material with the second MEA component at least partially arranged thereon into a plurality of MEA component sections, so that the MEA component sections each comprise at least a part of the first and the second MEA component; and continuously conveying, with a second vacuum conveyor belt, the plurality of MEA component sections at a second conveying speed.

A method of monitoring an orientation of objects on a production line may include monitoring, using at least one imaging sensor, a plurality of objects on a production line. The method may include detecting that one object of the plurality of objects is in an improper orientation on the production line based on data from the at least one imaging sensor. The method may include automatically removing the one object from the production line upon detecting that the one object is in an improper orientation.

Certain examples of conveyors are described. The conveyors comprise a belt for conveying an article, wherein the belt has a plurality of holes. The conveyors further comprise sensors and the sensors and the plurality of holes are arranged such that the article is detectable when both the sensors sense a material simultaneously. Dryers, print substrate pre-treatment apparatus and printing systems are also described.

A frame for holding a small object while coating the small object with a coating composition includes a first plate and a second plate coupled to the first plate and movable relative to the first plate. The first plate includes a platform having a longitudinal axis. The second plate includes a wall adjacent a hole, wherein the hole receives the first plate's platform and is configured to allow the wall to move relative to the platform in a direction along the platform's longitudinal axis. When the first and second plate are coupled together, the first plate's platform and the second plate's wall define a receptacle of the frame that is operable to hold a small object.

The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus, and the transfer apparatus includes: a first transfer module holding an object to be transferred on the top thereof and transferring the object to be transferred at a first speed in a longitudinal direction; a second transfer module disposed in parallel with the first transfer module and holding the object to be transferred on the top thereof and transferring the object to be transferred at a second speed in the longitudinal direction; and a blowing module causing air to flow upward/downward below at least one of the first transfer module and the second transfer module.

Carriers are disclosed for supporting a plurality of agricultural cores on a plurality of core supports for coating by a flexible film. The plurality of core supports may include a pedestal for supporting a respective agricultural core and a core periphery region having a plurality of bridge elements which couple the pedestal to the connecting structure between the plurality of core supports. The carriers may include a vacuum system that independently communicates a partial vacuum to an aperture in each respective pedestal and a plurality of apertures in the core periphery region of a respective core support between the bridge elements.

A system for connecting photovoltaic cells is disclosed. The system comprises a flexible component feeder source for feeding the photovoltaic cells to a process that couples them together; a vacuum conveyor for receiving at a first location the coupled photovoltaic cells and including openings through which a vacuum is applied to hold the coupled photovoltaic cells in place; a moving belt above the vacuum conveyor at a second location, where the vacuum conveyor and the moving belt are driven in a predetermined relation to one another for conveying the coupled photovoltaic cells from the first location to the second location; a vacuum source for applying a vacuum through the openings to cause the moving belt to apply a pressure to an upper surface of the coupled photovoltaic cells to compress the coupled photovoltaic cells; and a curing source at the second location for curing the compressed coupled photovoltaic cells.

A conveyance apparatus which can suppress the occurrence of a defect on a work caused due to the entrance of a corner portion of the work into a hole portion formed on a conveyance surface of a base.

A conveyor for conveying good. According to one embodiment the conveyor includes a holding unit for holding or releasing the goods with respect to a conveyor belt. The holding unit includes vacuum holding means and magnetic holding means. The magnetic holding means includes at least one movable element that comprises at least one magnet or has a magnet attached thereto. The movable element is able to deactivate the magnetic holding means by distancing the magnet from the conveyor belt, and is also able to be arrange in a closed position in which the movable element blocks a vacuum conduit extending through the conveyor belt.