A system and control method for determining an amount of paper product dispensed from a dispenser or remaining in the dispenser is provided. The paper product is initially loaded in the dispenser as a paper product formation, such as a roll or stack of the product. At defined intervals, a digital image of an aspect of the paper product formation in the dispenser is taken and transmitted to a digital imager processor. A feature of the digital image that changes as the paper product formation decreases in size as the paper product is dispensed is analyzed and compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the paper product formation to determine an amount of the paper product dispensed or remaining in the dispenser.

A method, apparatus and program product may utilize packaging material quality compensation to sense changes in certain characteristics of a packaging material that can be associated with increased risks of film breaks, and automatically make certain changes in machine settings to mitigate the impact of those enhanced risks.

An automatic splice preparation process for splicing between two rolls of a material in web format, such as paper, and a system for carrying out same, wherein the positioning system for positioning the paper web of the new roll is displaced automatically by a robotic arm, the displacement of which is verified and corrected through machine vision device, to locate and capture the edge of the web in a controlled manner. The robotic arm is provided with a head incorporating the machine vision device and gripping areas, such that the movement of the assembly established by a program, verified and corrected, if needed, through the signals generated by machine vision system which are preferably made up of at least three machine vision cameras positioned in the central area and at the ends of the head.

A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section that a medium is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium in a feeding direction; a separation unit that separates the medium with the feeding unit; an operation detection unit that is disposed at a position facing a surface of the medium in the medium mounting section and detects a movement of the medium in the feeding direction; an interval forming unit that forms an interval in the feeding direction between a trailing end of a first medium which is the lowest medium fed among media mounted on the medium mounting section and a trailing end of a second medium which is bound with the first medium and stacked on the first medium; and a control unit that stops feeding of the medium based on a detection interval by a detection value of the operation detection unit.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loading table on which a bundle of sheets is stacked, an identification mark on an end face of the sheet loading table, and an imaging unit to identify the identification mark.

The invention relates to a method for winding up a web of material (4) by means of an apparatus (1) including at least: one winding-up space (2) for accommodating an at least partially wound up web of material (wound roll (3)) having a winding center (Z); means for conveying and/or manipulating the web of material prior to and/or during winding-up; including the following steps: a) operating the apparatus (1); b) monitoring the web of material (4) and/or the resulting wound roll (3) by means of at least one image capturing device (30) for obtaining at least one current state (actual state) of the web of material (4) and/or of the wound roll (3); c) comparing at least one actual state to at least one target state and corresponding to the actual state, and determining at least one deviation of the actual state from the corresponding target state; d) if the deviation exceeds/falls below at least one predetermined limit value, performing a correction of at least one operating parameter of the apparatus (1) which operating parameter is at least a contributing factor for the deviation.

A sheet stacking device includes a sheet stacker, an image capturing device, and circuitry. The sheet stacker stacks a sheet. The image capturing device captures an image of a whole face of the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker. The circuitry detects a size of the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker, whether the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker is a last sheet, or whether an image is formed on an image forming face of the sheet, based on image data of the image captured by the image capturing device.

A reading apparatus includes a reader, a conveyor, motors and a hardware processor. The reader reads a surface of a recording medium with an image formed. The conveyor includes rollers disposed along a conveyance path that passes through a reading area of the reader, and conveys the recording medium being laid across the rollers. The motors rotate the rollers. The hardware processor controls operations of the motors such that the rollers located farther downstream in a conveyance direction of the recording medium rotate faster. As to at least one motor of the motors, the hardware processor switches between and performs a first control to adjust a rotational speed and a second control to adjust a torque, depending on an operating state of the motor.

Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.

The invention relates to a consumable-material handling device for transporting and/or handling at least one consumable material (12a; 12b), in particular packaging material, comprising at least one at least partially autonomous handling unit (14a; 14b), which is at least provided for handling the consumable material (12a; 12b). According to the invention, the machine tool comprises at least one, in particular at least partially autonomous, mobility unit (16a; 16b), on which the handling unit (14a; 14b) is arranged and which is at least provided for enabling locomotion, in particular at least partially autonomous locomotion, of the handling unit (14a; 14b).