APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCEING INDIVIDUAL VALUE AND SECURITY DOCUMENTS FROM PRE-MATERIAL PIECES

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and a method for producing individualized valuables and security documents from pre-material pieces. The security documents produced can be, for example, identity cards or other identification cards (ID cards), or they can be bound as individualizing cards into a book-shaped identification document, such as a passport. Furthermore, valuables can be, for example, credit cards or debit cards. Background of the invention

[0002] Identification documents, in particular identity documents such as identity cards, serve to verify a person's identity. Identity documents are issued by government authorities in the exercise of their sovereign duties, for example, to enable the document holder to cross a border into another country or to identify themselves to a government agency or other persons. One such identity document is the German identity card, which is currently issued in the form of an ID-1 card in accordance with ISO / IEC 7810 in the version valid on the priority date of this application.

[0003] The identity card contains data that individualizes (personalizes) the document holder, such as name, date and place of birth, nationality, a facial image, and the digitally captured and printed signature of the document holder. It also includes a serial number identifying the document, the issue date, and information about the issuing authority and the document type. Furthermore, it shows the current place of residence and other biometric data of the holder (height, eye color). The identity card is also equipped with various security features that allow a third party to verify the authenticity of the document, for example, by means of a guilloche print, a hologram reproducing the holder's facial image and the machine-readable zone of the document containing personal and other data, and a kinematic object, such as the federal coat of arms.

[0004] The identification card can also be incorporated into a book-like security document, such as a passport book. In addition to the identifying data on the document card, which for German passports has the ID-3 format according to ISO / IEC 7810 in the version valid on the priority date of this application, passport books contain further pages on which so-called entry stamps (visas) from the countries the person is entering can be affixed. The document card, the passport book pages, and a cover are bound together using a stapled process.

[0005] The document card, for example an identity card, is typically made of a plastic laminate with an embedded piece of film containing the necessary information, for example, made of a polymer material. For the production of passport booklets, the document card is fitted with a so-called passport flap, which protrudes laterally beyond the intended format of the document card and is stapled to the passport booklet pages. German patent DE 10 2008 031 654 A1 states that such document cards, which are made exclusively of polycarbonate layers, are not suitable for inclusion in a passport booklet. Therefore, it is common practice to produce document cards with a card body that incorporates at least one layer made of a different plastic material suitable for binding in a passport booklet and allowing for easy page turning within the booklet.This plastic layer is incorporated in such a way that it forms the tab with which the document card is bound into the passport book.

[0006] From US Patent 2011 / 028293 A1, a method for a manufacturing device is known which comprises: performing a plurality of non-joining processes during at least one web-based manufacturing phase and during at least one film-based manufacturing phase. The processes can be performed by multiple modules. The modules can be independently controlled and / or monitored. The modules can be interchangeable. One or more modules can receive material and / or transfer it to another module. The manufactured items can be smart cards. Furthermore, a manufacturing device according to the preamble of the claimed device is also described.

[0007] US Patent 2007 / 008587 A1 describes a system for processing printed products. The system includes a transfer station equipped with a feeder for supplying printed products from a delivery station to the transfer station. The transfer station also includes several infeed points and a pickup point. A processing station is connected to each infeed point. An output station is connected to the pickup point. The transfer station is further equipped with a transport device for moving the printed products within the transfer station between the infeed point, the various infeed points, and the pickup point. The printed product fed into the transfer station at the infeed point is transported from the transfer station to one of the processing stations in any order. After completion of the processing operation at a specific processing station, the printed product is moved back to the transfer station.At the collection point, the finished printed products are removed from the transfer station.

[0008] US 2014 / 246139 A1 describes a print finishing process comprising feeding sheet-fed printed products, laminating, coating, and foil stamping, wherein the steps are performed in processing modules and the printed product to be finished is first gripped and aligned in each processing module. Additionally, a print finishing machine for sheet-fed printed products is described, comprising a sheet conveying system, a laminating device for laminating the printed product with a laminating film, a coating device for coating the printed product with a coating, and a foil stamping device for transferring a transfer layer adhered to a carrier film onto the printed product at the areas to be printed. The laminating device, the coating device, and the foil stamping device each contain at least one section of the conveying system, and the conveying system sections are suction conveying devices.

[0009] US Patent 6,003,863 A describes a device and a method for transporting flexible sheets in a machining process. Problems underlying the invention

[0010] The identification documents (security documents) described above are conventionally produced in production facilities based on so-called "island solutions," meaning that the individual production steps are carried out in loosely connected parts of the system. The necessary raw materials and intermediate products are loaded and unloaded and transported manually in crates from one station to the next, resulting in batch production. This approach has disadvantages, such as the large footprint required and the fixed location of the equipment. Furthermore, these systems are inflexible in terms of their ability to produce different types of documents, as only one document type can be produced per batch, leading to long lead times for the identification documents.Another problem is that the individual process steps require different capacities of the designated plant components. This problem can be exacerbated by the possibility of individual plant modules failing, forcing an interruption in document production and further extending the batch's throughput time. The same applies if individual documents are produced incorrectly and therefore need to be reprinted.

[0011] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to create a production plant that requires little space and is also very flexible in its application, so that different types of valuable and security documents can be produced. The production plant should be capable of carrying out a production process designed for this purpose.

[0012] Furthermore, it has been found that the production of valuables and security documents requires a considerable amount of time, especially when they are produced at a central production facility. This is because different types of documents must be produced simultaneously in such cases. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a system for producing valuables and security documents and a method for their production that enables the rapid production of different types of valuables and security documents.

[0013] Furthermore, the production of the valuable and security documents should also be cost-effective and with the lowest possible waste, while adhering to the necessary occupational safety measures, especially with regard to less intensively trained operating personnel working in a decentralized production facility.

[0014] The technical problem is solved according to the invention by a system with the features of claim 1, a method with the features of claim 9, and a method with the features of claim 11. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims. Definitions:

[0015] In the following text, the term "plant module" refers to a physical production unit that alters the properties of the input materials. This can involve the addition and removal of one or more input materials to and from the physical production unit. The term "plant module" is intended to specifically include storage modules that can store input materials before, during, and / or after processing.

[0016] Where the terms 'individualized' and 'individualizing' are used below, they refer to a property of a security document, such as a credit card, identification card, or passport, that allows the document to be attributed to a specific subject (person, animal, object). This property results from predefined security features of the security document. Where the terms 'personalized' and 'personalizing' are used below, they refer to a property of a security document that allows the document to be attributed to a person.

[0017] Where the term 'value and security document' or 'value or security document' is used below, it preferably refers to a document in the form of a flat, and in particular preferably rectangular, carrier for displaying, preferably individualized, information. A value or security card is understood to be both a rigid and a flexible object, i.e., both an object that is not or only slightly bendable or twistable, and an object that is easily bendable. For example, the card may have one of the formats ID-1, ID-2, or ID-3 according to ISO / IEC 7810 in the version valid on the priority date of the present application.The security document can be, for example, a personal identity card, driver's license, access control card or other ID card, a check, bank, credit or cash payment card, customer card, health insurance card, chip card, company ID card, proof of authorization, membership card, ticket, gift or shopping voucher, or any other card-shaped proof of authorization. The security document can be made of a material suitable for the purpose according to the invention, for example, a plastic (polymer), paper, cardboard, glass, or other materials or mixtures of these materials, and may optionally be filled with reinforcing materials. The security document is produced by lamination of laminate layers, which, for example, consist of a material suitable for lamination.The valuable or security document may be made of a polymer selected from the following group: polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), its derivatives such as glycol-modified PET (PETG), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) and its derivatives, polyamide (PA), and / or paper (cellulose), and / or cardboard, and / or glass, and / or metal, and / or ceramic. Furthermore, the valuable or security document may also be made of several of these materials, particularly if the individual layers are made of different materials. Preferably, the valuable or security document consists of PC or PC / TPU / PC.The polymers can be either filled or unfilled. In the latter case, they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The thickness of a document card is preferably 250 to 950 µm.

[0018] Insofar as the term 'processing scheme' is used below, it refers to the orderly, logical and real sequence of individual processing steps that must be carried out in the plant modules to produce a value or security document. Basic features of the invention and preferred embodiments:

[0019] In particular, a plant for producing individual valuable and security documents from raw material pieces in at least two processing steps of an individual processing scheme is created, consisting of: (a) plant modules designed to carry out the at least two processing steps; (b) a transport device connecting the plant modules; (c) a plant control unit designed to control the transport device;wherein the plant modules are arranged in relation to the transport device and the transport device is designed such that the transport device can supply raw material pieces to all plant modules in any sequence and can remove raw material pieces from all plant modules in any sequence, wherein the transport device can be controlled by the plant control unit so that the raw material pieces can be supplied to a plant module intended for carrying out a processing step.

[0020] Furthermore, a method for producing individual valuable and security documents from pre-material pieces in at least two processing steps of an individual processing scheme is provided, comprising plant modules designed to execute the at least two processing steps and a transport device connecting the plant modules, wherein the transport device can supply pre-material pieces to all of the plant modules in any sequence and can remove pre-material pieces from all of the plant modules in any sequence, comprising the following process steps: (i) providing the pre-material pieces intended for producing the individual valuable or security documents; (ii) determining a plant module for executing the next processing step based on the individual processing scheme;(iii) Controlling the transport device by means of a plant control unit designed to control the transport device to feed one or more pieces of raw material to the plant module designed to perform the next processing step; (iv) Feeding the one or more pieces of raw material to the selected plant module; (v) Performing the processing step in the selected plant module by changing at least one property of the one or more pieces of raw material; (vi) Controlling the transport device by means of the plant control unit to remove the one or more processed pieces of raw material from the selected plant module; (vii) Removing the one or more processed pieces of raw material from the selected plant module; and (viii) Performing further processing steps of the individual processing scheme by repeating the preceding process steps (ii) to (vii).

[0021] Furthermore, a procedure is created for producing a set of various individual value and security documents according to individual processing schemes by executing the aforementioned procedure.

[0022] The core idea of ​​the invention is to provide a system and associated processes in which a transport device is capable of linking all processing steps necessary for the production of customized valuables and security documents with regard to the material flow of raw material pieces. For this purpose, the transport device is designed to convey the raw material pieces to all system modules. In this way, the raw material pieces can be fed to and removed from each of the system modules. The advantage is that, due to the flexible arrangement of the individual processing steps, any desired production sequence can be implemented. It is therefore possible to produce individually designed valuables and security documents with minimal effort and in a compact system design.

[0023] The raw material pieces used in the inventive process, produced in the individual processing steps and then further processed in subsequent processing steps, are, by way of example, the following materials in a typical inventive production process: Polymer film pieces intended for printing with reproductions of individualizing data and subsequent lamination; polymer film pieces intended for lamination without being printed, as well as security threads, security elements (patches) and other laminating film pieces; a polymer film piece printed with reproductions of individualizing data in a printing device; a stack produced by combining printed and unprinted film pieces, security threads, security patches and other film pieces, intended for feeding into a laminating device; a laminate produced by a lamination process; a laminate trimmed by an edge trimming process; a hologram film; a hologram film produced in a hologram-generating device, exposed with a hologram and fixed; a laminate provided with the hologram;A laminate piece bearing a hologram and trimmed to a desired format using a format trimming device; a laminate piece provided with a flap, wherein this laminate piece is intended for binding into a book-shaped valuable or security document; and a laminate piece bearing laser-engraved reproductions of data; an electronic component, such as an RFID circuit.

[0024] According to the production method according to the invention, in process step (i), the preliminary material pieces, i.e., corresponding pre-products of the individual valuable or security documents, are first provided, for example, pieces of film to be laminated, including an inlay film piece, pieces of film to be laser-engraved, and optionally a piece of film carrying an RFID circuit, a security thread, a security patch, and the like. Preferably, five to nine pieces of film are assembled. To produce the documents, the individual processing steps of the respective individual processing scheme for the production of the individual valuable and security documents are carried out.

[0025] To execute one of several processing steps, the following process steps are then carried out: According to process step (ii), a plant module for executing the next processing step is determined based on the respective individual processing scheme. If several parallel plant modules are available for executing a specific processing step, one is selected, or specific criteria are used to determine which plant module should be used. Criteria for selecting the plant module can include, for example, the frequency of use to achieve even wear and tear, or a schedule based on a pre-planned plan to minimize production time.

[0026] In the following process step (iii), the transport device is controlled by means of the plant control unit, so that one or more pieces of raw material are transported to the plant module designed to carry out the next processing step.

[0027] According to process step (iv), the one or more pieces of pre-material are then fed into the selected system module. According to process step (v), the one or more pieces of pre-material are subsequently processed in the selected system module. For this purpose, at least one property of the one or more pieces of pre-material is changed. For example, the one or more pieces of pre-material are a piece of polymer film that is printed with individualizing, in particular personalized, data using a printing device, or the one or more pieces of pre-material are a piece of polymer laminate coated with a hologram film that is cut to the desired format using a format cutting device (format cutting).

[0028] According to process step (vi), the transport device is then controlled by the plant control unit to remove the one or more processed raw material pieces from the selected plant module. In the subsequent process step (vii), the one or more processed raw material pieces are removed from the selected plant module. It may be possible to combine the removal of the one or more processed raw material pieces from the selected plant module with the feeding to the next plant module specified in the individual processing scheme (see process steps (ii) to (iii)).

[0029] To carry out further processing steps on the one or more processed pre-material pieces, the aforementioned process steps (ii) to (vii) are then carried out again.

[0030] The present invention also solves the problem that several different product variants of a security or valuation document can only be produced with conventional production equipment after a changeover, resulting in significant time delays and thus long production times. This is because, typically, different document variants are produced batch by batch in the same production plant, whereby the plant is reconfigured after the production of a batch of one document variant to be set up for the production of a second document variant. By providing several plant modules, each configured to perform one of several different processing step variants, the individual raw material pieces can be fed as intended to the corresponding plant modules configured for the respective processing step variant.For example, several types of laminating sheets (e.g., in different formats and / or with different embossing structures) can be kept in one laminating module, or a separate system module can be provided for each type of laminating sheet.

[0031] According to the invention, the transport device comprises one or more transport units, each transport unit being assigned several of the plant modules, and each transport unit being designed to supply raw material pieces to the respective assigned plant modules in any sequence and to remove raw material pieces from the respective assigned plant modules in any sequence. In this way, the transport device can be flexibly designed and adapted to the respective requirements. For example, it can be provided that a first transport unit can only access certain plant modules, while a second transport unit can access other plant modules. Together, the transport units can access all plant modules.

[0032] Depending on the type of raw material to be transported or the system module intended for the current processing step, for which a raw material is intended to be transported, it may be necessary to transport the raw material in a specific manner. According to the invention, therefore, the one or more transport units each have a transport element, wherein the transport element comprises at least one gripping and / or holding unit. This gripping and / or holding unit is then designed to suit the raw material to be transported and / or the subsequent processing step.

[0033] If the top and / or bottom of a workpiece remain uncovered during gripping or holding, they can be processed in a system module despite the presence of the gripping and / or holding device. Therefore, according to the invention, at least one of the gripping and / or holding devices is designed to position and / or orient a workpiece before, during, and / or after a processing step in one of the system modules. This offers the advantage that the transport element with the gripping and / or holding devices can be used to position and / or orient the workpiece during the processing step. Both one-time positioning and / or orientation measures, which are then static during the processing step, are possible.Furthermore, dynamic positioning and / or orientation measures are also possible, for example, if the orientation of the raw material is changed gradually or continuously during a processing step. By being able to position and / or orient the raw material via the transport element, a corresponding positioning and / or orientation unit in a plant module can be omitted. This saves costs. Of course, it is possible that such positioning and / or orientation is only carried out in some, but not all, plant modules.

[0034] The plant control unit consists of an electronic processing unit and preferably includes a data storage unit. It is preferably a conventional process computer. The plant control unit can be a programmable logic controller (PLC).

[0035] The plant control unit controls the transport system (and optionally the plant modules) in the production plant according to the invention and is designed for data transmission to the transport system (and the plant modules) and data acquisition from the transport system (and the plant modules). The plant control unit can be formed by a central processing unit that communicates directly with the transport system (and the plant modules), as in a conventional production control system.

[0036] Communication lines are used to transmit data and control commands from the plant control unit to the plant modules and the transport system, and from these back to the plant control unit. In particular, a LAN, for example based on a fiber optic network, can be used for this purpose. A wireless network (WLAN) can also be installed instead of a LAN. Furthermore, the use of established industrial communication standards, such as Modbus or Profibus, is also possible.

[0037] The system modules are preferably the following production modules, which are designed in a conventional manner: At least one of the system modules can be formed by a printing device or by a positioning device for gathering pre-material pieces or by a laminating device or an edge trimming device or a device for determining the quality of the pre-material pieces produced during laminating and edge trimming in the form of laminate pieces or by a hologram generation device or by a hologram application device or by a format trimming device or by a device for attaching a tab to the pre-material pieces or by a laser engraving device or by a device for quality control of the finished valuable or security document.These processing steps enable the production of a document card, such as an identity card or an identification card intended for binding into a book-shaped document, such as a passport. Additional system modules may include a hologram exposure and / or hologram development unit, a perforation unit, a die-cutting unit, an ultrasonic embossing unit, or a drilling unit.

[0038] In this embodiment, the plant control unit can also be formed by a hierarchical system in which a higher-level processing unit is assigned a lower-level processing unit, which in turn communicates with its assigned transport unit. For this purpose, the lower-level processing unit controls the transport unit, transmits data to it, and receives data from it. The higher-level processing unit controls the lower-level processing unit and is configured to transmit data to it and receive data from it. In principle, any number of hierarchy levels are possible.

[0039] In a further embodiment, it is also provided that the one transport unit or one of the several transport units is designed in such a way as to be able to supply raw material pieces to all plant modules in any sequence and to be able to remove raw material pieces from all plant modules in any sequence.

[0040] In a further embodiment, at least some of the system modules assigned to one of the several transport units are identical to those assigned to another of the several transport units. This has the advantage that system modules can be supplied by multiple transport units. This increases the throughput in the production of individual valuables and security documents.

[0041] The transport element is generally designed to exchange a piece of raw material with the system module via a suitably designed interface. Such an interface includes, for example, devices for receiving or transferring the piece of raw material. Additional holding units may also be incorporated within the system module.

[0042] It may also be provided that at least one of the plant modules has an input and / or output magazine, so that raw material pieces can be temporarily stored in the at least one plant module before and / or after the execution of a processing step.

[0043] If a subsequent processing step involves transporting a different piece of raw material or a processed piece of raw material with altered physical properties, the gripping and / or holding unit may be unsuitable for receiving the corresponding piece of raw material. Therefore, in an advantageous embodiment, the transport element comprises at least one additional gripping and / or holding unit, which is designed differently from the existing gripping and / or holding unit. This has the advantage that more than one gripping and / or holding unit is available on the transport element. The additional gripping and / or holding unit increases flexibility.

[0044] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the at least one gripping and / or holding unit and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit comprise interchangeable gripping and / or holding means. The system control unit is configured to select a suitable gripping and / or holding means for the workpiece to be processed in a machining step and to equip the at least one gripping and / or holding unit and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit with the selected gripping and / or holding means. This further increases the flexibility of the transport element or transport unit. Depending on the workpiece, one of the gripping and / or holding units can be flexibly equipped with a corresponding gripping and / or holding means, ensuring that the appropriate gripping and / or holding means for the workpiece to be transported is always used.The gripping and / or holding devices can, for example, be stored in a magazine. The magazine can be positioned on the transport unit or the transport element itself, or outside of the transport unit, for example at a location adjacent to the system modules.

[0045] The process further provides that process step (iii) includes the selection of a gripping and / or holding device suitable for the workpiece to be processed and the corresponding fitting of the gripping and / or holding unit with the selected gripping and / or holding device.

[0046] Various gripping and holding devices can be used. For example, in the production of valuable and security documents, the raw material pieces are often very thin films. Therefore, in an advantageous embodiment, at least one of the gripping and / or holding devices comprises a suction cup or a plurality of suction cups. A thin film can be securely fixed and transported using such a suction cup or such a plurality of suction cups. The size of the suction cups depends on the thickness and properties of the film to be transported. Of course, other raw material pieces can also be held and transported using suction cups. The suction cups can, in particular, also be designed using hydraulic suction devices or vacuum-generating devices.

[0047] For example, if thicker pieces of raw material need to be transported, a lateral engagement of the gripping and / or holding means on the raw material is advantageous. In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one of the gripping and / or holding means is therefore designed as a laterally engaging slide, so that a piece of raw material inserted into or placed on the slide can be processed from a top and / or a bottom.

[0048] In one embodiment, the processing step is a laser processing step and includes the creation of a CLI / MLI and / or a laser perforation and / or a laser marking. During the laser processing, the pre-material piece can then be statically and / or dynamically positioned and / or oriented by the transport element.

[0049] In one embodiment, the system modules are arranged adjacent to one another, largely in the form of a two-dimensional array. This allows the transport system, or the one or more transport units, to access and engage with all system modules to supply and remove raw material. Furthermore, this embodiment allows for flexible expansion of the system or processing scheme. Additional system modules can be added almost at will, for example, by extending the system on one of its lateral sides. The one or more transport units can also be mounted on a laterally extending rail, enabling them to move along the newly added system modules and allowing for virtually unlimited system expansion.The respective transport elements can then engage with the plant modules using the gripping and / or holding devices.

[0050] In a further advantageous embodiment, the system modules are arranged adjacent to one another in a three-dimensional configuration around the transport device. In this arrangement, the transport device can operate particularly efficiently because the transport paths between the system modules are minimized. One or more transport units of the transport device then only need to rotate about an axis, for example, without any lateral movement, in order to engage or connect to the individual system modules with the respective transport element. This reduces transport time and makes the system more compact. Expanding the system by adding further system modules is still possible, as additional modules can be added vertically as long as they remain within reach of the respective transport element.

[0051] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the system modules are arranged adjacent to one another in the form of a partially or fully circumferential hollow cylinder, with the transport device located inside the hollow cylinder. In this embodiment, the transport path between the system modules is particularly short, and the system is particularly compact.

[0052] In an advantageous embodiment, one or more transport units of the transport system are designed as multi-axis robots and / or articulated robots. This has the advantage that such a multi-axis robot and / or articulated robot is particularly compact, and transport paths between the system modules can be designed to be especially ergonomic. Furthermore, this allows for an extremely compact system design and also makes it possible to flexibly adapt the system to local conditions and / or an existing production line, since a multi-axis and / or articulated robot, due to its flexible and space-saving transport path, can also perform difficult gripping and / or holding maneuvers, such as "reaching around corners."

[0053] In a further embodiment, the gripping and / or holding unit comprises pincer-like gripping and / or holding means. Preferably, the gripping and / or holding means are designed to deform a valuable or security document held by means of the pincer-like gripping and / or holding means, in particular to bend it into a bent state.

[0054] The system and its processes make it possible to perform virtually any combination of processing steps. According to the respective individual processing scheme, a piece of raw material is fed sequentially to the corresponding system modules. Different, i.e., individual, sequences of processing steps can then be implemented for different valuable and / or security documents, according to the respective individual processing scheme. The system control can, for example, maintain a list of the valuable or security documents to be produced, with the list assigning an individual processing scheme to each document, which is then followed during production.During production, the corresponding raw material pieces for each individual security or valuation document pass through the plant modules specified in the respective individual processing scheme. Several individual security or valuation documents can be produced either sequentially or in parallel.

[0055] It is also possible that an individual processing scheme is the same for a group of valuable or security documents. For example, an individual processing scheme may be provided for one group of passports; a different individual processing scheme may be provided for another group of passports. Within the groups themselves, however, the respective individual processing schemes for the individual passports are then the same.

[0056] Furthermore, the individual processing scheme may include at least one optional processing step that is only to be performed for a specific group of valuable or security documents. This could be, for example, the application or insertion of an RFID chip, a hologram, or an embossing.

[0057] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the system is designed to detect the identity and / or quality of a workpiece being processed. Depending on the identity and / or quality of the workpiece, a processing step in one of the system modules can then be individually configured, for example, by the system control unit controlling the system modules accordingly. The system control unit can also detect and evaluate the operating status of the system or individual system modules. The system can then be flexibly controlled depending on the system status. For example, it can be recognized that a system module is currently performing a processing step and is therefore not available for processing another workpiece.If another plant module is available that can perform the same processing step, it can be used flexibly by feeding the raw material to be processed into this plant module.

[0058] One advantage of the invention is that it significantly simplifies system maintenance. Production does not need to be shut down during maintenance or repair of a defective system module. If several identical system modules are available for a processing step, the defective module can be removed from production planning, serviced or repaired by a technician, and then reconnected. Conversely, if only a single system module is available for a processing step, a technician can integrate an identical module into the system, include this newly integrated module in the production planning, and remove the defective module from the planning. After the maintenance or repair, the defective module can then be reconnected to the production schedule.During repairs, the serviced or repaired system module is reconnected, while the additional integrated system module is removed and dismantled. This prevents or minimizes any disruption to the production process caused by maintenance or repairs.

[0059] Preferably, individual plant modules are available in at least two functional versions, so that the corresponding processing step is redundant.

[0060] In one embodiment, it is particularly provided that the transport element of one or more transport units with the gripping and / or holding means transports only one piece of pre-material at a time. A pre-material piece can also be designed as a multi-purpose unit.

[0061] Preferably, the transport system is designed such that the time required to transport a piece of raw material from one system module to another is shorter than the time required to complete a preceding or subsequent processing step within that system module. This ensures that system modules can always be fully utilized and that waiting times for the supply or removal of one or more pieces of raw material to or from a system module are kept to a minimum. In this way, it becomes possible to de-cycle the production of valuable or security documents, since the supply and removal of materials is not tied to a production cycle. This is a significant advantage of the invention compared to production methods where, for example, the transport of raw material pieces is carried out using a conveyor belt.

[0062] Preferably, the relevant processing step is carried out simultaneously or overlapping in all system modules, so that the system as a whole is optimized for high throughput. It is also possible for several valuable or security documents to be produced simultaneously.

[0063] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments and the figures. These show: Fig. 1a a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system for producing valuable and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a two-dimensional array and a transport unit; Fig. 1b a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system for producing valuable and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a two-dimensional array and several transport units; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system for producing valuable and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a partially circulating hollow cylinder; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system for producing valuable and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a fully circulating hollow cylinder; Fig.Fig. 4a A schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit with several gripping and / or holding means holding a valuable or security document held by large suction cups; Fig. 4b A schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit with several gripping and / or holding means holding the valuable or security document held by small suction cups; Fig. 4c A schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit with several gripping and / or holding means holding the valuable or security document held and bent by pliers; Fig. 5a A schematic top view of a gripping and / or holding unit with a holding and / or gripping means designed as a slide; Fig. 5b A schematic side view of the gripping and / or holding unit with the holding and / or gripping means designed as a slide; Fig. 6 A schematic flowchart of the process for producing valuable and security documents.

[0064] Fig. 1a Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system 1 for producing valuable and security documents, with the system modules 2 arranged in a two-dimensional array 3. In addition to the system modules 2, the system 1 comprises a transport device 40 with a transport unit 4 and a system control unit 5. The transport unit 4 is designed as a multi-axis or articulated robot 6. The transport unit 4 includes a transport element 7, which can engage with or into any of the system modules 2. The transport element 7 has a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with gripping and / or holding means 8, which allow a piece of raw material to be transported to be gripped and / or held and detachably fixed to the gripping and / or holding unit 15 during transport between the system modules 2.

[0065] The system control unit 5 is designed to control the transport device 40 and the transport unit 4 in such a way that, according to an individual processing scheme for the production of an individual security or safety document, they feed the individual pieces of raw material to the individual system modules 2 before a processing step and remove them again after completion of the processing step. If, for example, an individual processing scheme stipulates that system modules 2 "A", "B", and "G" are to be accessed sequentially, a piece of raw material is first fed by the transport unit 4 to system module 2 "A" by the system control unit 5 selecting the gripping and / or holding device 8 according to the piece of raw material to be transported and equipping the transport element 7 with the corresponding gripping and / or holding device 8.A magazine 9 containing gripping and / or holding elements 8 can, for example, be arranged next to the system modules 2. In principle, however, the magazine 9 can also be positioned on the transport unit 4 itself, for example, near the transport element 7, so that the corresponding holding and / or gripping element 8 on the gripping and / or holding unit 15 can be exchanged without moving the transport unit 4 itself. The raw material is processed in system module 2 "A". After completion of the processing step in system module 2 "A", the processed raw material is conveyed away by the transport unit 4. The transport element 7 engages in system module 2 "A" and releasably fixes the processed raw material using the gripping and / or holding elements 8. The processed raw material is then fed to system module 2 "B". In system module 2 "B", the raw material is processed and then transported analogously to system module 2 "G".

[0066] If several pieces of pre-material are required to perform a processing step, for example, if multiple substrate layers of a valuable or security document are to be laminated, the transport step described here is repeated for each necessary piece of pre-material, i.e., for each of the required substrate layers. It may be necessary to use different gripping and / or holding devices 8 for individual pieces of pre-material, for example, if an RFID chip is to be inserted in addition to the substrate layers or a hologram patch is to be applied to a top side of the valuable or security document.

[0067] The transport element 7 can also have at least one additional gripping and / or holding unit, which includes further gripping and / or holding means. In this way, the gripping and / or holding means 8 do not need to be exchanged for specific raw material pieces or specific processing steps and system modules 2. For example, the gripping and / or holding means 8 of the gripping and / or holding unit 15 can be designed as suction cups, whereas the additional gripping and / or holding means of the further gripping and / or holding unit are designed as laterally engaging slides. Exchange is then unnecessary, since the gripping and / or holding means 8 and the additional gripping and / or holding means are directly available on the transport element 7. This reduces transport time.

[0068] It is also possible for pre-material pieces to enter the respective system module 2 in other ways. This is possible, for example, if the system modules 2 can be filled with pre-material pieces in another way, such as by manual filling through a rear opening. In this way, pre-material pieces required for a processing step in one of the system modules 2 can be stored and magazined within the system module 2 itself. Such pre-material pieces could, for example, be patches of non-individualized hologram threads or microchips, etc.

[0069] One advantage of arranging the plant modules 2 as a two-dimensional array 3 is that the plant 1 can be flexibly expanded. For example, additional plant modules 10 are arranged on one side of the plant 1 and logically integrated into the plant so that they can be accessed by the transport unit 4 or the transport element 7. If the original reach of the transport unit 4 or the transport element 7 is insufficient, a rail system 11 can also be used in this embodiment to move the transport unit 4 and increase its reach.

[0070] Furthermore, it may be provided that the transport device 40 includes a further transport unit 4a in addition to the transport unit 4 (see Fig. 1bEach transport unit 4, 4a can be assigned specific plant modules 2. The assigned plant modules 2 can be identical, so that the respective transport element 7, 7a of each of the multiple transport units 4, 4a can engage with all plant modules 2. However, it is also possible that the assigned plant modules 2 are only partially identical, so that an overlap area exists into which at least two of the multiple transport units 4, 4a can engage by means of their transport element 7, 7a.

[0071] In addition, further transport units 4n can be provided, which means that the plant 2 can, in principle, be expanded indefinitely.

[0072] Fig. 2Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system 1 for producing individual valuables and security documents, featuring a three-dimensional arrangement 12 of the system modules 2 in the form of a partially rotating hollow cylinder 13. This arrangement allows for an extremely compact design of the system 1. Inside the hollow cylinder 13 is a transport device 40 with a rotatable transport unit 4, which here is designed as a multi-axis or articulated robot arm 6. The transport element 7, or the gripping and / or holding means 8 attached to a gripping and / or holding unit 15, can then engage with or into all system modules 2 arranged on the hollow cylinder 13. In this way, flexible transport and flexible feeding and removal of raw material pieces to or from the individual system modules 2 is possible.

[0073] It is also possible to expand the system 1 in this arrangement, for example by arranging further system modules 10 vertically above the system 10.

[0074] Fig. 3 Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system 1 for producing individual value and security documents with a three-dimensional arrangement 12 of the system modules 2 in the form of a fully circumferential hollow cylinder 14. The embodiment is largely analogous to that shown in the Fig. 2 In the embodiment shown, however, a greater number of system modules 2 can be arranged on the fully rotating hollow cylinder 14. The transport device 40 with the transport unit 4, which here is also designed as a rotatable multi-axis or articulated arm robot 6, is located inside the fully rotating hollow cylinder 14.

[0075] The Figures 4a to 4cFigure 1 shows a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with three different types of gripping and / or holding elements 8. The gripping and / or holding elements 8 comprise large suction cups 17, small suction cups 18, and a pair of tongs 19. The type of suction cup to be used is selected, for example, depending on the material thickness of a pre-material piece. The gripping and / or holding unit 15 has a joint 18 in the middle, at which the gripping and / or holding unit 15 is attached to the transport element. Depending on the desired gripping and / or holding element 8, the gripping and / or holding unit 15 is moved into a different position and orientation, for example, by rotation around the joint 18.

[0076] Fig. 4aFigure 1 shows a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, in which a piece of pre-material 16 is held by the large suction cups 17. Upon contact with the pre-material 16, the large suction cups 17 create a vacuum and fix the pre-material 16 in place, allowing it to be transported by the transport unit. If necessary, the vacuum can be reduced, releasing the connection between the pre-material 16 and the large suction cups 17. The tongs 19, which are also present as gripping and / or holding means 8, are moved into a holding position when the large suction cups 17 are used, with the tongs 19's fingers pointing upwards.

[0077] Fig. 4bFigure 1 shows a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, in which the workpiece 16 is held by the small suction cups 18. The number of small suction cups 18 is greater than the number of large suction cups 17. Upon contact with the workpiece 16, the small suction cups 18 create a vacuum and fix the workpiece 16 in place, allowing it to be transported by the transport unit. If necessary, the vacuum can be reduced, releasing the connection between the workpiece 16 and the small suction cups 18. When the small suction cups 18 are used, the gripping and / or holding tool 8 19 is moved into the opposite holding position, with the gripping fingers of the tool 19 pointing downwards.

[0078] Fig. 4cFigure 1 shows a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, in which a piece of pre-material 16 is held by the gripper 19. For this purpose, the gripping and / or holding unit 15 is angled at the joint 18 and the gripper 19 is brought into a corresponding position. This exerts lateral pressure 20 on the narrow sides of the pre-material 16, causing the pre-material 16 to bulge upwards. To specify a direction of bulging, further mechanical or hydraulic devices can be provided (not shown), or the small suction cups 18 can be activated at the beginning of the gripping movement, so that the direction of bulging can be specified or initiated.

[0079] The Figures 5a and 5b show a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with a holding and / or gripping means 8 designed as a slide 21. Fig. 5aFigure 21 shows a top view of the slide 21, indicating a piece of pre-material 16 inserted into the slide 21. The slide 21 consists of two interconnected slide arms 22, which are connected centrally to the transport element 7.

[0080] In Fig. 5bFigure 1 shows a side view of the short side 23 of the slide 21. The slide arms 22 each have a groove 25 on their inner sides 24. The workpiece 16 can be inserted into and removed from the slide 21 via the short side 23, so that the workpiece 16 engages in the grooves 25 and is held vertically by them. The advantage of the gripping and / or holding element 8 designed in this way is that a workpiece 16 inserted into the slide 21 can be machined from a top 26 and a bottom 27. Further fastening elements 28, such as suction openings, can be provided in the grooves 25 of the slide 21, which releasably fix the inserted workpiece 16 by means of a vacuum.

[0081] The carriage 21 can additionally include suction cups 29 on an upper surface 31 of the carriage arms 22. These suction cups 29 make it possible, for example, to detachably fix a valuable or security document 30 to the upper surface 31, so that the valuable or security document 30 can be transported.

[0082] Fig. 6Figure 1 shows a schematic flowchart of the process for producing customized valuables and security documents. After starting the process (100), the first step (101) involves providing the raw materials. This provision can also include loading individual system modules with the raw materials. For example, magazines designated for the raw materials can be filled manually or automatically. In the next step (102), the individual processing scheme determines which processing steps are to be carried out. This allows different documents with different sequences of processing steps to be produced in the individual system modules. Furthermore, the system module for executing the next processing step is selected. Once the processing scheme to be carried out has been selected, the transport device is controlled accordingly in the next step (103).Depending on the material to be transported, the system control unit selects a suitable gripping and / or holding device in the next process step 104. A transport element of a transport unit of the transport system is then equipped with the selected gripping and / or holding device at its gripping and / or holding unit 105. In the next process step 106, the material is fed to the system module designated for the next individual processing step. If several materials are to be processed, they are fed to the system module according to their respective positions. In the system module, the one or more materials are positioned and / or oriented by the transport element or by the gripping and / or holding device 107. Subsequently 108, the corresponding processing step is carried out in the system module.During the processing step, it is also possible that the transport element or the gripping and / or holding devices change the position and / or orientation of one or more pieces of the raw material, so that the transport unit can be part of the processing step. In the last process step 109, the one or more pieces of raw material are removed from the system module. After completion of the processing step, process steps 101 to 109 are repeated to execute further processing steps of the individual processing scheme for the current and subsequent valuable and security documents. Once all valuable and security documents have been produced according to their individual processing scheme, the process is terminated 110. Reference symbol list

[0083] 1 System 2 System module 3 Two-dimensional array 4 Transport unit 4a Additional transport unit 4n Additional transport unit 5 System control unit 6 Multi-axis or articulated robot 6a Multi-axis or articulated robot 7 Transport element 7a Transport element 8 Gripping and / or holding device 8a Gripping and / or holding device 9 Magazine 10 Additional system modules 11 Rail system 12 Three-dimensional arrangement 13 Partially rotating hollow cylinder 14 Fully rotating hollow cylinder 15 Gripping and / or holding unit 15a Additional gripping and / or holding unit 16 Raw material piece 17 Large suction cups 18 Small suction cups 19 Pliers 20 Lateral pressure 21 Slide 22 Slide arm 23 Short side 24 Inside 25 Groove 26 Top 27 Bottom 28 Additional fastening devices 29 Suction cup 30 Valuables or security document 31 Top side 40 Transport equipment 100-110 Procedure steps

Claims

1. System (1) for producing individual value and security security documents from pieces of primary material (16) in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme, formed by: (a) system modules (2) designed to carry out the at least two processing steps system modules (2); (b) a transport device (40) connecting the system modules (2); (c) a system control unit (5) designed to control the transport device (40); wherein the system modules (2) are arranged in relation to the transport device (40) and the transport device (40) is designed in such a way that the transport device (40) can feed pieces of starting material (16) to all system modules (2) in any order and can remove pieces of starting material (16) from all system modules (2) in any order, wherein the transport device (40) can be controlled by the system control unit (5) so that the pieces of primary material (16) can be fed to a system module (2) intended for carrying out a processing step, wherein the transport device (40) comprises one or more transport units (4), wherein each transport unit (4) is assigned a plurality of the system modules (2), and wherein each transport unit (4) is designed in such a way that pieces of primary material (16) can be fed to the respectively assigned system modules (2) in any order and pieces of primary material (16) can be removed from the respectively assigned system modules (2) in any order, characterized in that the one or more transport units (4) each have a transport element (7), the transport element (7) comprising at least one gripping and / or holding unit (15), and in that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means (8) is designed to position and / or orient a piece of primary material (16) in one of the system modules (2) before and / or during and / or after the execution of a processing step.

2. System (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the one transport unit (4) or one of the plurality of transport units (4) is designed in such a way to be able to feed pieces of primary material (16) to all system modules (2) in any order and to be able to discharge pieces of primary material (16) from all system modules (2) in any order.

3. System (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least some of the system modules (2) assigned to one of the plurality of transport units (4) and those assigned to another of the plurality of transport units (4) are identical.

4. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport element (4) comprises at least one further gripping and / or holding unit, the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit being designed differently from the at least one gripping and / or holding unit (15).

5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one gripping and / or holding unit (15) and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit comprise interchangeable gripping and / or holding means (8), wherein the system control unit (5) is designed such that it selects a gripping and / or holding means (8) suitable for the piece of primary material (16) to be processed in a processing step and equips the at least one gripping and / or holding unit (15) and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit with the respectively selected gripping and / or holding means (8).

6. System (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means (8) comprises a suction cup (17, 18) or a plurality of suction cups (17, 18).

7. System (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means (8) is designed as a laterally engaging slide (21), so that a piece of primary material (16) pushed into or placed on the slide (21) can be processed from an upper side (26) and / or an underside (27).

8. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the system modules (2) are arranged adjacent to one another in the form of a three-dimensional arrangement (12) around the transport device (40).

9. Method for producing individual value and security documents from pieces of primary material (16) in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme with system modules (2) designed to carry out the at least two processing steps and a transport device (40) connecting the system modules (2), wherein the transport device (40) can feed pieces of primary material (16) to all of the system modules (2) in any order and can discharge pieces of primary material (16) from all of the system modules (2) in any order, comprising the following process steps: (i) providing the pieces of primary material (16) intended for producing the individual value or security documents; (ii) Determining a system module (2) for executing the next processing step on the basis of the respective individual processing scheme; (iii) controlling the transport device (40) by means of a system control unit (5) designed to control the transport device (40) in order to feed one or more pieces of primary material (16) to the system module (2) designed to carry out the next processing step; (iv) feeding the one or more pieces of starting material (16) to the selected system module (2); (v) executing the processing step in the selected system module (2) by changing at least one property of the one or more pieces of starting material (16); (vi) controlling the transport device (40) by means of the system control unit (5) for removing the one or more processed pieces of starting material (16) from the selected system module (2); (vii) removing the one or more processed pre-material pieces (16) from the selected system module (2); (viii) carrying out further processing steps of the individual processing scheme by repeating the above process steps (ii) to (vii), characterized in in that method step (v) comprises positioning and / or orienting a piece of starting material (16) by gripping and / or holding means (8) of a gripping and / or holding unit (15) of a transport element (7) of at least one transport unit (4) of the transport device (40) before and / or during and / or after execution of the processing step.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that method step (iii) comprises a selection of a gripping and / or holding means (8) suitable for the piece of primary material (16) to be processed and a corresponding equipping of the gripping and / or holding unit (15) with the selected gripping and / or holding means (8).

11. Method for producing an assembly of different individual value and security documents according to individual processing schemes by carrying out the method according to one of claims 9 or 10.