WO2018033555A1 - System and method for producing individual value and security documents from starting material pieces - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for producing individual value and security documents from starting material pieces (16) in at least two machining steps of a respective individual machining plan, said system being made of the following: (a) system modules (2) which are designed to carry out the at least two machining steps; (b) a transport device (40) which connects the system modules (2); and (c) a system control unit (5) which is designed to control the transport device (40); wherein the system modules (2) are arranged relative to the transport device (40) and the transport device (40) is designed such that the transport device (40) can supply starting material pieces (16) to all of the system modules (2) in any sequence and can discharge starting material pieces (16) from all of the system modules (2) in any sequence. The transport device (40) can be controlled using the system control unit (5) such that the starting material pieces (16) can be supplied to a system module (2) provided for carrying out a machining step. The invention additionally relates to a corresponding method.

Description

 Plant and method for producing individual value and

Security documents from pre-materials

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a plant and a method for producing individual value and security documents from Vormaterialstücken. The security documents produced may, for example, identity cards or others

Identification cards (ID cards) or as individualizing cards in one

book-shaped identification document, for example, a passport book, such as a

Passport, be involved. Furthermore, value documents can be, for example, credit cards or debit cards.

Background of the invention

Identification documents, in particular identity documents, such as identity cards, serve to verify the identity of a person. Identity documents are issued by public authorities in the exercise of their sovereign obligations, for example to allow the document holder to cross the border to another state or to identify himself to an official or other person. Such a document of identification is the German one

Identity card currently issued in the form of an ID-1 ID card in accordance with ISO / IEC 7810 in the version valid on the priority date of the present application.

The ID card identifies the owner of the document

(personalizing) data such as name, date and place of birth, nationality, a face image and the digitally recorded and typed signature of the document holder, a serial number identifying the document, the date of issue of the document and the issuing authority and type of the document document. Furthermore, it shows the current place of residence as well as further biometric data of the owner (size, eye color). Furthermore, the ID card is provided with various security features that allow a third party to verify the authenticity of the document, for example by means of a guilloche print, the owner's facial image and the machine-readable zone of the document Personal and other data reproducing hologram and a kinegraphic object that shows, for example, the federal coat of arms.

The ID card can also be integrated as part of a book-shaped security document, for example, in a passport book. Passport books have, in addition to the person identifying data on the document card, the format of the German passport ID-3 according to ISO / IEC 7810 in the am

Priority date of the present application is valid, other books on which pages so-called visas (visas) of the States can be attached, in which the person enters. The document card, the passbook sheets and a cover are connected together in a stapling process.

The document card, for example identity card, may typically be in the form of a plastic laminate with a laminated piece of film containing the required

Information contains, for example, from a polymer material to be formed. For the production of passbooks, the document card is provided with a so-called pass tab, which protrudes laterally beyond the intended format of the document card and is stapled together with the passbook sheets. This goes out

DE 10 2008 031 654 A1 shows that such document cards, which are produced exclusively from polycarbonate layers, are not suitable for incorporating them in a passport book. Therefore, it is common to produce document cards having a card body incorporating at least one layer made of another plastic material suitable for incorporation into a passport book and allowing a flawless turning of the document card in the passport book. This plastic layer is incorporated so that it forms the tab with which the

Document card is included in the passport book.

The invention is based on objects

The above-described identification documents (security documents) are conventionally produced in production plants based on so-called

Isolated solutions are based, ie the individual production steps are carried out in only loosely linked system parts. This required starting materials and resulting intermediates are stored up and down and transported by hand crate by crate from one system station to the next, ie the documents are produced batchwise. This procedure is disadvantageous, for example because the area required for the system is high and the systems are stationary. In addition, these facilities are inflexible in terms of the ability to produce different types of documents, since only one type of document can be produced in a batch, so that the throughput time for the identification documents is long. Another problem is that the individual process steps have different capacities for this purpose

take up planned parts of the plant. This problem can be aggravated by the fact that individual plant modules can fail, so that the

Production of documents must be interrupted and the lead time of the batch is extended again. The same applies in the event that individual documents produced incorrectly and therefore need to be re-manufactured.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a

To create a production plant that has a small footprint and is also very flexible to use, so that value and security documents of different types can be produced. In the production plant, a designated

Production process be executable.

Furthermore, it has been found that the production of value and

Security documents in particular requires a considerable period of time, if they are produced at a central manufacturing plant. Different types of documents have to be produced simultaneously in this case. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing the value and security documents and a method of producing the same, with which a rapid production of different types of value and security documents is possible.

In addition, the production of value and security documents should be inexpensive and with the lowest possible rejects and in compliance with the required

Occupational safety and health measures, in particular towards less intensively trained ones

Operating personnel operating in a decentralized manufacturing facility.

The technical object is achieved by a system with the features of claim 1, a method having the features of claim 12, as well as a Method solved with the features of claim 15. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

definitions:

As far as the term 'plant module' is used below, it is to be understood as a physical production unit which makes changes in properties of the pieces of primary material supplied to it. This can be the physical

Production unit one or more Vormaterialstücke be fed and removed. The term system module should in particular also include magazine modules, which pre-material, pre-intermediate and / or can store.

As far as the terms "individualized" and "individualizing" are used below, this is to be understood as a property of a value or security document, for example a credit card or passport, according to which the document is assigned to a specific subject (person, animal, Subject) is attributable. This property results from given security features of the value or security documents. As far as the following is the terms .personalisiert 'and

"personalizing" is understood to mean the property of a security or value document, according to which the document can be assigned to a person.

As far as the term "value and security document" or "value" or

Security document 'is used, it is preferably a document in the form of a flat, particularly preferably rectangular, carrier for display, preferably individualized to understand information. Under a value or security card is to understand both a rigid and flexible object, so both a no or little bendable or twistable object as well as an easily bendable object. 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 value or security document may include, for example

Identity card, driver's license, an access control card or other ID card, check, bank, credit or cash card, customer card, health card, chip card, company ID card, proof of eligibility, membership card, ticket,

Gift or shopping voucher or other card-shaped Proof of Entitlement. The security or security document may be made of a material suitable for the purpose of the present invention, for example, a plastic (polymer), paper, paperboard, glass or other materials or blends of these materials, and optionally filled with reinforcing materials. The security or security document is made by lamination of laminate layers, for example made of a material suitable for lamination. The security or security document may be formed from a polymer selected from a group comprising 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 derivatives thereof, polyamide (PA) and / or paper (cellulose) and / or cardboard and / or a glass and / or metal and / or a ceramic. In addition, the value or

Security document also be made of several of these materials,

in particular if the individual layers are formed of different materials. The value or security document preferably consists of PC or PC / TPU / PC. The polymers may 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 μηι.

Insofar as the term "processing scheme" is used below, this includes the ordered, logical and real sequence of individual processing steps, which are used for

Production of a value or security document in the plant modules must be understood.

Basic principles of the invention and preferred embodiments:

In particular, a plant for producing individual value and

Security documents created from material pieces in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme, formed by: (a) designed to execute the at least two processing steps trained plant modules; (b) a transport device connecting the plant modules; (c) a plant control unit configured to control the transport means; where the plant modules in With respect to the transport device are arranged and the transport device is designed such that the transport device can supply Vormaterialstücke all system modules in any order and can dissipate Vormaterialstücke of all plant modules in any order, the

Transport device with the plant control unit is controllable, so that the

Prematerial pieces can be supplied to a system module provided for executing a processing step.

Furthermore, a method for producing individual value and

Security documents from Vormaterialstücken provided in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme, with the

Execution of the at least two processing steps trained plant modules and a transport module connecting the plant modules, wherein the

Transporting device can supply all of the plant modules in any order in any order and can dissipate preliminary material pieces of all the modules in any order, comprising the following steps: (i) providing the intended for producing the individual value or security documents Vormaterialstücke; (ii) determining a plant module for executing the next processing step based on the respective individual processing scheme; (Iii) driving the transport means by means of a for controlling the

Transport device trained plant control unit for supplying one or more Vormaterialstücke to the designed to execute the next processing step to be executed plant module; (iv) feeding the one or more primary material pieces to the selected plant module; (v) executing the processing step in the selected plant module by altering at least one property of the one or more prematerial pieces; (vi) driving the transport device by means of the plant control unit to discharge the one or more processed material pieces from the selected plant module; (vii) discharging the one or more processed pieces of primary material from the selected plant module; and (viii) performing further processing steps of the individual processing scheme by repeating the above

Process steps (ii) to (vii). Further, a method for producing a collection of various individual value and security documents according to individual processing schemes by carrying out the aforementioned method is provided.

The core idea of the invention is to provide a plant and associated methods in which a transport device is capable of interconnecting all the processing steps necessary for producing individual value and security documents with regard to a material flow of material pieces. For this purpose, the transport device is designed to convey the Vormaterialstücke to all system modules of the system. In this way, the starting material pieces can be supplied to each of the system modules as well as removed from each of the system modules again. The advantage is that due to the flexible arrangement of the individual processing steps any production processes can be realized. It is thus possible without great effort and in a compact embodiment of the system to produce individually designed value and security documents.

The starting material pieces used in the method according to the invention, produced in the individual processing steps and then in subsequent

Processing steps are further processed in a typical

according to the invention, the following materials by way of example:

Polymeric film pieces intended to be printed with reproductions of individualizing data and subsequent lamination;

 Polymeric film pieces intended for lamination without being printed, as well as security threads, patches and other laminatable pieces of film;

 a polymer film piece printed in a printing device with reproductions of individualizing data;

 by collecting printed and unprinted film pieces,

Security threads, security patches and other foil pieces produced

Stack to be fed to a laminator;

 a laminate piece made by a laminating process;

 a piece of laminate cut by an edge trimming method;

a hologram film; a hologram film exposed to a hologram and fixed in a hologram producing apparatus;

 a piece of laminate provided with the hologram;

 a laminate piece provided with the hologram and cut to a desired size in a size trimming device;

 a tabbed piece of laminate, this piece of laminate being intended for incorporation into a book-shaped value or security document; such as

 a laminate piece provided with laser-engraved reproductions of data, an electronic component such as an RFID circuit.

According to the production method according to the invention, according to method step (i), first the pieces of starting material, i. corresponding intermediate products of the individual value or security documents provided, for example, pieces of film to be laminated, including an inlay piece of film, laser-engravable pieces of film and optionally a piece of film carrying an RFID circuit

Security thread, a security patch and the like. Preferably, five to nine pieces of film are collected. To produce the documents, the individual processing steps of the respective individual processing scheme for the production of the individual value and security documents are carried out.

To carry out a single one of several processing steps, the following process steps are then carried out: According to process step (ii), a

Plant module for performing the next processing step determined based on the respective individual processing scheme. If several parallel plant modules are available to perform a particular processing step, any one will be selected or determined based on specific criteria which of the plant modules is to be used. Criteria for selecting the plant module may be, for example, a frequency of use, in order to obtain a uniform wear and tear, or a disposition according to a pre-planning, for example, to minimize a production time.

In the following method step (iii), the transport device is controlled by means of the plant control unit, so that one or more pieces of preliminary material are added to the one for the Execution of the next processing step trained system module to be promoted.

In accordance with method step (iv), the one or more preliminary material pieces are then fed to the selected system module. According to process step (v), the one or more prematerial pieces are subsequently processed in the selected plant module. For this purpose, at least one property of the one or more Vormaterialstücke is changed. For example, this is one or more

Prematerial pieces a polymer film piece which is printed by means of a printing device with individualizing, in particular personalizing, data, or the one or more preliminary material pieces are one with a hologram film

coated polymer laminate piece, which is trimmed by means of a format-trimming device to the desired format (format cut).

According to method step (vi), the transport device is subsequently processed by means of the system control unit for discharging the one or more

Starting material pieces controlled by the selected plant module. In the subsequent process step (vii), the one or more processed pieces of primary material are removed from the selected plant module. It can be provided that the removal of the one or more processed

Starting material pieces from the selected plant module with the supply to the next provided according to the individual processing scheme plant module is connected (see steps (ii) to (iii)).

To carry out further processing steps on the one or more processed Vormaterialstücken then the aforementioned

Process steps (ii) to (vii) carried out again.

The present invention also solves the problem that several

Different product variants of a value or security document can only be produced with conventional production equipment after a conversion, resulting in considerable time delays and thus long production times. Because typically different document variants

Batch produced in the same production plant, the plant is converted after the production of a batch of a first document variant, in order for the Set up production of a second document variant. By providing a plurality of plant modules, which are each designed to carry out one of a plurality of different processing step variants, the individual primary material pieces can be guided as intended to the plant modules provided for this purpose, which are designed for the execution of the respective processing step variant. For example, in a lamination module several laminating sheet types (for example, in different formats and / or with different

Embossed structures) or it can be provided for each of laminating a separate system module.

The plant control unit is formed by an electronic processing unit and preferably has a unit for storing data. It is preferably a conventional process computer. The plant control unit may be a programmable control unit.

The plant control unit controls the transport device (and possibly the plant modules) in the production plant according to the invention and is for

Data transmission to the transport device (and the plant modules) and

Data acquisition of the transport device (and the system modules) trained. The plant control unit may be formed by a central processing unit which directly communicates with the transport means (and the plant modules) as in a conventional production control system.

For the transmission of data and control commands from the plant control unit to the plant modules and the transport device and from these to the plant control unit serve communication lines. In particular, a LAN, for example based on a glass fiber network, can be provided for this purpose. Instead of a LAN, a wireless network (WLAN) may also be installed. Furthermore, it is also possible to use established communication standards in industry, such as Modbus or Profibus.

The plant modules are preferably the following production modules which are constructed in a conventional manner: at least one of the plant modules can be produced by a printing device or by a piecing device for collecting primary material pieces or by a laminating device or a peripheral device. Pruning device or device for determining the quality of the

Laminating and edge trimming produced prematerial pieces in the form of

Laminate pieces or by a hologram-generating device or by a hologram application device or by a format trimming device or by a device for attaching a tab to the Vormaterialstücke or by a laser engraving device or by a device for quality control of the finished value or security document be formed. With these

Processing steps can be produced a document card, for example an identification card or an identification card provided for incorporation in a book-shaped document, for example a passport. Further plant modules may be a hologram exposure and / or grunting device, a

Perforation device, a punching device, an ultrasonic embossing device or a drilling device include.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the transport device comprises one or more transport units, each transport unit being assigned to more than one of the plant modules, and wherein each transport unit is designed to be able to feed prematerial pieces to the respectively assigned system modules in any order and to allocate prematerial pieces from the respectively assigned ones

To be able to discharge plant modules in any order. In this way, the transport device can be made flexible and adapted to the respective requirements. It can be provided, for example, that a first

Transport unit can only intervene in certain plant modules, a second

Transport unit in turn into other system modules. Taken together, the transport units can intervene in all plant modules.

In this embodiment, the plant control unit can also be formed by a hierarchical system in which a subordinate arithmetic unit is assigned a subordinate arithmetic unit, which in turn communicates with the transport unit assigned to it. For this purpose, the subordinate arithmetic unit controls the transport unit and transmits data to it and collects data from it. The parent

Arithmetic unit controls the subordinate arithmetic unit and is designed for data transmission to this and data acquisition of this. In principle, as many as you like

Hierarchy levels possible. In a further embodiment, it is further provided that the one transport unit or one of the plurality of transport units are designed to be able to feed prematerial pieces of all system modules in any desired order and

To be able to discharge material from all plant modules in any order.

In a further embodiment, it is provided that at least part of the plant modules associated with one of the several transport units and that of another plant module associated with the plurality of transport units are identical. This has the advantage that plant modules can also be supplied by several transport units. This can increase throughput in producing the individual value and security documents.

Depending on the type of primary material piece to be transported or the plant module intended for the current processing step, for which a material piece to be transported is provided, it may be necessary to transport the material piece in a certain way. In an advantageous embodiment, it is therefore provided that 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 fit the material to be transported Vormaterialstück and / or for the following processing step.

The transport element is generally designed to replace a piece of primary material with the plant module via a correspondingly designed interface. Such an interface comprises, for example, means for receiving or transferring the material piece. For this purpose, further holding units may be formed within the system module.

It can also be provided that at least one of the plant modules a

Input and / or output magazine has, so that Vormaterialstücke before and / or after the execution of a processing step in the at least one system module can be stored. If it is intended for a subsequent processing step that another starting material piece or a machined and thus changed in its physical properties Vormaterialstück is to be transported, so the gripping and / or

Holding unit may be unsuitable to record that appropriate Vormaterialstück. In an advantageous embodiment, it is therefore provided that the transport element comprises at least one further gripping and / or holding unit, wherein the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit is formed differently from the at least one gripping and / or holding unit. This has the advantage that not only a gripping and / or holding unit is available on the transport element. The at least one further gripping and / or holding unit increases the flexibility.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the at least one gripping and / or holding unit and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit comprise exchangeable gripping and / or holding means, wherein the system control unit is designed in such a way select the suitable gripping and / or holding means for the material to be processed in a processing step and the at least one gripping and / or holding unit and / or the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit with the respectively selected gripping and / or holding means equip. Thus, the flexibility of the transport element or the

Increase transport unit even further. Depending on the starting material piece, one of the gripping and / or holding units can be equipped flexibly with a corresponding gripping and / or holding means, so that always the gripping and / or holding means suitable for the piece of material to be transported is used. The gripping and / or holding means can be kept in a magazine, for example. The magazine can be positioned on the transport unit or the transport element itself or else outside of the transport unit, for example, at a position adjacent to the plant modules.

In the method, it is further provided that method step (iii) comprises a selection of a gripping and / or holding means suitable for the material to be processed and a corresponding loading of the gripping and / or holding unit with the selected gripping and / or holding means.

Various gripping and holding means can be used. For example, when producing value and security documents, pieces of primary material are often very thin Films. In an advantageous embodiment, it is therefore provided that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means comprises a suction cup or a plurality of suction cups. About such a suction cup or such a variety of suction cups, a thin film can be securely fixed and transported. The size of the suction cups depends on the thickness and the nature of the film to be transported. Of course, other Vormaterialstücke pieces can be held and transported by suction cups. The suction cups can in particular also be designed by means of hydraulic suction or vacuum-generating devices.

If, for example, thicker pieces of primary material are to be transported, then a lateral attack of the gripping and / or holding means against the starting material piece lends itself. In a further advantageous embodiment, it is therefore provided that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means is designed as a laterally attacking carriage, so that an inserted into the carriage or laid Vormaterialstück from an upper side and / or an underside is machined.

If an upper side and / or a lower side of a starting material piece remain free during gripping or holding, they can be processed in a system module despite the presence of the gripping and / or holding means. In a particularly advantageous

Embodiment is therefore provided that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means is designed to position and / or orient a Vormaterialstück before and / or during and / or after the execution of a processing step in one of the plant modules. This offers the advantage that the transport element can be used with the gripping and / or holding means to position the Vormaterialstück during the processing step and / or to orient. Both unique, during the processing step but then static,

Positioning and / or orientation measures possible. Furthermore, dynamic positioning and / or orientation measures are also possible, for example, if an orientation of the material piece is changed stepwise or continuously during a processing step. By the possibility of that

For example, a corresponding positioning and / or orientation unit in a system module can be dispensed with to position and / or orient the material piece over the transport element. This saves costs. Of course, it is possible that such positioning and / or orientation is performed only in individual, but not all plant modules. In one embodiment, in particular, the processing step is a laser processing step and the production of a CLI / MLI and / or a

Laser perforation and / or laser marking includes. During the

Laser processing, the Vormaterialstück can then be statically and / or dynamically positioned and / or oriented by the transport element.

In one embodiment, it is provided that the plant modules are arranged adjacent to each other largely in the form of a two-dimensional array. In this way, it is possible for the transport device or the one or more transport units to reach all of the plant modules or to be able to intervene in all plant modules in order to supply and remove prematerial pieces. Furthermore, this embodiment makes it possible to flexibly expand the plant or the processing scheme. Other system modules can be added almost arbitrarily, for example by extending the system on one of the lateral sides. The one or more

Transport units may, for example, additionally be mounted on a laterally extending rail, so that the one or more transport units can be moved along the rail along the newly added installation modules and an expansion of the system is almost possible. The respective ones

Transport elements can then with the gripping and / or holding means in the

Intervene plant modules.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the plant modules adjacent to each other in the form of a three-dimensional arrangement around the

Transport device are arranged around. In this arrangement, the

Transport device work very efficiently, since the transport routes between the system modules are minimized. One or more transport units of the

Transport device then have to perform, for example, without a lateral process only a rotation about an axis in order to engage or intervene with the respective transport element in the individual system modules. This reduces a transport time and makes the system more compact. An extension of the system by

Adding further system modules is still possible, as more

Plant modules can be added in the vertical direction, as long as they are still reached by the respective transport element. In a particularly advantageous embodiment it is provided that the plant modules adjacent to each other in the form of a partial or complete

Circumferential hollow cylinder are arranged, wherein the transport device is located within the hollow cylinder. In this embodiment, a transport path between the system modules is particularly short and the system is designed to be particularly compact.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the one or more transport units of the transport device as a multi-axis robot and / or

Articulated robot are formed. This has the advantage that such

Multi-axis robot and / or articulated arm robot is designed to be particularly compact and transport paths between the system modules can be designed particularly ergonomic. Furthermore, this allows an extremely compact design of the system and it is also possible to adapt the system flexibly to local conditions and / or an existing production line, as a multi-axis and / or articulated arm robot due to its flexible and space-saving customizable

Transport also difficult gripping and / or holding maneuvers can perform, for example, a "grab around the corner".

In a further embodiment, it is provided that the gripping and / or holding unit comprises forceps-like gripping and / or holding means. Preferably, the gripping and / or holding means are designed to deform a value or security document held by means of the pincer-like gripping and / or holding means, in particular to bring it into a bent state.

The plant and the methods make it possible to carry out almost any combination of processing steps. According to the respective individual processing scheme, a piece of starting material is fed in succession to the corresponding system modules. For different value and / or security documents then different, that is individual, sequences of processing steps corresponding to the respective individual processing scheme can be realized. For example, the asset controller may maintain a list of value or security documents to be produced, the list being provided to each individual value or security document

Security document assigns an individual processing scheme, which is to go through to produce. When producing undergo the corresponding Pre-material pieces then for an individual value or security document to be produced in the respective individual processing scheme

provided plant modules. Several individual value or security documents can be produced both consecutively and in parallel.

It can also be provided that an individual processing scheme for a group of value or security documents is the same. For example, an individual processing scheme for a group of passports may be provided; for another group of passports is then another individual

Machining scheme provided. Within the groups themselves, however, the respective individual processing schemes for the individual passports are the same.

It may further be provided that the individual processing scheme contains at least one optional processing step that is to be executed only for a specific group of value or security documents. This can be, for example, the mounting or inserting of an RFID chip or a hologram or a stamping.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the system is designed to detect an identity and / or quality of a piece of starting material to be processed. Depending on the identity and / or the quality of the primary material piece, a processing step in one of the plant modules can then be designed individually, for example by a corresponding activation of the plant modules by the plant control unit. An operating state of the plant or individual plant modules can also be detected and evaluated by the plant control unit. The plant can then be flexibly controlled depending on the plant condition. For example, it can be recognized that a plant module is currently performing a processing step, which is currently not available for processing a further material piece of starting material. If another system module is present, which can perform the same processing step, then it can be flexibly resorted to this by the processed

Pre-material piece is then supplied to this system module.

An advantage of the invention is that maintenance of the system is significantly facilitated. Thus, production does not have to be shut down during maintenance or repair of a system module to be serviced or defective. Are several similar

Plant modules for a processing step available, so can the waiting or defective plant module are taken out of production planning, serviced or repaired by a technician and then reconnected. If only one single system module is available for one processing step, a technician can, on the other hand, additionally integrate a system module of identical construction into the system, which additionally integrates the system module into the system

Include production planning and exclude the plant module to be serviced or defective from production planning. After maintenance or repair, the serviced or repaired system module is switched on again, the additional integrated system module, however, removed again and expanded. An impairment of the production process by a maintenance or repair can thus be prevented or minimized.

Preferably, individual plant modules of the plant are present at least in two functional design, so that the corresponding processing step is redundant.

In one embodiment, provision is made in particular for the transport element of the one or more transport units with the gripping and / or holding means to transport only one piece of starting material at a time. A Vormaterialstück can also be designed as multiple benefits.

Preferably, the transport device is designed such that the time required for transporting a material piece of material from one plant module to another plant module shorter than that for passing through a preceding or

subsequent processing step in the plant module necessary time. In addition, it is achieved that system modules can always be fully utilized and the

Waiting times in which a system module one or more Vormaterialstücke be added or removed, minimized. In this way it is possible to clock the production of the value or security documents, since an inward and outward transport is not tied to a production cycle. This is a great advantage of the invention over a production in which a transport of Vormaterialstücke is carried out for example by means of a conveyor belt.

Preferably, the corresponding processing step is performed in all plant modules at the same time or overlapping in time, so that the system in total to a high overall throughput is optimized. It is also possible that several value or security documents are produced at the same time.

The invention is based on preferred embodiments below

Referring to the figures explained in more detail. Hereby show:

Fig. 1 a is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system for

 Producing value and security documents with an arrangement of the plant modules in the form of a two-dimensional array and a transport unit;

1 b a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a system for producing value and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a two-dimensional array and a plurality of transport units;

2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a system for producing value and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a partially encircling hollow cylinder.

3 shows a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of a system for producing value and security documents with an arrangement of the system modules in the form of a completely circumferential hollow cylinder;

Fig. 4a is a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit with several

 Gripping and / or holding means with a value or security document held by large suction cups;

Fig. 4b is a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit with several

 Gripping and / or holding means with the value or security document held by small suction cups;

Fig. 4c is a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit with several

Gripping and / or holding means with the value and security document held and bent by a pair of pliers; 5a is a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit with a carriage designed as holding and / or gripping means in plan view.

Fig. 5b is a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit with the as

 Carriage trained holding and / or gripping means in side view;

Fig. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of the method for producing value and security documents.

Fig. 1a shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a plant 1 for producing value and security documents with an arrangement of

Plant modules 2 in the form of a two-dimensional array 3. In addition to the

Plant 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 arm robot 6. The transport unit 4 comprises a transport element 7 which can engage or engage in or in all of the plant modules 2. The transport element 7 has a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with gripping and / or holding means 8, which allow a transportable

Grasping material piece and / or to hold and fix releasably during transport between the system modules 2 to the gripping and / or holding unit 15.

The system control unit 5 is designed to control the transport device 40 and the transport unit 4 in such a way that they correspond to an individual

Processing schemes for the production of an individual value or

Security document, the individual Vormaterialstücke before a processing step the individual plant modules 2 supplies and discharged after completion of the processing step again. If, for example, an individual processing scheme provides that the plant modules 2 "A", "B" and "G" are to be approached in succession, then a piece of primary material is first supplied by the transport unit 4 to the plant module 2 "A" by the gripper and gripper / holding means 8 is selected according to the material to be transported Vormaterialstücks of the plant control unit 5 and the

Transport element 7 is equipped with the corresponding gripping and / or holding means 8. A magazine 9 of gripping and / or holding means 8, for example, in addition to the

Plant modules 2 may be arranged, in principle, the magazine 9 but also on the Transport unit 4 itself be positioned, for example in the vicinity of the transport element 7, so that the corresponding holding and / or gripping means 8 can be exchanged on the gripping and / or holding unit 15 without a method of the transport unit 4 itself. After completion of the processing step in the plant module 2 "A", the processed primary material piece is removed by the transport unit 4 by the transport element 7 engages the plant module 2 "A" and the machined Vormaterialstück by means of gripping and / or retaining means 8. Subsequently, the machined starting material piece is fed to the plant module 2 "B". In the plant module 2 "B" the material piece of material is processed and then transported analogously into the plant module 2 "G".

Are to carry out a processing step several Vormaterialstücke necessary, for example, if there are several substrate layers of a value or

Security document is, which are to be laminated, so the transport step described here is repeated for each necessary Vormaterialstück, here for each of the required substrate layers. It may be necessary to use different gripping and / or holding means 8 for individual primary material pieces, for example if, in addition to the substrate layers, an RFID chip is also used

placed or a hologram patch on top of the value or

Security document is to be applied.

The transport element 7 may also have at least one further gripping and / or holding unit, which comprises further gripping and / or holding means. In this way, the gripping and / or holding means 8 for certain Vormaterialstücke or certain

Processing steps and system modules 2 are not exchanged. Thus, the gripping and / or holding means 8 of the gripping and / or holding unit 15 may be formed, for example, as suction cups, whereas the other gripping and / or holding means of the further gripping and / or holding unit are designed as laterally attacking carriage. Replacement is not necessary because the gripping and / or holding means 8 and the other gripping and / or holding means are available directly on the transport element 7. This can reduce the transport time.

It is also possible that lead material pieces also get into the respective plant module 2 in other ways. This is possible, for example, if the plant modules 2 can be filled in a different manner with Vormaterialstücken, for example by Manual filling via a rear opening. Thus, primary material pieces that are necessary for a processing step in one of the plant modules 2, in the

Plant module 2 itself stored and magaziniert. By way of example, such primary material pieces may be patches of non-individualized hologram threads or microchips, etc.

An advantage of the arrangement of the plant modules 2 as a two-dimensional array 3 is that the plant 1 can be expanded flexibly. For example, more

Plant modules 10 arranged on one side of the system 1 and logically integrated into the system so that they can be approached by the transport unit 4 and the transport element 7. If the original range of the transport unit 4 or the transport element 7 is insufficient, then in this embodiment

For example, a rail system 1 1 serve to move the transport unit 4 and to increase the range of the transport unit 4.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the transport device 40 next to the

Transport unit 4 comprises a further transport unit 4a (see Fig. 1 b). The

Transport units 4, 4a may each be assigned to certain plant modules 2. In this case, the respectively assigned plant modules 2 can be identical, so that the respective transport element 7, 7a of each of the several transport units 4, 4a can intervene in all plant modules 2. However, it can also be provided that the respective associated system modules 2 are only partially identical, so that an overlap region is present, in which at least two of the several

Transport units 4, 4a can engage by means of their transport element 7, 7a.

In addition, additional transport units 4n may additionally be provided, as a result of which the system 2 can in principle be expanded as desired.

2 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a plant 1 for producing individual value and security documents with a three-dimensional arrangement 12 of the plant modules 2 in the form of a partially encircling hollow cylinder 13. This arrangement allows an extremely compact construction of the plant 1. Within the hollow cylinder 13 is a

Transport device 40 with a rotatable transport unit 4, which here as

Multi-axis or articulated arm robot 6 is formed. The transport element 7 or the attached to a gripping and / or holding unit 15 gripping and / or holding means 8 can then on or in all arranged on the hollow cylinder 13 system modules 2 or intervene. In this way, a flexible transport and a flexible feeding and removal of Vormaterialstücken to or from the individual plant modules 2 is possible.

An extension of the system 1 is also possible in this arrangement, for example, by further system modules 10 are arranged in the vertical direction above the system 10.

3 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a plant 1 for producing individual value and security documents with a three-dimensional arrangement 12 of the plant modules 2 in the form of a completely circumferential hollow cylinder 14. The embodiment is largely analogous to that shown in FIG Embodiment, however, a total of more plant modules 2 can be arranged on the completely circumferential hollow cylinder 14. Within the completely circumferential hollow cylinder 14 is the transport device 40 with the transport unit 4, which here also as a multi-axis rotary or

Articulated robot 6 is formed.

Figures 4a to 4c show a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with three different types of gripping and / or holding means 8. The gripping and / or holding means 8 include large suction cups 17, small suction cups 18 and a pair of pliers 19. Die to be used type of suction cups is selected, for example, depending on a material thickness of Vormaterialstückes. The gripping and / or

Holding unit 15 has in the middle a joint 18, on which the gripping and / or

Holding unit 15 is attached to the transport element. Depending on the desired gripping and / or holding means 8, the gripping and / or holding unit 15 is brought into a different position and orientation, for example by rotation about the hinge 18 around.

FIG. 4 a shows a schematic illustration of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, with a material piece 16 being held by the large suction cups 17. The big ones

Suction cups 17 generate a negative pressure upon contact with the primary material piece 16 and fix the preliminary material piece 16 so that it can be transported by means of the transport unit. If necessary, the negative pressure can be reduced again, so that the connection of the Vormaterialstücks 16 to the large suction cups 17 dissolves again. As further gripping and / or holding means 8 existing pliers 19 is driven when using the large suction cups 17 in a holding position, with the pliers fingers of the pliers 19 are pointing upwards.

FIG. 4 b shows a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, wherein the preliminary material piece 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. The small suction cups 18 produce a contact with the Vormaterialstück 16 a

Vacuum and fix the Vormaterialstück 16 so that it can be transported by the transport unit. If necessary, the negative pressure can be reduced again, so that the connection of the Vormaterialstücks 16 to the small Saugnäpfen 18 dissolves again. The existing as further gripping and / or holding means 8 pliers 19 is at

Use of the small suction cups 18 moved to an opposite holding position, with pincer fingers of the forceps 19 pointing downwards.

FIG. 4 c shows a schematic representation of the gripping and / or holding unit 15, wherein a preliminary material piece 16 is held by the pliers 19. For this purpose, the gripping and / or holding unit 15 is angled at the joint 18 and placed the pliers 19 in a corresponding position. In this case, a lateral pressure 20 on the narrow sides of the

Vormaterialstücks 16 exercised, so that the Vormaterialstück 16 bulges upwards. In order to specify a curvature direction, further mechanical or hydraulic devices may be provided (not shown) or the small ones

Suction cups 18 may be activated at the beginning of the gripping movement, so that the

Camber direction can be specified or initiated.

5a and 5b show a schematic representation of a gripping and / or holding unit 15 with a designed as a carriage 21 holding and / or gripping means 8. FIG. 5a shows a plan view of the carriage 21, in which a in the carriage 21st inserted Vormaterialstück 16 is indicated. The carriage 21 consists of two mutually connected carriage arms 22, which are centrally connected to the transport element 7.

In Fig. 5b is a side view of the short side 23 of the carriage 21 is shown. The slide arms 22 each have a groove 25 on inner sides 24. The

Voraterialstück 16 can on the short side 23 of the carriage 21 in the carriage 21st be pushed in and out again, so that the Vormaterialstück 16 engages in the grooves 25 and is held vertically by these. The advantage of the gripping and / or holding means 8 embodied in this way is that one in the carriage 21st

inserted Vormaterialstück 16 can be edited by a top 26 and a bottom 27. In the grooves 25 of the carriage 21 can more

Fixing means 28 may be formed, for example, suction openings which releasably fix the inserted Vormaterialstück 16 by means of a negative pressure.

The carriage 21 may additionally comprise suction cups 29 on an upper side 31 of the carriage arms 22. These suction cups 29 make it possible, for example, to releasably fix a value or security document 30 on the upper side 31, for example, so that the value or security document 30 can be transported.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic flow diagram of the method for producing individual value and security documents. After starting 100 of the method, first material pieces are provided in the first method step 101. The provision may also include equipping individual plant modules with primary material pieces. For example, magazines provided correspondingly for the preliminary material pieces can be filled manually or mechanically. In the next method step 102, it is determined on the basis of the individual processing scheme which processing steps are to be carried out. So can different documents with

different sequences of processing steps are produced in the individual plant modules. Further, the plant module is to execute the next one

Machining step selected. If the processing scheme to be carried out is selected, the transport device is correspondingly activated in the next method step 103. According to the starting material piece to be transported, in the next method step 104, a corresponding gripping and / or

Holding means selected by the plant control unit. A transport element of a transport unit of the transport device is then at its gripping and / or

Holding unit equipped with the selected gripping and / or holding means 105. In the next method step 106, the starting material piece is fed to the planned for the next individual processing step plant module. Are several

Provided Vormaterialstücke provided so the multiple Vormaterialstücke be supplied according to the system module. In the plant module, the one or more prematerial pieces of the transport element or by the gripping and / or holding means positioned and / or oriented 107. Then 108 becomes the corresponding one

Processing step executed in the plant module. During the processing step, it is also possible that the transport element or the gripping and / or holding means change the one or more Vormaterialstücke in their positions and / or orientations, so that the transport unit may be part of the processing step. In the last method step 109, the one or more preliminary material pieces are removed again from the system module. After completion of the processing step, the process steps 101 to 109 for carrying out further processing steps of the individual processing scheme for the current and subsequent value and

Security documents repeats. Once all value and security documents have been produced according to their individual processing scheme, the procedure is ended 1 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 plant

 2 system module

 3 two-dimensional array

 4 transport unit

 4a further transport unit

 4n further transport unit

 5 plant control unit

 6 multi-axis or articulated arm robots

6a multi-axis or articulated arm robot

7 transport element

 7a transport element

 8 gripping and / or holding means

 8a gripping and / or holding means

 9 magazine

 10 more system modules

 1 1 rail system

 12 three-dimensional arrangement

 13 partially rotating hollow cylinder

14 completely circumferential hollow cylinder

15 gripping and / or holding unit

 15a further gripping and / or holding unit

16 starting material piece

 17 large suction cups

 18 small suckers

 19 pliers

 20 lateral pressure

 21 sleds

 22 carriage arm

 23 short side

 24 inside

 25 groove

 26 top

27 bottom more attachment suction cup

Value or security document top

transport means

steps

Claims

claims 1 . Plant (1) for producing individual value and security documents from material pieces (16) in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme, formed by:  (A) designed to carry out the at least two processing steps  Plant modules (2);  (b) a transport device (40) connecting the plant modules (2);  (c) a plant control unit (5) designed to control the transport device (40);  wherein the plant modules (2) are arranged with respect to the transport device (40) and the transport device (40) is designed such that the transport device (40) can supply material pieces (16) of all plant modules (2) in any desired order and material pieces ( 16) of all plant modules (2) can discharge in any order, the  Transport device (40) with the plant control unit (5) is controllable, so that the Vormaterialstücke (16) can be supplied to a provided for executing a processing step plant module (2). 2. Plant (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the  Transport device (40) comprises one or more transport units (4), wherein each transport unit (4) are assigned to several of the plant modules (2), and wherein each transport unit (4) is designed such Vormaterialstücke (16) the respective associated plant modules (2) in any order to be able to supply and Vormaterialstücke (16) of the respectively assigned  To be able to discharge plant modules (2) in any order. 3. Plant (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the one  Transport unit (4) or one of the plurality of transport units (4) are designed to supply Vormaterialstücke (16) all plant modules (2) in any order and material pieces (16) of all plant modules (2) in any order to be able to dissipate. 4. Plant (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least part of one of the several transport units (4) associated with plant modules (2) and that of a further of the plurality of transport units (4) assigned  Plant modules (2) is identical. 5. Plant (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the one or more transport units (4) each have a transport element (7), wherein the transport element (7) at least one gripping and / or holding unit ( 15). 6. Plant (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the  Transport element (4) comprises at least one further gripping and / or holding unit, wherein the at least one further gripping and / or holding unit is formed differently from the at least one gripping and / or holding unit (15). 7. Plant (1) according to claim 5 or 6, 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 exchangeable gripping and / or holding means (8 ), wherein the system control unit (5) is designed to select a gripping and / or holding means (8) suitable for the material to be processed in a processing step (16) and 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) to equip. 8. Plant (1) according to claim 7, 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). 9. Plant (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means (8) is designed as a laterally engaging carriage (21), so that in the carriage (21) inserted or placed Vormaterialstück (16) of a top (26) and / or a bottom (27) is machinable. 10. Plant (1) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that at least one of the gripping and / or holding means (8) is designed such, a Vormaterialstück (16) before and / or during and / or after the execution of a Positioning process in one of the plant modules (2) to position and / or to orientate. 1 1. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized  in that the installation modules (2) are arranged adjacent to each other in the form of a three-dimensional arrangement (12) around the transport device (40). 12. A method for producing individual value and security documents from Vormaterialstücken (16) in at least two processing steps of a respective individual processing scheme with trained for performing the at least two processing steps plant modules (2) and one  Plant modules (2) connecting transport device (40), wherein the  Transporting device (40) can supply all of the plant modules (2) in any order with material pieces (16) and can discharge prematerial pieces (16) from all of the installation modules (2) in any desired sequence,  comprising the following method steps:  (i) providing the for producing the individual value or  Safety documents intended for semis (16);  (ii) determining a plant module (2) to carry out the next one  Processing step based on the respective individual processing scheme; (iii) activating the transport device (40) by means of a plant control unit (5) designed to control the transport device (40) for feeding one or more preliminary material pieces (16) to the plant module (2) designed to execute the next processing step;  (iv) feeding the one or more primary material pieces (16) to the selected plant module (2);  (v) performing the processing step in the selected plant module (2) by altering at least one property of the one or more prematerial pieces (16);  (vi) driving the transport means (40) by means of the plant control unit (5) to discharge the one or more processed primary material pieces (16) from the selected plant module (2); (vii) discharging the one or more processed primary material pieces (16) from the selected plant module (2); (viii) perform further processing of the individual  Processing schemes by repeating the above process steps (ii) to (vii). 13. The method according to claim 1 1, characterized in that method step (v) positioning and / or orientation of a Vormaterialstücks (16) by gripping and / or holding means (8) of a gripping and / or holding unit (15) of a  Transport element (7) at least one transport unit (4) of  Transport device (40) before and / or during and / or after performing the processing step comprises. 14. The method according to any one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that method step (iii) a selection of a to be processed for the  Pre-material piece (16) suitable gripping and / or holding means (8) and a corresponding loading of the gripping and / or holding unit (15) with the selected gripping and / or holding means (8). 15. A method for producing a set of different individual value and security documents according to individual processing schemes by carrying out the method according to one of claims 12 to 14.