Apparatus for producing a rod of aerosol-generating material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first feed device adapted to supply a first web of aerosol-generating material to a processing unit, a second feed device adapted to supply a second web of aerosol-generating material, and a web changeover unit arranged to change supply of aerosol-generating material to the processing unit from the first web of aerosol-generating material to the second web of aerosol-generating material. The web changeover unit is configured to position a leading edge of the second web of aerosol-generating material adjacent to a trailing edge of the first web of aerosol-generating material upstream of the processing unit during changeover from the first web of aerosol-generating material to the second web of aerosol-generating material. A method of producing a rod of aerosol-generating material is also disclosed.

A splice arrangement includes an unwinding arrangement for unwinding a finite first material web from a first material roll or a finite second material web from a second material roll, a braking arrangement for applying a braking force to the unwinding arrangement and/or the finite material web being unwound, a connection arrangement for connecting the finite material webs to form an endless material web, a storage trolley for the uninterrupted conveying of the endless material web, at least one material web tension-influencing device arranged before the storage trolley, and an actuation device, which is in signal connection with the at least one material web tension-influencing device for actuating the same.

The splicing device for splicing a trailing edge of a first web material to a leading edge of a second web material includes members defining a feed path of the web material. The device also includes a first cutting member and a second cutting member, cooperating with the first cutting member. One of the two cutting members is provided with a movement transverse to the feed path of the web material, to move the cutting member from an operating position, in which it is in front of the other cutting member, to an idle position, withdrawn with respect to the feed path of the web material.

The invention concerns a splice arrangement with a first and second unwinding unit for unwinding a finite first or second material web and a connection apparatus. The connection apparatus comprises a guide, a first preparation apparatus and a second preparation apparatus. The connection apparatus also has a first and second connection apparatus for connecting the finite material webs to form an endless material web and a table unit, displaceable along the guide, for cooperation with the preparation apparatus and the connection apparatus. The splice arrangement further comprises an actuation apparatus for actuating the connection apparatus as well as the table unit.

The present disclosure relates to a method for splicing a web of packaging material, comprising: guiding the web of packaging material through a splicing device comprising one or more imaging devices, a slitter, and a sealing unit; acquiring a first set of images of one or more areas of the packaging material, storing the acquired first set of images, slitting the web of packaging material in one or more locations to form a tail end and a head end of a web of packaging material, aligning the head end and the tail end and superimpose one on the other in preparation for forming a splice, utilizing the imaging devices and the stored acquired first set of images to fine tune the alignment of the head end and the tail end, sealing the splice.

The apparatus and method for splicing substantially flat continuous material (10) comprises a transport unit (1) for transporting a first substantially flat continuous material (70) and a second substantially flat continuous material (71) to a splicing location. The transport unit is adapted to transport the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material parallel to each other forming an overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material in the splicing location. A pressure unit (3) is arranged in the splicing location. The pressure unit is adapted to apply a mechanical impact onto at least a part of the overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material, thereby at least partially merging the first substantially flat continuous material with the second substantially flat continuous material.

A splicing tape management system includes, in executing properly the management of a time limit of a splicing tape, a first storage section configured to store an identification code of a splicing tape for splicing a first carrier tape and a second carrier tape together and a usable time limit of the splicing tape while associating them with each other, and a management section configured to manage the use of the splicing tape based on the identification code and the usable time limit that are stored in the first storage section. The usable time limit is a timing when the use of the splicing tape is to be halted, the timing being determined based on a production time and a usable period after production of the splicing tape or based on a starting time in use and a usable period after starting time of the splicing tape.

A bag-making and packaging machine includes a film supply unit that supplies film to a bag-making and packaging unit. The film supply unit has a film roll holding unit that rotatably holds a first film roll, a film temporary placement member on which a vicinity of a leading end portion of a first film wound into the first film roll is manually temporarily placed when attaching the first film roll to the film roll holding unit, a leading end portion detection sensor configured to detect that the leading end portion of the first film is positioned in a prescribed position, and a controller configured to control a rotating mechanism to convey the first film along a predetermined conveyance path until the leading end portion detection sensor detects that the leading end portion of the first film is positioned in the prescribed position.

A control device, that based on number one and number two component presence signals, respectively calculates number one and number two cutting points of number one and number two tapes from predetermined pitch of number one and number two cavities, and number one and number two distances between number one and number two detection positions and number one and number two cutting positions. By this, cutting points can be specified even when tapes have different pitches between cavities, and the tapes can be spliced reliably.

The apparatus and method for splicing substantially flat continuous material comprises a transport unit for transporting a first substantially flat continuous material and a second substantially flat continuous material to a splicing location. The transport unit is adapted to transport the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material parallel to each other forming an overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material in the splicing location. A pressure unit is arranged in the splicing location. The pressure unit is adapted to apply a mechanical impact onto at least a part of the overlap portion of the first substantially flat continuous material and the second substantially flat continuous material, thereby at least partially merging the first substantially flat continuous material with the second substantially flat continuous material.