An application mechanism is used to apply water to wet paper in a process for producing planar cushioning material and filler material made of paper having a spatial structure with embossing on each side. The water can be applied to the paper like ink, so as to keep it sufficiently moist for the embossing process. Likewise, it is possible to use ink to apply a two-dimensional imprint, whereby sufficient wetting can also take place, but at the same time an optical effect is achieved.

A method for production of a female embossing tool (6) intended for embossing a sheet element (60): provide a female embossing tool (6) with an outer layer (44) made of a material with shape-memory type properties, and the outer face of the layer has no recesses; provide a male embossing tool (5, 5′) with an outer face with at least one protuberance corresponding to at least one desired embossing relief that is to be formed on the sheet element (60) after embossing; and cooperation of the male embossing tool (5, 5′) with the female embossing tool (6) such that the outer layer (44) of the female embossing tool (6) undergoes a plastic deformation which creates at least one recess (42, 42′) of a shape complementary to the protuberance(s) (41, 41′) of the male embossing tool (5, 5′).

A die and counter die system for impressing a relief pattern onto a substrate, including a male die film and at least one female die. The female die includes a female-die contact surface including at least one cavity defining the relief pattern. The male die film includes a flexible male-die contact surface which is featureless in a region thereof opposing the relief pattern on the at least one female die. The system further includes a compression mechanism adapted, when the substrate is disposed between the male die contact surface and the female die contact surface, to move the male die film and the at least one female die towards one another so as to impress the relief pattern on the substrate.

A method for production of a female embossing tool intended for embossing a sheet element: provide a female embossing tool with an outer layer made of a material with shape-memory type properties, and the outer face of the layer has no recesses; provide a male embossing tool with an outer face with at least one protuberance corresponding to at least one desired embossing relief that is to be formed on the sheet element after embossing; and cooperation of the male embossing tool with the female embossing tool such that the outer layer of the female embossing tool undergoes a plastic deformation which creates at least one recess of a shape complementary to the protuberance(s) of the male embossing tool.

A system and method for aligning and installing graphical dies onto an embossing press or foil stamping press is provided. The system includes a number of die support panels having a number of threaded openings disposed in columns and rows in a grid like fashion and identified with x and y axis indicia. The system also includes a number of dies with a number of apertures each identified with a pair of x and y axis indicia. Fasteners and indicia are used to align and attach the dies to the die support panels in a predetermined position. The system preferable further comprises one or more adjusters used to make minute positioning adjustments to the die after it is installed on the panel.

An embossing tool including a female die (5) and a male die (7). A raised section (9) is formed on the female die, which corresponds to the area to be embossed. An elastic compensating element (13) is located in a recess (11) of the male die (7), which protrudes from the surface of the male die (7) by a few tenths of a millimeter. This embossing tool allows the undoing of existing embossments on a film (1).

A system and method for aligning and installing graphical dies onto an embossing press or foil stamping press is provided. The system includes a number of die support panels having a number of threaded openings disposed in columns and rows in a grid like fashion and identified with x and y axis indicia. The system also includes a number of dies with a number of apertures each identified with a pair of x and y axis indicia. Fasteners and indicia are used to align and attach the dies to the die support panels in a predetermined position. The system preferable further comprises one or more adjusters used to make minute positioning adjustments to the die after it is installed on the panel.

An image forming apparatus includes: a needleless binding device configured to form a recessed or raised impression as a needleless binding part by performing needleless binding on a bundle of sheets; an environment sensor; and a controller configured to perform, based on a value detected by the environment sensor, control to display a confirmation image requesting a user to make confirmation on the needleless binding prior to execution of the needleless binding.

In a sheet processing method for sheets of paper or cardboard, a sheet for processing is, in the processing station, firstly brought to a standstill and then set down, whereas the processed sheet is, in the output station, set down from a moving state. A punching or stamping machine has an input station, a processing station and an output station arranged one behind the other in a sheet transport path, and a sheet gripping device which is designed to set down a sheet for processing in the processing station when the sheet gripping device has come to a standstill in a second reversal position, and to set down a processed sheet in the output station as the sheet gripping device approaches the second reversal position.

An embossing apparatus which forms an emboss pattern on a sheet-type workpiece using a template sheet with the emboss pattern cut out therefrom, the embossing apparatus comprising: a mounting unit on which both a cutter member for cutting and an embossing pen for embossing are mounted simultaneously or one of the cutter member and the embossing pen is mounted alternatively; a holding member configured to hold the template sheet and the workpiece; a transfer mechanism configured to move the holding member and the mounting unit relative to each other; and a controller configured to control the transfer mechanism, the controller being configured to control the embossing apparatus to: specify the emboss pattern, cut the specified emboss pattern out of the template sheet held by the holding member using the cutter member mounted on the mounting unit by controlling the transfer mechanism, and press part of the workpiece which corresponds to a cutting region cut out, using the embossing pen mounted on the mounting unit by controlling the transfer mechanism, the workpiece being placed on the template sheet held by the holding member.