An unwinding assembly comprising first and second unwinding and handling units comprising respective robots having respective wrists movable under the control of at least one electronic control unit, wherein each of said unwinding and handling units comprises a respective unwinding device mounted on the wrist of the respective robot. The present invention also relates to an unwinding and handling unit capable of handling the reel carried by it with high freedom of movement, while maintaining small dimensions.

There is described a web alignment device for aligning a web comprising an engagement surface for supporting the web, a clamp assembly for clamping the web on at least a clamp portion of the engagement surface, an alignment control assembly for controlling a correct alignment of the web. The alignment control assembly comprises a control unit for generating a trigger signal if the web is correctly aligned, a first sensor device for detecting and/or determining a desired position of a first section of the web and to send at least a first signal to the control unit if the first section is positioned in the desired position, and a second sensor device for detecting and/or determining a desired position of a second section of the web and to send a second signal to the control unit if the second section is positioned in the desired position.

The apparatus and method for splicing substantially flat continuous material (10) comprises a transport unit (1) for transporting a first substantially flat continuous material (70) and a second substantially flat continuous material (71) to a splicing location. The transport unit is adapted to transport the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material parallel to each other forming an overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material in the splicing location. A pressure unit (3) is arranged in the splicing location. The pressure unit is adapted to apply a mechanical impact onto at least a part of the overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material, thereby at least partially merging the first substantially flat continuous material with the second substantially flat continuous material.

The invention relates to an adhesive piece for the adhesive connection of material webs. The adhesive piece comprises an adhesive compound carrier which bears adhesive compound on two opposite sides, and at least one release liner which originally covers, at least in certain regions, the adhesive compound carrier and also the adhesive compound present there, protrudes at least in certain regions beyond the adhesive compound carrier, and is removable by a release liner removal apparatus.

The invention relates to a release liner removal apparatus, comprising at least one release liner removal device for removing at least one release liner from at least one adhesive piece arranged on a material web, at least one support body which supports the at least one release liner removal device, and at least one guide body which is arranged adjacent to the at least one release liner removal device at least during the removal of the at least one release liner and which serves for guiding the material web.

The invention relates to a material web drawing-in apparatus for drawing in a material web. The material web drawing-in apparatus comprises at least one material web holding device for holding the material web to be drawn in, and at least one guide for guiding the at least one material web holding device from a material web drawing-in point to a material web transfer point, and also at least one drawing-in drive which is in connection with the at least one material web holding device and which serves for displacing the at least one material web holding device along the at least one guide upon drawing in the material web to be drawn in in the direction of the material web transfer point.

The invention relates to a plant having at least one material roll preparation arrangement for bringing a material roll carrying a material web to be drawn in into a defined initial situation, and having at least one material web working/processing arrangement, in particular material web dispensing arrangement, in particular material web unrolling arrangement, in particular material web splicing arrangement, which material web working/processing arrangement is capable, owing to the defined initial situation of the material roll, of receiving the material roll in automated fashion and preferably receiving the material web in automated fashion and/or preparing the material web in automated fashion.

The invention relates to an apparatus for a single-track or multitrack provision of web-like interleaved sheet material at a cutting region in which products supplied on one track or on multiple tracks are cut into slices and interleaved sheets are introduced which are cut off from the provided interleaved sheet material in the cutting region, having a material store; and having a removal device which is configured for a removal of a material web from the material store, wherein a loop store in which the material web forms a loop is provided for the material web.

The invention relates to a splicer assembly for splicing material webs. The splicer assembly comprises a first dispensing device for dispensing a finite first material web, a second dispensing device for dispensing a finite second material web, a connecting device for connecting the finite first material web and the finite second material web so as to form an endless material web, and a material web threading assistance assembly for assisted threading of the finite first material web or of the finite second material web into the splicer assembly in a threading procedure. The material web threading assistance device comprises at least one conveying installation for conveying the finite material web to be threaded in a threading direction in the threading procedure, and a conveying installation drive installation for driving the at least one conveying installation in the threading procedure.

A splicing device includes a drive device configured to cause a pressing surface of a first pressing member and a pressing surface of a second pressing member to reciprocate relatively towards and away from each other through a series of actions and a control device configured to stop temporarily the series of actions of the drive device in a pressing state where the first pressing member and the second pressing member press a first splicing tape and a second splicing tape against a first carrier tape and a second carrier tape through the series of actions of the drive device.