Patent ID: 11860543
Assignee: ESKO-GRAPHICS IMAGING GMBH
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 26:
27. A method of processing a printing plate in a plurality of workstations in a process workflow, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a plate handling system for transporting the printing plate from one workstation to another in the process workflow, the plate handling system comprising a computer controlled transporter configured to translate in at least three orthogonal directions and to rotate about at least one rotational axis, end effectors for gripping the printing plates connected to the transporter, at least one sensor for detecting orientation of the plate relative to at least one staging location in the process workflow; and a process controller, the process controller connected to the transporter, to the at least one sensor, and to a computer processor;
(b) sensing, with the at least one sensor, location and orientation of a plate to be transported; and
(c) using the transporter, lifting the plate in a Z direction relative to an XY plane and one or more of: moving the plate in an X direction, moving the plate in a Y direction, and rotating the plate relative to a Z-axis;
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a contrast sensor configured to detect a difference in reflection characteristics of an object at a given wavelength or range of wavelengths, the at least one staging location comprises a planar surface having at least portions thereof having reflection characteristics that differ from the reflection characteristics of the printing plate to a degree detectable by the contrast sensor, and the method comprises the sensor detecting an edge of the plate relative to the planar surface of the staging location.