An automatic packaging machine for enclosing packages in a pliable film includes a conveyor for moving a package through the packaging machine, an end seal bar configured to cut and/or seal a pliable film transversely to a longitudinal axis of the pliable film, and first and second side sealers disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor and configured to cut the pliable film along the longitudinal axis of the pliable film. The side sealers are automatically moved in a vertical direction to align the side sealers with a centerline of the package. The side sealers are also automatically moved in a horizontal direction to approximate a known width of the package.

A method for monitoring equipment and gathering consumption and diagnostic information can comprise receiving, at a server, a corrugate usage indicator. The corrugate usage indicator can comprise information relating to an amount of corrugate used by a first packaging system. The method can also comprise creating a usage profile for the first packaging system. The usage profile can comprise a corrugate usage profile. The corrugate usage profile can comprise an association between the amount of corrugate used by the first packaging system and the specifications and number of boxes created. Additionally, the method can comprise automatically generating, based upon the corrugate usage profile, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the first packaging system will be depleted.

The present invention relates to a recognition system for recognizing containers to be filled with a given type of product, wherein the containers are equipped with a device for closing and opening the mouth through which the product to be introduced into the container is designed to pass. The closing and opening device is equipped with NFC electronic identification means. A corresponding reading and writing device for reading and writing said NFC electronic identification means is provided in the station for filling of the container and, in view of accommodating the container and the device for closing and opening its mouth, such station is conformed with at least the area configured to receive the device for closing and opening the mouth having a three-dimensional shape that mates the three-dimensional shape that the closing and opening device assumes when it is open to allow the container to be filled and/or emptied through the mouth.

A mailer machine including a mailer supply station (e.g., a rotary mailer supply station, a linear mailer supply station, a non-linear mailer supply station, or the like) and a handling station operatively coupled to the mailer supply station. The mailer supply station provides, on a selective basis, mailers having different attributes. The mailer supply station of the mailer machine provides for movement of magazines with respect to a robot in the handling station that may have a distal end secured in a stationary and fixed location. As such, different magazines with dissimilar mailers may be moved to a picking location adjacent the robot, as dissimilar mailers are required. Further, the mailers within the magazines may be moved to a pre-determined pick-up location such that the robot is repeatably picking a mailer from the pre-determine pick-up location.

A first scoreline, and a perforated line along which a lid can be severed are formed beforehand in a lid sheet. The portion of the lid sheet along its first adjustment side is cut off in a strip shape by a first cutter. The portion of the lid sheet along its second adjustment side is cut off in a strip shape by a second cutter.

A weigh-in-motion scale system for a linear synchronous motor conveyor and a method for weighing objects on a linear synchronous motor conveyor are described herein. In one embodiment, the weigh-in-motion scale system includes a support structure for supporting the following: a weigh cell, a section of a linear synchronous motor conveyor track, a vehicle for transporting an object, and an object; and a weigh cell on the support structure on which a section of a linear synchronous motor conveyor track rests directly or indirectly. In one embodiment, the method includes transporting a vehicle with an object thereon along a section of a linear synchronous motor conveyor track; and at a weighing station while the vehicle with the object thereon is being transported, weighing the section of a linear synchronous motor conveyor track, vehicle, and object to determine the weight of the object.

An adaptive container loading assembly is provided and includes a container forming assembly, a container shuttle assembly, and a product transport assembly. The container forming provides a plurality of varying sized containers. The container shuttle assembly is positioned adjacent to the container forming assembly and includes a linear synchronous motor guideway shaped in an endless loop, and a plurality of transport vehicles moveable about the guideway, each transport vehicle a leading shuttle and a trailing shuttle spaced apart by a determined distance to accommodate and receive the plurality of varying sized containers. The product transport assembly is positioned adjacent the container shuttle assembly and includes a robot arm to position product in the plurality of varying sized containers.

A method and a system for erecting boxes from box templates of different sizes, said method comprising the steps of: adjusting a size of a frame according to a size of a box template which should be erected; wrapping the box template to be erected around the frame; and separating the frame from the box template.

The invention relates to a device for cushioning at least one object (12a-c) in a container (10a-c), comprising a cushioning material provisioning system (19) for the provision of cushioning material (28a-c) and a request means (25) which is coupled to the cushioning material provisioning system (19) and which outputs a signal to the cushioning material provisioning system (19) in order to request cushioning material (28a-c), the request means (25) allowing acoustic signals, in particular voice signals, to be converted.

A packaging system for high flexibility and speed box-last packaging comprises one or more dimensional scanning sensors that are configured to scan a group of one or more target products that are to be boxed and gather dimension information describing physical dimensions of the group of one or more target products. The system also comprises one or more packaging-production machines that are configured to generate custom-made packaging templates that conform to a pre-determined set of packaging template types. Additionally, the system comprises a packaging template buffer that comprises physically divided sections that contain multiple packaging templates selected from the pre-determined set of packaging template types that are generated by the one or more packaging-production machines. Each of the packaging templates are organized within the physically divided section based upon packaging template type.