Methods and apparatus described for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine comprising a plurality of sub-systems. One or more local variable values are received, which indicate measurements by the food packaging machine of one or more physical parameters for a local sub-system. One or more remote variable values are received, which indicate measurements by the food packaging machine of one or more physical parameters for one or remote sub-systems. One or more control parameter values are determined for the local sub-system of the food packaging machine, by processing the remote variable values and the local variable values using a reinforcement learning model and a local control model. One or more control parameters of the local sub-system are adjusted in accordance with the determined control parameter values. The formation of individual packages by the food packaging machine is controlled in accordance with the adjusted one or more control parameters.

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are described for controlling web tensioning in a food packaging machine comprising a plurality of sub-systems. One or more local variable value are received, which indicate measurements by the food packaging machine of one or more physical parameters for a web tensioning sub-system. One or more remote variable values are received, which indicate measurements by the food packaging machine of one or more physical parameters for one or remote sub-systems. One or more control parameter values are determined for the web tensioning sub-system, by processing the remote and the local variable values using a reinforcement learning model and a local control model. One or more control parameters of the web tensioning sub-system are adjusted in accordance with the determined control parameter values.

A splice mechanism (100) for a packaging assembly (10), the packaging assembly (10) including: a former shoulder (12); a controller (14); a film drive (16) controlled by the controller (14) for feeding a film (112) at a film speed to the former shoulder (12) to form a tubular film (22) moving in a film direction (20); a sealing device (24) to seal the tubular film (22) in a first sealing direction (26), the first sealing direction (26) being parallel to the film direction (20); a set of jaws (28) controlled by the controller (14) and movable at a jaw speed to engage and seal the tubular film (22) in a second sealing direction (30) to form a first seal (32) and a second seal (34) in each bag, thereby forming a closed bag (36), the splice mechanism (100) including: an active film roll (110) from which film (112) is drawn to be fed to the former shoulder (12) by the film drive (16); a second film roll (120) having film (122) for feeding to the former shoulder (12); a film roll holder (130) holding the active film roll (110) and the second film roll (120) such that film (112) from the active film roll (110) extends along a film path (140) to the former shoulder (12) and the second film roll (120) is accessible; a splice roller (150) against which film (122) from the second film roll (120) is placed, the film (122) having a film end (124), the film end (124) having an adhesive (126), the splice roller (150) being movable between a free position, wherein the film path (140) is unimpeded by the splice roller (150), and a splice position, wherein the film path (140) is tangential to the splice roller (150) at a splice point (142) on the film path (140).