A method for forming a container starting from a blank. A forming unit includes a conveyor and equipment secured to the conveyor, including a forming device to form the container from the blank. The method includes: moving the conveyor; supplying the blank to the conveyor at the forming device; starting the forming of the container from the blank by said forming device; and completing the forming of the container from the blank by the forming device independently of a movement of the conveyor.

A multi-pack for packs for products of the cigarette industry, and a corresponding device and a packaging method, wherein a plurality of packs for products of the cigarette industry is arranged in ordered formation and wherein the packs are wrapped in a blank made of packaging material as an outer casing. At least one filler piece is arranged, together with the packs, in the outer casing, wherein the filler piece is arranged opposite from a bottom side of the outer casing or from a bottom side of the packs, and wherein the bottom sides of the packs directly abut the inside of the bottom side of the outer casing.

A plant for making packages includes at least a machine to work packaging material and an automatic feed apparatus to feed the packaging material to the machine in a direction of automatic feed; a manual feeding and loading station of the packaging material, adjacent and parallel to the automatic feed apparatus, the machine being mobile in a direction of movement transverse to the direction of automatic feed and selectively positionable in a first position aligned to the automatic feed apparatus and in a second position aligned to the manual feeding and loading station; and a guide system to guide the machine between the first position and the second position and vice versa.

A plant for making packages includes at least a machine to work packaging material and an automatic feed apparatus to feed the packaging material to the machine in a direction of automatic feed; a manual feeding and loading station of the packaging material, adjacent and parallel to the automatic feed apparatus, the machine being mobile in a direction of movement transverse to the direction of automatic feed and selectively positionable in a first position aligned to the automatic feed apparatus and in a second position aligned to the manual feeding and loading station; and a guide system to guide the machine between the first position and the second position and vice versa.

A thermoforming packaging machine having an unwinding device for a bottom film web and a film conveying apparatus for intermittently conveying the bottom film web in a production direction using clamp chains. The packaging machine includes a holding strip for the bottom film web, the holding strip disposed in the intake area of the clamp chains. The holding strip is configured to hold part of a free leading end of a new bottom film web to be fed while and/or until the new bottom film web is gripped by the clamp chains and subsequently conveyed by the clamp chains.

A thermoforming packaging machine having an unwinding device for a bottom film web and a film conveying apparatus for intermittently conveying the bottom film web in a production direction using clamp chains. The packaging machine includes a holding strip for the bottom film web, the holding strip disposed in the intake area of the clamp chains. The holding strip is configured to hold part of a free leading end of a new bottom film web to be fed while and/or until the new bottom film web is gripped by the clamp chains and subsequently conveyed by the clamp chains.

A high throughput, efficient, and simplified unloading and packaging systems and methods for large-scale production of pharmaceutical units (104) using additive manufacturing. The systems and methods may unload, inspect, package, and trace pharmaceutical units, produced by an additive manufacturing system (900), that are not damaged or deformed. The unloading and packaging system can include one or more unloading and packaging devices (100). The unloading and packaging device can include a modular configuration having modules. Individual modules to be arranged in any relative order, at any location, and with any number in the unloading and packaging device. The flexibility of the modular configuration allows one or more modules to be removed or added at any given time due to, e.g., expansion, downsizing, module repair, module upgrades, etc. High throughput can be achieved by operating unloading and packaging devices independently.

A high throughput, efficient, and simplified unloading and packaging systems and methods for large-scale production of pharmaceutical units (104) using additive manufacturing. The systems and methods may unload, inspect, package, and trace pharmaceutical units, produced by an additive manufacturing system (900), that are not damaged or deformed. The unloading and packaging system can include one or more unloading and packaging devices (100). The unloading and packaging device can include a modular configuration having modules. Individual modules to be arranged in any relative order, at any location, and with any number in the unloading and packaging device. The flexibility of the modular configuration allows one or more modules to be removed or added at any given time due to, e.g., expansion, downsizing, module repair, module upgrades, etc. High throughput can be achieved by operating unloading and packaging devices independently.

Disclosed herein are high throughput, efficient, and simplified unloading and packaging systems and methods for large-scale production of pharmaceutical units using additive manufacturing. The disclosed systems and methods may unload, inspect, package, and trace pharmaceutical units, produced by an additive manufacturing system, that are not damaged or deformed. The unloading and packaging system can include one or more unloading and packaging devices. The unloading and packaging device can include a modular configuration having modules. Individual modules to be arranged in any relative order, at any location, and with any number in the unloading and packaging device. The flexibility of the modular configuration allows one or more modules to be removed or added at any given time due to, e.g., expansion, downsizing, module repair, module upgrades, etc. High throughput can be achieved by operating unloading and packaging devices independently and in parallel.

Disclosed herein are high throughput, efficient, and simplified unloading and packaging systems and methods for large-scale production of pharmaceutical units using additive manufacturing. The disclosed systems and methods may unload, inspect, package, and trace pharmaceutical units, produced by an additive manufacturing system, that are not damaged or deformed. The unloading and packaging system can include one or more unloading and packaging devices. The unloading and packaging device can include a modular configuration having modules. Individual modules to be arranged in any relative order, at any location, and with any number in the unloading and packaging device. The flexibility of the modular configuration allows one or more modules to be removed or added at any given time due to, e.g., expansion, downsizing, module repair, module upgrades, etc. High throughput can be achieved by operating unloading and packaging devices independently and in parallel.