Packaging apparatus and methods include a plurality of article grippers driven by independently controlled motors in an end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for picking articles, grouping articles, adjusting group pitch and placing article groups in packages where incoming articles and packages are continuously or intermittently moving and without motion of the entire EOAT in the direction in which articles and packages are picked and moved. Hole healing and incoming product registration apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Packaging apparatus and methods include a plurality of article grippers driven by independently controlled motors in an end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for picking articles, grouping articles, adjusting group pitch and placing article groups in packages where incoming articles and packages are continuously or intermittently moving and without motion of the entire EOAT in the direction in which articles and packages are picked and moved. Hole healing and incoming product registration apparatus and methods are disclosed.

A method for processing of glass containers includes: simultaneously subjecting the glass containers to a first processing step; and simultaneously subjecting the glass containers to a second processing step after the first processing step. At least one of before or during at least one of the first processing step or the second processing step an outer container surface of each glass container is contact-free or in contact with a material having a lower hardness than that of the glass container or only in contact with such materials.

A system for end-folding a wrapping onto a stack of bags includes a folding machine having a first folding station and a second folding station. The first folding station configured to receive the stack of bags with the wrapping partially covering the stack of bags and defining wrapping flaps, and is further configured to end-fold one or more of the wrapping flaps of the wrapping onto the stack of bags while leaving other flaps unfolded. The second folding station is downstream from the first folding station is configured to receive the stack of bags from the first folding station and further end-fold unfolded wrapping flaps of the wrapping onto the stack of bags.

A system for end-folding a wrapping onto a stack of bags includes a folding machine having a first folding station and a second folding station. The first folding station configured to receive the stack of bags with the wrapping partially covering the stack of bags and defining wrapping flaps, and is further configured to end-fold one or more of the wrapping flaps of the wrapping onto the stack of bags while leaving other flaps unfolded. The second folding station is downstream from the first folding station is configured to receive the stack of bags from the first folding station and further end-fold unfolded wrapping flaps of the wrapping onto the stack of bags.

The gripper (2) according to the invention comprises a first receiving plate (6) for receiving a first product portion (5a) and a second receiving plate (7) for receiving a second product portion (5b), wherein the receiving plates (6, 7) are movable relative to one another, and a first movable stop (9) which is movable relative to the first receiving plate (6), and a second movable stop (10) which is movable relative to the second receiving plate (7). The gripper (2) is distinguished by the fact that the first stop (9) and second stop (10) are movable relative to one another so as to move the product portions (5a, 5b) towards one another when the gripper (2) is closed such that the product portions (5a, 5b) then overlap one another.

Disclosed are a method as well as an apparatus used to transfer and place articles (12) into outer packages (16), which are open at the top and which each receive at least one article group (18), which is composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is in each instance seized as a group by means of at least one handling device (46) and is placed from above into one of the outer packages (16). An article group (18), which has been seized by the handling device (46), already is compacted or will be compacted during a procedure of being placed into the outer package (16) in terms of the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18), and it is subsequently spread out.

Disclosed are a method as well as an apparatus used to transfer and place articles (12) into outer packages (16), which are open at the top and which each receive at least one article group (18), which is composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is in each instance seized as a group by means of at least one handling device (46) and is placed from above into one of the outer packages (16). An article group (18), which has been seized by the handling device (46), already is compacted or will be compacted during a procedure of being placed into the outer package (16) in terms of the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18), and it is subsequently spread out.

An apparatus and a method for the transfer of components for inhalers or vaporizers from a loading station in which the components arrive randomly oriented, toward one or more work stations, to which said components are delivered oriented according to a predetermined orientation.

A work station (40) for a packaging line having an apparatus (4) for executing a simultaneous action on packages (10) of an alignment of packages with a tool (46); and a transfer mechanism (31) for the simultaneous transport of an alignment of packages to be processed (10b) to the apparatus (4) and of an alignment of processed packages (10c) from the apparatus (4). The alignments are arranged parallel to each other and the transport direction of the packages are perpendicular to the alignments, the transfer mechanism (31) thus having a first and a second transport group (31a, 31b), one of which hangs from two movable parts (60) of the transfer mechanism (31) which are movable on respective parallel planes of movement and which do not interfere with the vertical projection of the tool (46). A packaging line (101, 102, 103) with modular construction having such work stations.