Systems and methods for laser assisted deposition of a material includes a printing unit configured to print individual dot-like portions of a material from a donor substrate onto a receiving substrate, and a vacuum shuttle configured to be positionable in two or three dimensions between the printing unit and the donor substrate and to engage the donor substrate upon application of a vacuum to the vacuum shuttle. The printing unit may include a coating system and a laser. The vacuum shuttle includes a vacuum channel about its periphery and an open window through which the laser irradiates the donor substrate. The vacuum channel is fluidly coupled to a vacuum inlet for receiving a vacuum suction, thereby to engage the donor substrate and hold it taught against the bottom of the vacuum shuttle in operation. The vacuum shuttle may also include one or more distance measuring sensors and fiducial markers.

System for handling dies with a rectangular and/or arched transverse cross-section that comprises a support for placing in a removable manner dies having a rectangular transverse cross-section, the support being designed to be coupled in a sliding manner to a fixed structure, in which at least said support has fastening means for holding at least one die with a rectangular transverse cross-section vertically in the air; and a handler provided with hooking means designed to be coupled to the support to place and/or remove the support with respect to the fixed structure, the handler having coupling means to be coupled to a transelevator or similar. This system is designed to facilitate the operations of placing and removing the dies during their storage.

The invention relates to a die (10) for printing through a print carrier onto an object in a hot stamping machine, characterized in that the die comprises a first layer (11) of a first material, hereinafter referred to as the base layer, the hardness of which is less than 50 shore A measured according to ISO 868 or DIN 53505, and the thickness of which is greater than 20 mm, and a second layer (12) of a second material, hereinafter referred to as the printing layer, the hardness of which is greater than 50 shore A measured according to ISO 868 or DIN 53505, and the thickness of which is less than 5 mm, the second layer being intended to be in contact with the print carrier.

The present invention relates to a foil stamping die used for foil stamping, and a method of manufacturing a vehicle interior component using the foil stamping die. An object of the present invention is to provide a foil stamping technique capable of enhancing the design property of a printing object. In a foil stamping die capable of transferring a foil to the printing object while applying an uneven pattern to a surface of the printing object by pressing the die toward the printing object on which the foil is placed, a pattern-shape portion which is a portion corresponding to the uneven pattern is provided, and an edge of the pattern-shape portion has the same thickness over the entire area thereof.

System for handling dies with a rectangular and/or arched transverse cross-section that comprises a support for placing in a removable manner dies having a rectangular transverse cross-section, the support being designed to be coupled in a sliding manner to a fixed structure, in which at least said support has fastening means for holding at least one die with a rectangular transverse cross-section vertically in the air; and a handler provided with hooking means designed to be coupled to the support to place and/or remove the support with respect to the fixed structure, the handler having coupling means to be coupled to a transelevator or similar. This system is designed to facilitate the operations of placing and removing the dies during their storage.

Systems and methods for laser assisted deposition of a material includes a printing unit configured to print individual dot-like portions of a material from a donor substrate onto a receiving substrate, and a vacuum shuttle configured to be positionable in two or three dimensions between the printing unit and the donor substrate and to engage the donor substrate upon application of a vacuum to the vacuum shuttle. The printing unit may include a coating system and a laser. The vacuum shuttle includes a vacuum channel about its periphery and an open window through which the laser irradiates the donor substrate. The vacuum channel is fluidly coupled to a vacuum inlet for receiving a vacuum suction, thereby to engage the donor substrate and hold it taught against the bottom of the vacuum shuttle in operation. The vacuum shuttle may also include one or more distance measuring sensors and fiducial markers.