A method for providing at least one utensil wrapped in a napkin is provided. The method includes placing the napkin on a wrapping assembly having first, second and third rollers and an endless belt wrapped around the rollers, in an initial configuration, placing the at least one utensil on the napkin, moving the second roller toward the first roller, turning the endless belt around rollers, stopping to turn the endless belt, and returning the wrapping assembly to the initial configuration. An apparatus for wrapping a napkin around at least one utensil, a utensil picker for picking up at least one utensil from at least one utensil magazine storing a plurality of utensils, an apparatus having the utensil picker, a magazine for storing a plurality of utensils and an apparatus having the magazine are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for unitizing groups of individual packages into pallet loads, stabilizing the loads and facilitating general movement of the pallets, including the loading and unloading of pallets into and out of transport vehicles, includes wrapping the loads with stretchable crepe paper, rather than conventional plastic wrap material. Crepe paper can be produced and recycled with less environmental impact than plastic wrap. These methods involve a new use for crepe paper, and a new use for conventional plastic-wrapping equipment.

A machine (1) for packaging an object, notably a sterilization basket (B), with at least one sterilization packaging material, notably a sterilization sheet (F), the machine comprising: a plate (10) configured to receive the sterilization packaging material (F) and the object to be packaged (B) placed on top, a gripping tool (110) configured to grasp hold of a corner (F1; F2; F3; F4) of the sterilization packaging material (F), the gripping tool (110) and the plate (10) being able to move relative to one another so as to allow the gripping tool (110) to bring the corner over the top of the object (B) and thus form at least one fold covering the object (B).

A method, apparatus and program product may utilize packaging material quality compensation to sense changes in certain characteristics of a packaging material that can be associated with increased risks of film breaks, and automatically make certain changes in machine settings to mitigate the impact of those enhanced risks.

An apparatus includes a platform having an upper surface configured to support a napkin overlying the upper surface, and also having a cavity recessed from the upper surface. Means are provided for applying vacuum pressure in the slot to draw a napkin downward from the upper surface into the cavity, and for rolling the napkin in the cavity.

Control of a wrapping apparatus is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be applied to a load, with a wrap control system automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads. In addition, a wrapping apparatus may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material to a load throughout a contiguous region thereof.

An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device in geared engagement with a rail. The body is rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body by inducing relative linear movement between the clamping device and the rail.

A one-way clutch arrangement may be provided on a packaging material dispenser of a stretch wrapping machine in part to provide differing rates of rotation for upstream and downstream pre-stretch rollers in forward and reverse directions of the packaging material dispenser.

A one-way clutch arrangement may be provided on a packaging material dispenser of a stretch wrapping machine in part to provide differing rates of rotation for upstream and downstream pre-stretch rollers in forward and reverse directions of the packaging material dispenser.

A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.