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 container forming apparatus includes a plurality of forming members that have outer forming surfaces, which are shaped to form pockets in a sheet of material. A plurality of actuators are in mechanical connection with the forming members. The actuators are able to extend and retract the forming members. A controller is in electrical communication with the plurality of actuators. The controller is able to simultaneously extend any one or any combination of the forming members to create a plurality of pockets in a determined pattern in the sheet of material to produce a customized blister pack.

Machinery for packaging articles (15, 15′) in preformed cartons (18), having a conveyor (19) for making cartons travel with an article resting on top of the carton, partially enclosed by the carton, comprising a closing station, in particular having first folding means (24) designed to lift a first side wall of the said carton arranged transversely to the carton progress direction (A) so that it is positioned against the article, in particular towards the rear of the article with respect to the carton progress direction, characterised by the fact that said closing station may be moved parallel to the carton progress direction, wherein the closing station is integral to a sliding surface (20) which is parallel to the surface (26) of the machine on top of which the cartons travel. Packaging method using a machine as described above.

The invention relates to a method for cushioning objects in a container, said method comprising the following steps: a. detecting and/or determining a variable characterizing a residual empty volume of the container by means of at least one sensor, and b. automatically producing at least one cushioning means depending on the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container. According to the invention, a cushioning means is produced only when this results from a comparison of the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container with a limit value.

Techniques for improving packaging systems are described. In an example, a computer system receives item data from a workstation. The item data includes a description of an item. The computer system also receives fit parameters. The fit parameters adjust the fit of items within packaging. The workstation is configured to facilitate packaging of the item. Based at least in part on an input to a packaging decision system, the computer system generates a package decision indicating a package type associated with the packaging of the item. The input is based at least in part on the item data. The packaging decision system is trained based at least in part on packaging data associated with historical item orders. The computer system sends the package decision to the workstation.

A machine for dispensing an aerosol precursor composition for use with aerosol delivery devices. The machine may include a plurality of sources of dispensable, liquid aerosol precursor components. The plurality of sources may differ in the liquid aerosol precursor components being dispensable therefrom. The machine may include a user interface configured to allow a user to select an amount of the liquid aerosol precursor components for dispensing. The machine may also include a dispenser for dispensing the aerosol precursor components in response to the selection made on the user interface.

A method of preparing a packaging box (50) wherein late stage customization (20) is provided on the inside of the packaging box. Late stage customization is provided on a folded packaging box. Late stage customization is provided by an imaging technique selected from laser marking, laser engraving, thermal printing and inkjet printing. The packaging box includes an image-receiving layer adapted to the imaging-technique.

A system for packaging one or more items includes an order arrangement station where the one or more items can be arranged into a stack with a desired configuration. A dimensioning mechanism determines the outer dimensions of the stack and a converting assembly creates a box template that when erected forms a box that is custom sized to the dimensions of the stack. A crowder assembly holds and maintains the stack in the desired configuration while the box template is at least partially folded around the stack. The box template is secured around the stack in the form of a box.

An actuator system for fabricating a cavity within thermoplastic material includes a plurality of actuators arranged in an array. When dimensions of an item are determined, the actuator system may be programmed with data regarding such dimensions to fabricate a cavity for the item. A subset of the actuators, and distances by which each of the actuators is to be extended, may be selected based on dimensions of the item, in order to fabricate a cavity within the thermoplastic material that may accommodate the item therein. Additionally, the actuators and the distances may be selected based on intrinsic or extrinsic data regarding the item, and a cavity fabricated within the thermoplastic material may include one or more buffer zones or protective regions that are specifically formed with respect to aspects of the item.