A method for controlling the processing of varying shipment sets of one or more item(s) in an automated packaging system for packaging said varying shipment sets in custom-sized boxes made from cardboard blanks, said packaging system comprising a plurality of processing stations performing different operations on said shipment sets, said operations including transporting said shipments sets to and through said stations, said method comprising: acquiring information about one or more physical properties of a shipment set or the item(s) forming the shipment set, determining based on said information if the shipment set needs or allows a specific treatment in or on the transport to and through one or more of said processing stations within said packaging system, and configuring said one or more of said processing stations with instructions for said specific treatment of said shipment set.

A method for realising a package that comprises the following steps: arranging a first longitudinal edge (2) of the package in a substantially horizontal position; stacking a predefined number of ceramic tiles (T) to form a pile (P) on the 5 first longitudinal edge (2); arranging a second longitudinal edge (3) of the package on the pile (P); associating a bottom (4) of the package with a first longitudinal side of the first and of the second longitudinal edge (2,3); associating a first transversal edge (5) of the package with a first 10 transversal side of the first and of the second longitudinal edge (2,3); associating a second transversal edge (6) of the package with a second transversal side of the first and of the second longitudinal edge (2,3); rotating the package resting on the bottom (4).

A working line is for fluidic or fluid products contained in pre-dosed containers. The container includes a cover and/or lid for closing the container. The working line includes a first manipulation station having a manipulator to manipulate the cover and/or lid to remove the cover and/or lid from the container to open the container. A working station carries out at least one operation on the fluid product contained in the container after the removal of the cover and/or lid from the container. A second manipulation station includes a manipulator to manipulate the cover and/or lid to associate the cover and/or lid with the container to close the container. A transportation system moves the pre-dosed containers among different stations. The working station is located between the first manipulation station and the second manipulation station. The manipulator manipulates covers and/or lids associable with the container through joint-type and/or screw-type devices.

A bag supply system includes: a bag bundle delivery device moves bag bundles from a delivery relay position to a delivery zone; a bag bundle conveyance device which receives the bag bundles from the bag bundle delivery device in the delivery zone and conveys the bag bundles from the delivery zone to a supply zone in a state where the bag bundles are supported by a support part; a bag bundle takeoff device which holds the bag bundles supported by the support part in the supply zone and moves the bag bundles from the bag bundle conveyance device to a supply relay position; and a bag supply device which sequentially supplies bags included in each of the bag bundles arranged in the supply relay position, to a packaging machine. The support part moves along an endless track between the delivery zone and the supply zone.

A machine for packaging articles (15, 15′) with a conveyor designed to feed a preformed carton (14) in a feed direction, the said machine comprising means (11) for placing an article to be packaged on the said carton and mobile article holding means (18, 19), which hold the article during placement, limiting the speed of the article to that of the carton, the said machine being characterised by the fact that the said placement means comprise a conveyor belt (11) for placement with at least one curved section (12), designed to convey the article along a curvilinear route, and an alignment station (34) designed to place the article on the said placement conveyor belt in a position that ensures the article is placed from the placement conveyor belt onto the carton in a suitable position, the said alignment means comprising a mobile undercarriage (35) which moves transversely to the article feed direction and a conveyor belt 37) on top of the undercarriage, which is designed to feed the article, while on the mobile undercarriage, in the article feed direction.

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages and may include packing material printed at least partially around the item(s) and/or an outer cover printed about at least a portion of an exterior of the packing material and/or the item(s). A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model.

A vibrating device (14) ensures the ordered rearrangement of folding boxes (3) in a receptacle (2) for an evacuation conveyor (8), provided with driving elements (12) whose vertices define a horizontal transport plane (S2). The device comprises: a movable support (15) able to support a receptacle (2) loaded with folding boxes (3), the support (15) having a contact surface (S1) designed to be in contact with the receptacle (2), and at least one controllable actuator (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) comprising a displaceable end connected to the support (15) and able to displace the support (15) between: a retracted position in which the contact surface (S1) is positioned beneath the horizontal transport plane (S2), allowing a contact between the receptacle (2) and the driving elements (12), and a deployed position in which the contact surface (S1) is positioned above the horizontal transport plane (S2), preventing the contact between the receptacle (2) and the driving elements (12),
the actuator (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) being likewise designed to cause the support (15) to vibrate about the deployed position in order to reorder the disposition of the folding boxes (3) contained in the receptacle (2).

A method for improving the efficiency of a pharmaceutical filling line by running the filling line at an increased throughput rate is disclosed. The method involves using glass vials that have been strengthened and coated to reduce the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the vials with a pharmaceutical filling line set at a rate greater than or equal to 600 vials per minute and miming in an efficiency of at least 70%. In other embodiments of the invention, the pharmaceutical filling line may also be provided with a polymer chemical coating at points of contact with the glass vials, thereby further reducing the friction between the vials and the points of contact and the effects of impact of the vials with contact points of the pharmaceutical filling line.

To provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing pillow packages provided with a fixing tape with high efficiency while preventing damage to the pillow packages. The method for manufacturing pillow packages includes placing a pillow package 1a among a plurality of pillow packages conveyed by a conveying section 21 on an inclined placement section of the conveying section 21 to incline the pillow package 1a in a predetermined direction to thereby expand the gap between a pillow package 1b placed next to the pillow package 1a on the conveying section 21 and the pillow package 1a and bringing a cutting blade 25 into contact with a string of double-sided tape 16 bonded between the pillow package 1a and the pillow package 1b to cut the double-sided tape 16.

A carton assembly machine for cartons (17) for packing articles (15, 15′), comprising means for feeding an unassembled carton in a feed direction, the said carton having a plurality of side flaps or panels (18, 19) whose folds are essentially parallel to the said feed direction folded onto a central portion (25) of the carton, the said machine further comprising a movable element (26) designed to move between a first position away from the route of the carton and a second position in which the said element is designed to be Inserted underneath, at an edge (27) of at least one of said side flaps or panels (19), so that the latter is raised with respect to the said central portion, in particular, in cooperation with the carton feeding.