Systems, methods, and apparatuses for handling and manipulating packages in automated or semi-automated fashion and packages adapted for the same. The systems may include package-holding devices, package-manipulating devices, and package-detection components for locating packages or portions thereof in a three-dimensional space. The packages may include features that enable automated or semi-automated handling and manipulation thereof, such as different types of opening/closing mechanisms with different geometric structures that allow for holding, shifting, and manipulating the packages and/or portions thereof with the package-manipulating devices. The packages additionally or alternatively may include mechanical fasteners, magnets, and/or spring-biased opening/closing mechanisms for keeping the packages closed prior to manipulation thereof. Such packages and systems may be used in a logistics network to the increase speed, accuracy, and efficiency of processing packages having, at least in part, a non-fixed geometry.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously packing folded laundry articles into a container are described. A packing system includes a refillable cartridge, a queue conveyor having one or more folded laundry articles and stacks of folded laundry articles disposed thereon, at least one retractable conveyor loading end between the refillable cartridge and the queue conveyor for loading the folded laundry articles into the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter for selectively raising and lowering the into and out of the container, and a controller in operative configuration with processors and drives of all of the foregoing and one or more sensors detecting a fill height of the refillable cartridge. The refillable cartridge includes a removable receiving surface that moves from a closed position to an open position during loading of the folded laundry by the retractable conveyor and unloading of the folded laundry into the container.

An automated packing system is disclosed for placing a plurality of objects into a shipping container. The system includes a supply bin receiving conveyor for receiving a supply bin at a supply station, the supply bin receiving conveyor including sensing unit for determining an extent of advancement of the supply bin in a conveyor direction along the supply bin receiving conveyor, a detection system for detecting a plurality of objects within the supply bin responsive to the position of the supply bin on the receiving conveyor as aligned by the alignment system, an object selection system for selecting a selected object from the plurality of objects to be placed into the shipping container, and a programmable motion device for grasping and acquiring the selected object from the plurality of objects at the supply station, and for placing the selected object into the shipping container in a selected orientation and pose.

An automated packing system is disclosed for placing a plurality of objects into a shipping container. The a system includes a supply bin receiving conveyor for receiving a supply bin at a supply station, a placement planning system for determining a packing placement order for the plurality of objects, a detection system for detecting a plurality of objects within the supply bin responsive to the position of the supply bin on the receiving conveyor as aligned by the alignment system, an object selection system for selecting a selected object from the plurality of objects to be placed into the shipping container, and a programmable motion device for grasping and acquiring the selected object from the plurality of objects at the supply station, and for placing the selected object into the shipping container in a selected orientation.

The present invention reduces the possibility that poor-quality products are distributed to market. The bag-making and packaging apparatus is a production processing device used in quality management of foodstuffs. The bag-making and packaging apparatus includes a control part, a storage part, and an acquisition part. The control part changes an action performed by the individual parts. The storage part stores an inspection item pertaining to quality management of the foodstuffs. The acquisition part acquires an inspection result pertaining to the inspection item. The control part determines at least one of the following: whether or not the inspection result has been inputted to the acquisition part, whether the input of the inspection results inputted to the acquisition part is normal or not, and whether the inspection result acquired by the acquisition part is good or not. The control part changes the action based on the result of the determination.

An inventory handling apparatus for transferring inventory items from an inventory bin onto a conveyer includes a rotatable member with a conveyance assembly mounted inside. The conveyance assembly receives an inventory bin into a conveyance channel sized to restrain the inventory bin during inversion of the inventory bin. The inverted inventory bin is moved onto a conveyor and the inventory bin lifted thereby leaving the inventory items on the conveyor.

ontainer-handling facility for handling containers such as cans or bottles or the like in the beverage-processing industry, the container-handling facility compris at least one transport device for transporting the containers and a drone can be brought into the transport device, wherein the drone comprises an acceleration sensor for measuring an acceleration acting on the drone and a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure acting on the drone in the transport device, wherein the drone can transmit data corresponding to a measured acceleration and a measured pressure to a control unit, and wherein the control unit is ed to regulate at least one operating parameter influenc the acceleration of the drone and/or the pressure acting on the drone, ding o a comparison between the data received the drone and nominal values for the operating parameter and/or the acceleration and/or the pressure, stored in a memory.

A system for tracking a box and correlating a quality characteristic of the box to a packaging line equipment effectiveness, includes: an applicator that applies a unique identifier to a pre-erected box, the identifier being associated with at least one quality characteristic of the pre-erected box; a first machine reader that reads the applied identifier; a machine readable database that stores the read identifier and the associated at least one quality characteristic; a converter that converts the pre-erected box into an erected box; a second machine reader that reads the identifier of the associated erected box; a hardware material handler that advances the erected box through the packaging line; and, a first processing circuit responsive to executable instructions, and in response to determining that the erected box is involved in a disruption in the packaging line, correlates the captured identifier of the associated erected box with the associated disruption.

A system and method for operating a robotic system to coordinate and integrate multiple tasks for performing operations is disclosed. The robotic system may identify a set of tasks associated with a triggered operation. Accordingly, the robotic system may coordinate and control actions across subsystems, robotic units, task stations, or a combination thereof to sequentially perform the set of tasks and complete the operation.

Dunnage may be applied to surfaces of items by nozzles coupled to one or more robotic arms that may be operated in six degrees of freedom within three-dimensional space. The dunnage is applied in substantially hollow pieces or sections by one or more 3D printing processes, e.g., by deposition. Such pieces or sections may be applied in one or more series or patterns along surfaces of an item prior to enveloping the item in one or more wraps or covers, or depositing the item in one or more containers. Various characteristics of the dunnage, such as materials from which the dunnage is formed, diameters or thicknesses of the dunnage, the series or patterns in which the dunnage is applied to the surface of the item, or any other factors may be selected based on one or more attributes of the items, such as dimensions or shipping and handling instructions.