The invention relates to a transport apparatus (10) for the collision-free loading and unloading of a material machining unit (1) with a workpiece (5) comprising a guide apparatus (60), a plurality of transport devices (15, 16, 17, 18), wherein one of the transport devices (15) is arranged on a first transport device level (20), as well as another transport device (16) being arranged on another transport device level (21). A multifunctional tooling apparatus (25) for transporting and/or machining the workpiece (5) or the workpiece part is arranged on the transport device (15). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for loading and unloading the material machining unit (1) using such a transport apparatus (10), as well as a computer program product for loading and unloading according to this method and using such a transport device (10).

A medium feeding device includes: multiple transporters each including a stacking unit on which a medium is stackable in a vertical direction, a feeder that feeds air to multiple media, each of which is the medium, stacked on the stacking unit to cause the multiple media to float and separate, a delivery unit that successively delivers the media floated and separated by the feeder, and a detector that detects a state of the medium floated and separated by the feeder; and at least one processor configured to: upon detection of a state of possibility of jam or multi feeding of the medium by the detector of one of the multiple transporters during transport, switch to another transporter at a predetermined timing to feed the medium; and upon detection of the state of possibility of jam or multi feeding of the medium by the detector, change an amount of air feed by the feeder of the one transporter before being switched.

A medium feeding device includes: multiple transporters each including a stacking unit on which a medium is stackable in a vertical direction, a feeder that feeds air to multiple media, each of which is the medium, stacked on the stacking unit to cause the multiple media to float and separate, a delivery unit that successively delivers the media floated and separated by the feeder, and a detector that detects a state of the medium floated and separated by the feeder; and at least one processor configured to: upon detection of a state of possibility of jam or multi feeding of the medium by the detector of one of the multiple transporters during transport, switch to another transporter at a predetermined timing to feed the medium; and upon detection of the state of possibility of jam or multi feeding of the medium by the detector, change an amount of air feed by the feeder of the one transporter before being switched.

A printing plate picking mechanism includes a plate cassette stacking mechanism having an array of plate cassettes, each plate cassette adapted to hold a plurality of printing plates separated by intervening sheets of paper. A plate cassette movement mechanism is adapted to move a selected plate cassette to a printing plate loading position. A plate picker is adapted to contact and hold the leading edge of the topmost printing plate and transport it to plate transport pinch rollers. A paper picking unit includes a paper picker adapted to contact and hold a leading edge of a topmost sheet of paper in the selected plate cassette, and a plate guide positioned above the paper picker to guide the printing plate held by said plate picker. A vertical alignment system is adapted to vertically align the plate picker and the paper picking unit with the selected plate cassette.

A printing plate picking mechanism includes a plate cassette stacking mechanism having an array of plate cassettes, each plate cassette adapted to hold a plurality of printing plates separated by intervening sheets of paper. A plate cassette movement mechanism is adapted to move a selected plate cassette to a printing plate loading position. A plate picker is adapted to contact and hold the leading edge of the topmost printing plate and transport it to plate transport pinch rollers. A paper picking unit includes a paper picker adapted to contact and hold a leading edge of a topmost sheet of paper in the selected plate cassette, and a plate guide positioned above the paper picker to guide the printing plate held by said plate picker. A vertical alignment system is adapted to vertically align the plate picker and the paper picking unit with the selected plate cassette.

A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.

A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit, a separation surface, a first separation part configured to switch between a condition in which the first separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet comes into contact with the first separation part and a condition in which the first separation part is retracted from the separate surface and the sheet does not come into contact with the first separation part and to be fixed to each of the two conditions and a second separation part configured to be movable in a direction from a condition in which the second separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet is capable of come into contact with the second separation part to a condition in which the second separation part is retracted from the separate surface, according to a contact force received from the sheet.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit, a separation surface, a first separation part configured to switch between a condition in which the first separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet comes into contact with the first separation part and a condition in which the first separation part is retracted from the separate surface and the sheet does not come into contact with the first separation part and to be fixed to each of the two conditions and a second separation part configured to be movable in a direction from a condition in which the second separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet is capable of come into contact with the second separation part to a condition in which the second separation part is retracted from the separate surface, according to a contact force received from the sheet.

A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.