A method for precursor production includes A) providing a multitude of container precursors, and in each case a) providing a sheet-like composite, having a first longitudinal edge, a further longitudinal edge and, from the first longitudinal edge to the further longitudinal edge: i. a first longitudinal crease, ii. a second longitudinal crease, iii. a third longitudinal crease, and iv. a fourth longitudinal crease. The method includes b) producing a first longitudinal fold characterized by a first internal angle along the first longitudinal crease and a third longitudinal fold characterized by a third internal angle along the third longitudinal crease; c) producing a second longitudinal fold characterized by a second internal angle along the second longitudinal crease and a fourth longitudinal fold characterized by a fourth internal angle along the fourth longitudinal crease; d) contacting and joining the first longitudinal edge to the further longitudinal edge thereby obtaining a longitudinal seam.

A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine is provided. The method includes forming a corner wall by folding a first pair of a plurality of reinforcing panels inwardly towards a respective side panel and into face-to-face contact with a second pair of the plurality of reinforcing panels, rotating the side panels and end panels to be substantially perpendicular to a bottom panel such that an interior surface of at least one reinforcing panel of the plurality of reinforcing panels is in contact with an interior surface of the first side panel, and coupling at least one other reinforcing panel of the plurality of reinforcing panels to one of the end panels to form the container.

Systems and methods for processing a sheet having a printed underside. A gap between a feeder and a processing machine provides visibility to the printed underside, cameras capture images of the printed graphics through the gap, and a processor stitches the captured images together into a continuous image of the printed underside, including registration marks, corners or edges, and a sheet identifier. Processing instructions are retrieved from storage using the detected sheet identifier and are executed along processing paths calculated from detected information regarding locations of the registration marks and the corners or edges. A material guide positioned above the material path may be configured to constrain the sheet vertically as it passes over the gap and to reduce overhead light from interfering with the image capture.

Folding apparatus (1) for folding sheet packaging elements (2), comprising main conveying means (12), configured to sequentially receive the packaging elements (2) from a feeding station (13) and to advance each packaging element (2) along a first path (A), forming means (15), carried by the main conveying means (12) and configured to cooperate in use with a first face (2b) of each packaging element (2) while the packaging element (2) is advanced along the first path (A), and folding means (18), advanced by auxiliary conveying means (16) along a second path (Q), having a first portion (Q1) distinct from the first path (A) and a second portion (Q2), which is in common with the first path (A) and along which the folding means (18) cooperate with a second face (2a), opposite the first face (2b), of each packaging element (2) to fold the packaging element (2) against the forming means (15).

Method and system for making custom-sized open packaging boxes from cardboard having a width W.sub.CBB and corresponding separate closing lids from cardboard having a width W.sub.CBL, the cardboard being continuously supplied to a system comprising structure for cutting, creasing and folding the cardboard to form custom-sized boxes and corresponding lids such that each box comprises a rectangular bottom panel having four edges, a first and a second rectangular end panel joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of said bottom panel, a first and a second rectangular side panel joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of said bottom panel, two first and two second rectangular corner panels, the first corner panels joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of the first end panel, and the second corner panels joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of the second end panel, each lid comprises a rectangular top panel having four edges, a first and a second rectangular end panel joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of said top panel, a first and a second rectangular side panel joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of said top panel, optionally two first and two second rectangular corner panels, the first corner panels joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of the first end panel and the second corner panels joined via respective crease lines to opposite edges of the second end panel, said method comprising: a step of obtaining information on the desired minimum inner dimensions length L.sub.D, height H.sub.D and width W.sub.D of a box to be created, a calculating step of calculating the dimensions of the panels of a box and of the panels of a lid on the basis of the desired minimum dimensions taking into account predetermined optimization criteria, and a step of creating the box and the lid, wherein said calculating step comprises allowing the inner height of the side panels of the box to be smaller than the desired inner height of the box if (W.sub.D+2 T.sub.CBB+2H.sub.D)>(W.sub.CBB−M.sub.B), wherein MB denotes an optional minimum margin that is cut off at the sides of the cardboard supplied and wherein T.sub.CBB denotes a material dependent correction factor generally corresponding to the thickness of the cardboard used for the box, and/or if 2H.sub.D>L.sub.D and choosing the inner height of the side panels of the lid template so that the inner height of the side panels of the box plus the inner height of the side panels of the lid equals at least the desired height.

A system and method of packing an order. A first sequence of bins corresponding to orders is transported on a first conveyor to a packing station. A case for each order is constructed by a case forming system, the case forming system able to construct cases from blanks of various sizes. The cases are transported from the case construction apparatus to the packing station in a second sequence, wherein the sequential order of the cases corresponds to the bins in the first sequence. The bin in the first sequence are brought to the packing station with the cases in the second sequence.

In erecting a carton from a knock-down carton blank, the blank is placed on a base of a bed of a shuttle such that a bottom side panel of the blank abuts the base. The bottom side panel of the blank is then gripped with a gripper of the base and a top side panel of the blank is raised while advancing the shuttle in a horizontal direction so as to open said knock-down carton blank into a carton sleeve.

A system for processing a packaging in assembly comprising a main transportation unit (102); and a manipulator transportation unit (104) having at least one manipulating unit (110), said manipulating unit mounted on at least one independently motion controlled mover (108) and adapted for manipulating a material component of a package (106) in assembly present at the main transportation unit, wherein said manipulating unit comprises an engagement device (112) for temporarily engaging a material component of a package in assembly while being in transit.

A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, two side panels, two end panels, and a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side panel. The machine includes a hopper station, a corner post forming station, and a plunger station. The method includes rotating the reinforcing panel assembly upwardly toward the first side panel as the blank is transported from the hopper station to the corner post forming station, forming a corner wall and a reinforcing end tab by folding reinforcing panels about fold lines as the blank is transported through the corner post forming station, rotating the side panels and the end panels to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel by directing the blank through the plunger station, and coupling the reinforcing end tab to an end panel to form the container.

A multivariable perforated adjustable height box is provided with improved folding, bending, and separation of adjacent panels. The multivariable perforated adjustable height box may include a box, columns, rows, glue tabs, column scores, row scores, perforations, cuts, skips, and bundle breakers. Perforation patterns may be irregular, angled, shifted, or otherwise configured to increase usability, strength, and/or other aspects of the packaging. A method to produce a packaging device with improved folding, bending, and separation of adjacent panels using the multivariable perforated adjustable height box is also provided.