Provided is a workpiece conveying system configured to convey a sheet-like workpiece to a downstream step, including: a workpiece conveyor configured to lift through attraction holding, by a workpiece holding unit, an uppermost workpiece W of a stack, and convey the uppermost workpiece W of the stack to the downstream step one by one; and a conveyed workpiece number detector configured to detect the number of workpieces W held by the workpiece holding unit at a detection timing, at which the workpiece W held and raised by the workpiece holding unit in accordance with a normal workpiece conveying operation performed by the workpiece conveyor reaches an upper limit position of raising the workpiece W, and at which a moving speed component of the workpiece W in a raising direction is 0.

A method and relative sheet handling apparatus apt to pick up sheets from a pack of sheets to be delivered to a cut-ting centre and for removing a separating foil between the sheets is described, including: a lifting and removing unit for a top sheet equipped with upper gripping heads; an air flow generating unit generating an air flow above the pack of sheets; and a control unit of the lifting unit, suitable for arranging the top sheet at a stasis height of up to 70 mm above the pack of sheet to define a suction chamber for the air flow generator.

A method and relative sheet handling apparatus apt to pick up sheets from a pack of sheets to be delivered to a cut-ting centre and for removing a separating foil between the sheets is described, including: a lifting and removing unit for a top sheet equipped with upper gripping heads; an air flow generating unit generating an air flow above the pack of sheets; and a control unit of the lifting unit, suitable for arranging the top sheet at a stasis height of up to 70 mm above the pack of sheet to define a suction chamber for the air flow generator.

A method for transferring a workpiece from a first manipulator to a second manipulator by means of a manipulation system in a bending installation having at least one bending machine is provided. Each manipulator comprises first, second, and third manipulator arms, each of which is pivotable about second axes, third axes, and fourth axes and exclusively in a parallel orientation with respect to a first axis of a guide arrangement. The workpiece is grasped by a holding arrangement of the first manipulator. The third manipulator arms are oriented to be opposite and to project towards one another, and the same workpiece is grasped by a holding arrangement of the second manipulator and subsequently released from the holding arrangement of the first manipulator for the direct transfer process. The invention furthermore relates to a manipulation system and a bending installation equipped therewith.

A method for transferring a workpiece from a first manipulator to a second manipulator by means of a manipulation system in a bending installation having at least one bending machine is provided. Each manipulator comprises first, second, and third manipulator arms, each of which is pivotable about second axes, third axes, and fourth axes and exclusively in a parallel orientation with respect to a first axis of a guide arrangement. The workpiece is grasped by a holding arrangement of the first manipulator. The third manipulator arms are oriented to be opposite and to project towards one another, and the same workpiece is grasped by a holding arrangement of the second manipulator and subsequently released from the holding arrangement of the first manipulator for the direct transfer process. The invention furthermore relates to a manipulation system and a bending installation equipped therewith.

A material separation device comprises a placement component, a blower, a suction component, a suction pad driver, and a controller. The blower blows air at a plurality of aluminum sheets that have been stacked on the placement component to float an uppermost aluminum sheet. The suction component uses suction pads to chuck and hold the uppermost aluminum sheet from above while the air is being blown. The suction pad driver drives the suction component up and down, using servomotors as a drive source. The controller performs control so that the suction pads chucking the aluminum sheet are raised to a temporary stopping position by the suction pad driver, and the suction pads are stopped for a predetermined length of time at the temporary stopping position while the air is stopped, and the suction pads are then raised by the suction pad drivers to a conveyance position.

A material separation device comprises a placement component, a blower, a suction component, a suction pad driver, and a controller. The blower blows air at a plurality of aluminum sheets that have been stacked on the placement component to float an uppermost aluminum sheet. The suction component uses suction pads to chuck and hold the uppermost aluminum sheet from above while the air is being blown. The suction pad driver drives the suction component up and down, using servomotors as a drive source. The controller performs control so that the suction pads chucking the aluminum sheet are raised to a temporary stopping position by the suction pad driver, and the suction pads are stopped for a predetermined length of time at the temporary stopping position while the air is stopped, and the suction pads are then raised by the suction pad drivers to a conveyance position.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction orthogonal to the height direction.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction orthogonal to the height direction.

A method and relative sheet handling apparatus apt to pick up sheets from a pack of sheets to be delivered to a cut-ting centre and for removing a separating foil between the sheets is described, including: a lifting and removing unit for a top sheet equipped with upper gripping heads; an air flow generating unit generating an air flow above the pack of sheets; and a control unit of the lifting unit, suitable for arranging the top sheet at a stasis height of up to 70 mm above the pack of sheet to define a suction chamber for the air flow generator.