System and method for automatically packaging an item

A method of custom packaging a plurality of articles, said method comprising:

• providing a system for automatically custom packaging each individual article of the plurality of articles;
• feeding a packaging material from a packaging material source of the system to a packaging station of the system, wherein the packaging material is formed of at least a first layer of material and a second layer of material laminated together;
• moving the plurality of articles along a first conveyor of the system and towards the packaging station;
• scanning an individual article of the plurality of articles with a detecting device of the system prior to the individual article reaching the packaging station;
• sending scanned data with respect to the individual article from the detecting device to a processor of the system;
• calculating, with programming provided in the processor, a length of the packaging material required to package the individual article;
• moving the packaging material from a unexpanded condition to an expanded condition to form expanded packaging material, wherein during expanding, the first layer expands in a horizontal direction and the second layer expands in a vertical direction in response to the first layer being expanded in the horizontal direction;
• forming, with a former of the system in the packaging station, a package section from the expanded packaging material;
• depositing the individual article into the package section;
• and
• sealing, with a sealing mechanism of the system, the package section around the individual article to form a final package.