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.

A packaging blank having a multilayer structure for forming a package includes a fibrous base layer, a layer of gas-barrier material, a plurality of layers of heat-seal plastic material, a hole configured to allow the molding of a lid-spout assembly about the hole and a separation membrane covering the hole and comprising a layer of gas-barrier material. The separation membrane comprises one or more weakening lines defining a plurality of covering portions.

A method for controlling a flow regulating valve (6) of a filling machine (1), controlling the flow of pourable food product, envisages: receiving an inlet pressure measurement (P.sub.IN) from a pressure sensor (14); receiving an inlet flow measurement (F.sub.IN) from a flow meter (16); determining a control signal (S.sub.c) for controlling an operating position of the flow regulating valve (6) by combined contributions (C.sub.1, C.sub.2) of a flow feedback control module (22), receiving at its input a flow set point (F.sub.SP) and the inlet flow measurement (F.sub.IN) and generating a first control contribution (C.sub.1) indicative of a difference between the inlet flow measurement and the flow set point; and a flow feed-forward control module (20), receiving at its input the inlet pressure measurement (P.sub.IN) and the flow set point (F.sub.SP) and generating a second control contribution (C.sub.2) as a function of the flow set point and inlet pressure measurement, using pre-stored fluid-dynamic maps, which may be a result of a characterization of the flow regulating valve in a test condition. The flow feed-forward control module uses the fluid dynamics maps in a dynamically adaptive manner, depending on different operating conditions of the filling machine and/or the related pourable food product, thereby adapting to the same different operating conditions and/or the pourable food product.

A method for controlling a flow regulating valve (6) of a filling machine (1), controlling the flow of pourable food product, envisages: receiving an inlet pressure measurement (P.sub.IN) from a pressure sensor (14); receiving an inlet flow measurement (F.sub.IN) from a flow meter (16); determining a control signal (S.sub.c) for controlling an operating position of the flow regulating valve (6) by combined contributions (C.sub.1, C.sub.2) of a flow feedback control module (22), receiving at its input a flow set point (F.sub.SP) and the inlet flow measurement (F.sub.IN) and generating a first control contribution (C.sub.1) indicative of a difference between the inlet flow measurement and the flow set point; and a flow feed-forward control module (20), receiving at its input the inlet pressure measurement (P.sub.IN) and the flow set point (F.sub.SP) and generating a second control contribution (C.sub.2) as a function of the flow set point and inlet pressure measurement, using pre-stored fluid-dynamic maps, which may be a result of a characterization of the flow regulating valve in a test condition. The flow feed-forward control module uses the fluid dynamics maps in a dynamically adaptive manner, depending on different operating conditions of the filling machine and/or the related pourable food product, thereby adapting to the same different operating conditions and/or the pourable food product.

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.

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.

An apparatus and associated method are provided for manufacturing a smokeless tobacco product including tobacco material and at least one object. A forming unit is configured to form a continuous supply of a pouch material into a continuous tubular member defining a longitudinal axis. A tobacco insertion unit is configured to introduce tobacco material into a pouch member portion of the tubular member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce objects into the tubular member, with at least one of the objects being introduced into the pouch member portion. A closing and dividing unit is configured to close and divide the tubular member at intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof, to form the tubular member into a plurality of discrete pouch member portions such that each discrete pouch member portion includes the tobacco material and the at least one of the objects.

An apparatus and associated method are provided for manufacturing a smokeless tobacco product including tobacco material and at least one object. A forming unit is configured to form a continuous supply of a pouch material into a continuous tubular member defining a longitudinal axis. A tobacco insertion unit is configured to introduce tobacco material into a pouch member portion of the tubular member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce objects into the tubular member, with at least one of the objects being introduced into the pouch member portion. A closing and dividing unit is configured to close and divide the tubular member at intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof, to form the tubular member into a plurality of discrete pouch member portions such that each discrete pouch member portion includes the tobacco material and the at least one of the objects.

An example system comprises a water-soluble unit dose article comprising a fibrous non-woven sheet shaped to form a sealed internal compartment and a granular laundry detergent comprised within the internal compartment. The sheet comprises fibres which comprise polyvinyl alcohol polymer. The granular laundry detergent comprises perfume particles. The system also comprises sealing jaws, whereby at least one of the sealing jaws is a heated sealing jaw. A top seal of the internal compartment is sandwiched between the jaws. A first of said jaws comprises a protruding portion along a longitudinal direction of the seal. The protruding portion has a base along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seal. The base has a dimension of more than 3 times and of less than 20 times a thickness of the water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet.

An example system comprises a water-soluble unit dose article comprising a fibrous non-woven sheet shaped to form a sealed internal compartment and a granular laundry detergent comprised within the internal compartment. The sheet comprises fibres which comprise polyvinyl alcohol polymer. The granular laundry detergent comprises perfume particles. The system also comprises sealing jaws, whereby at least one of the sealing jaws is a heated sealing jaw. A top seal of the internal compartment is sandwiched between the jaws. A first of said jaws comprises a protruding portion along a longitudinal direction of the seal. The protruding portion has a base along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seal. The base has a dimension of more than 3 times and of less than 20 times a thickness of the water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet.