A suction device for retaining and/or transporting objects, comprising a main supporting body (2) and at least one operating plate (3) provided with suction holes (7) connected to and suction means, in which the operating plate (3) is removably associated with the main supporting body (2) and has a second connecting face (5) coupled to a first connecting face (4) of the main supporting body (2), and in which the device also comprises one or more magnets (13) and one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14), each ferromagnetic body (14) being magnetically coupled to one or more magnets (13) when the operating plate (3) is associated with the main supporting body (2) for keeping the operating plate (3) fastened to the main supporting body (2), each magnet (13) and the ferromagnetic body (14) magnetically coupled to it being constrained respectively one to the operating plate (3), the other to the main supporting body (2).

Systems and methods are provided for vacuum handling of composite parts. One embodiment is a method for picking up, placing, and compacting an object. The method includes covering a part of an object with an impermeable membrane, applying a negative pressure via an end effector that is sufficient to offset any air leaks between a first portion of the impermeable membrane and the object, thereby forming a suction hold that secures the object to the impermeable membrane, and transporting the object to a rigid tool while the suction hold is retained. The method further comprises applying a negative pressure via the end effector that offsets air leaks between a second portion of the impermeable membrane and the rigid tool, thereby forming a suction hold that compacts the object to the rigid tool.

An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system (100) for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system (100) comprises at least one gripper conveyor (150) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system (100) further comprises at least one support conveyor (190) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the supported individual sheet and the support conveyor (190) are movable along the transport direction with respect to each other. The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

A positioning device (38) for holding a flat flexible part, especially a sheet, on a positioning surface (46) is presented. It comprises a body (44) having a suction opening (50) for aspiring the part and a fluid port (52) being in fluid communication with the suction opening (50). Furthermore, an abutment protrusion (60) is provided on a connection surface (48) for abutting the positioning device (38) against a base part (28) to which it may be mounted. Also a sealing protrusion (64) is arranged on the connection surface (48) for compressing a gasket (42) being interposed between the positioning device (38) and the base part (28). A height (H.sub.a) of the abutment protrusion (60) is bigger than a height (H.sub.s) of the sealing protrusion (64). Additionally, a positioning assembly (24) is presented which comprises at least one such positioning device (38). Furthermore, a sheet material processing machine comprising at least one such positioning assembly (24) is introduced.

An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system (100) for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system (100) comprises at least one gripper conveyor (150) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system (100) further comprises at least one support conveyor (190) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the supported individual sheet and the support conveyor (190) are movable along the transport direction with respect to each other. The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

A machine for processing individual sheets comprises at least one processing station, in particular in inkjet printing station, and a transport system (100) for transporting the individual sheets through the processing station, along a transport direction. The transport system (100) comprises at least one gripper conveyor (150) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system (100) further comprises at least one support conveyor (190) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the support conveyor (190) comprises a vacuum system for supporting the individual sheet on an interacting surface of the support conveyor, the vacuum system comprising a plurality of orifices in the interacting surface. The machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

A plurality of first vacuum pads for suctioning a workpiece are directly or indirectly attached to a main body. A slider is configured to slide in an outward direction of the main body. When the slider slides to protrude in the outward direction of the main body while the first vacuum pads are suctioning the workpiece, a sensor detects an end portion of the workpiece. While the sensor detects the end portion of the workpiece and the slider is stopped, a second vacuum pad holds up the end portion of the workpiece by suctioning the workpiece at a position outside from positions at which the first vacuum pads suction the workpiece.

The invention relates to a gripping head (15) for insert sheets (11) for inserting between rows of folding boxes (3) in a receptacle (2), characterized in that it comprises: at least one first aspiration element (17a, 17b) designed to grasp an insert sheet (11), at least one second aspiration element (18a, 18b) designed to grasp an insert sheet (11), at least one linear element (19a, 19b) on which at least the first aspiration element (17a, 17b) is mounted and able to slide, a controllable actuating mechanism (20), designed to displace at least the first aspiration element (17a, 17b) by sliding on the at least one linear element (19a, 19b) into a position of grasping in which the at least one first aspiration element (17a, 17b) and the at least one second aspiration element (18a, 18b) are positioned at a spacing from each other in order to grasp an insert sheet (11).

A recording-material-transporting device includes a suction unit that suctions a recording material included in a recording-material stack from above, the suction unit including a movable member that moves upward when pushed from below by the recording material moving upward with the suction, the suction unit being movable in an intersecting direction intersecting a vertical direction and moving the suctioned recording material in the intersecting direction, at least a part of the movable member serving as an outside advancing part that advances to an outside of a perimeter of the recording-material stack with the movement of the suction unit in the intersecting direction; and a restricting part that restricts a downward movement of the outside advancing part when the outside advancing part is free of support by the recording material from below.

Systems and methods are provided for vacuum handling of composite parts. One embodiment is a method for picking up, placing, and compacting an object. The method includes covering a part of an object with an impermeable membrane, applying a negative pressure via an end effector that is sufficient to offset any air leaks between a first portion of the impermeable membrane and the object, thereby forming a suction hold that secures the object to the impermeable membrane, and transporting the object to a rigid tool while the suction hold is retained. The method further comprises applying a negative pressure via the end effector that offsets air leaks between a second portion of the impermeable membrane and the rigid tool, thereby forming a suction hold that compacts the object to the rigid tool.