An unwind station for a packaging machine may be configured to form wrappers having different sizes from a web of packaging material and supply the wrapper to a wrapping station. The unwind station may include a base configured to support the web of packaging material and a carriage configured to selectively slide in a longitudinal direction on the base. A rotating blade can be configured to periodically score the web to form a break line extending between lateral sides of the web. A first conveyor arm and a second conveyor arm may project longitudinally outward from the carriage. The first conveyor arm and the second conveyor arm can each include a low-speed conveyor configured to transport the web to a high-speed conveyor. The high-speed conveyor is configured to separate the wrapper from the web as the break line passes a shear point between the low-speed conveyors and the high-speed conveyors.

A creasing unit for creating fold lines in cardboard, comprising two crease rollers (110, 112), each crease roller having a circumferential protrusion (114, 116) adapted for indenting cardboard to create a fold line, wherein the crease rollers (110, 112) are rotatably mounted next to each other such that each crease roller (110, 112) can rotate about its own centre axis (122, 124) and each crease roller (110, 112) is movable between at least a first position for creating a fold line and a second position for either allowing cardboard to pass the respective crease roller (110, 112) without being indented by the respective crease roller or for creating an additional indented line being less deep than the fold line.

In response to a request to package item(s), embodiments determine characteristic data for the item(s), which include an indication of a volume of each item. Container(s) for packaging the item(s) is determined based at least on the volume of each item. An arrangement of the item(s) in the container(s) is determined. One or more protective structures including one or more features are configured to position the item(s) in the container(s) according to the arrangement. Relative positions are determined for a plurality of modular elements to form the one or more protective structures. Subsets of the plurality of modular elements are deposited to corresponding relative positions to form at least one of the protective structures. The item(s) are packaged in the container(s) with the one or more protective structures to position the item(s) in the container(s) in the arrangement.

A control apparatus is provided. The control apparatus includes: a packaged medicine preparation unit discharging a bundle of packaged medicines in which a large amount of medicines are prepared by one capsule in a single dose to perform a post-process on the bundle of packaged medicines for a specific purpose based on a medicine dispensing request; and a post-processing unit introduced with the bundle of packaged medicines discharged from the packaged medicine preparation unit to perform the post-process thereon.

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. 3-D printed packaging systems of one or more entities may be transmitted to an aggregator and used for, among other things, optimizing shipping and fulfillment of packages.

A method for packaging discrete medicaments in pouches in a packaging device includes transporting the elongated web along a web trajectory, printing information on the elongated web related, feeding the discrete medicaments to the elongated web, inspecting the elongated web to determine whether there is a fault related to the elongated web, and in response to a fault being detected, printing a fault indication or a fault symbol on the elongated web, and forming an empty pouch at the position of the fault indication or fault symbol.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

Example methods and systems are disclosed for on-demand packaging of one or more items. According to one example, a method can include receiving an order for the item(s) and determining characteristic-information for the item(s) using a computer system. The characteristic-information includes an indication of at least a size and a shape of the item(s). The method also includes processing the characteristic-information based on design criteria to determine an arrangement of the item(s) within at least one container volume, and a configuration for a protective structure to hold the item(s) in the arrangement within the container volume(s). The method can further include, in response to the processing the characteristic-information, forming the protective structure according to the configuration, placing the item(s) into the protective structure according to the arrangement, and placing the protective structure and the item(s) in the container volume(s).

A flap folding unit (90) for folding flaps of lids of boxes, comprising a hinged guiding element (94) adapted for contacting a flap to be folded upon relative movement of the guiding element and the flap and guiding the flap towards its intended final position and an extendable pusher (96) adapted for pushing the flap into its intended final position.

Adjustable tables for use in packaging forming systems and related methods are provided. An adjustable table for use in a packaging forming system can include outer side panels and moveable inner side panels moveably connected to the outer side panels with the outer side panels held stationary relative to the moveable inner side panels. The adjustable table can also include a table top secured to the moveable inner side panels. The table top and the inner side panels are configured to move upwardly or downwardly relative to the outer side panels.