A device for folding web material in a plant for producing layered composite articles includes: a first guide defining a feeding plane for feeding a web material; a second guide positioned downstream of the first guide and defining a receiving plane for receiving the web material, wherein the receiving plane is substantially orthogonal to the feeding plane. A folder is arranged between the first guide and the second guide and includes an elongated edge having a first end close to the first guide and a second end close to the second guide. The elongated edge is extended from the first guide towards the second guide in the receiving plane and away from the feeding plane, in order to progressively move an intermediate portion of the web material away from the feeding plane and fold in two the web material as it travels from the first guide towards the second guide.

Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of engaging members rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item with a first engaging member away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second engaging member back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a travel path into and out of contact with the diaper.

A device for applying pieces to absorbent articles includes a supporting shaft rotating an axis; anvils rotating about the axis; a cutting unit operating with an anvil contact surface defining a cutting station for cutting a web into pieces; pads, each having a retaining surface for a piece, are moved about the axis for conveying a piece from the cutting station to a releasing station for release onto a substrate. Each pad rotates for varying the orientation from the cutting station, where the larger side of the pad is parallel to feed of the web, to the releasing station, where the larger side of the pad is transversal to the feed of the receiving substrate, and vice versa. Each pad translates parallel to the pad axis, away from and towards the shaft axis. Each pad has an oscillating movement about its own axis.

A method for automatically replacing reels in an unwinding assembly capable of carrying out the handling operations of the reels, as well as preparing and joining the tail of the web of the finished reel with the head of the web of the new reel in a simple, efficient way, reducing the risk of malfunctions and maintaining the correct orientation of the new web as that of the finished web.

Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing products having custom graphic designed are disclosed. A method may comprise printing a first order identifier graphic on a substrate material, the first order identifier graphic associated with a first order for a first set of products, printing a first set of one or more graphic designs on the material, the graphic designs associated with the first order, combining the material with one or more product components to form the first set of products, each of the products of the first set of products being associated with the first customer order and at least one of the products of the first set of products comprising the first order identifier graphic, performing a print quality inspection on the print test graphic, and after determining the print test graphic failed the print quality inspection, culling each of products associated with the first order.

The invention relates to a turning apparatus for a production plant (2) for sanitary products, in particular adult or baby diapers, the turning apparatus having a drum (12) which rotates about a geometrical drum rotational axis (11), and at least one plate (14) which is spaced apart radially from the drum rotational axis (11) and is coupled to the drum (12), which plate (14) comprises a suction face (15) for the transport of sanitary material pieces (16), which suction face (15) holds the respective sanitary material piece (16) by means of a vacuum during the transport, the plate (14) having a geometrical vertical axis (17) which runs radially with respect to the drum rotational axis (11), the plate (14) receiving the sanitary material piece (16) with a first orientation about the vertical axis (17) in a first transfer region (18), and transporting the sanitary material piece (16) from the first transfer region (18) to a second transfer region (20) along a setpoint transfer path (19) which runs in the circumferential direction around the drum rotational axis (11), the suction face (15) being rotated with the sanitary material piece (16) about the vertical axis (17) during the transport, the plate (14) outputting the sanitary material piece (16) in the second transfer region (20) with a second orientation which is different than the first orientation about the vertical axis (17). It is proposed that, during the receiving and/or outputting, the plate (14) carries out a non-linear compensation movement relative to the drum (12) with a radial movement component.

Apparatus and methods are provided to minimize waste and improve quality and production in web processing operations. The apparatus and methods provide defect detection in deposition of acquisition material, which on current machines frequently flips and is difficult to detect when it has flipped causing manufacturers to scrap thousands of products. Using the present invention, defects are able to be detected by discerning a difference in the appearance from side to side with a vision camera, and an acquisition inverter can flip the material to a correct orientation.

A folding apparatus for a continuous web for production of absorbent hygiene articles and intended to be folded into a “V” or “U” shape in first and second longitudinal portions along a folding line parallel to a feeding line. A folding section includes a contact unit extending along the feeding line and defining the folding line. First and second guides are positioned on opposite sides of the contact unit and respectively have first and second sliding surfaces. The first and second sliding surfaces extend in a helical fashion along the feeding line, each having a respective infeed section, where the web is not folded, and a respective outfeed section, positioned downstream of the respective infeed section according to a web feeding direction, where the web is folded in two and has the first portion and the second portion set at an angle to each other.

A method of folding a pant-like disposable absorbent garment includes providing a garment defining first and second waist side regions, a waist center region positioned therebetween, and a crotch region longitudinally below the waist center region. In particular embodiments, the method further includes folding the garment along a transversely extending fold line so as to bring the crotch region into superposed relation with the waist center region; providing a chute having a floor and first and second side walls; urging the garment into the chute; and, while the garment is in the chute, folding the garment along longitudinally extending first and second fold lines so as to position the first and second waist side regions over the waist center region. The first and second fold lines are adjacent the first and second side walls, respectively.

A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus includes a cutter mechanism to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles and a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the discrete articles from a web receiving location to an article placement location. The transfer mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis, a carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis, and a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the carriage units including a puck operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location.