Loading blanks to a stamping press line

A method for loading blanks to a head of the stamping press line includes providing a stack of blanks at a pick-up position; loading blanks from the stack of blanks to the head of the stamping press line; before the stack of blanks is exhausted, creating a buffer by raising a predetermined number of blanks from the top of the stack to a position above the stack; and loading blanks from the buffer to the line while replacing the stack of blanks with a new stack of blanks. A handling system for creating a buffer includes one or more buffer robots with one or more supporting tools on which the blanks can be held, and one or more separating tools to separate one or more blanks at the top of the stack from the underlying blank of the stack.