Integrated protective packaging control

A device, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory containing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

• receive, from an external sensor, item data corresponding to at least one particular item to be packaged, the particular item being associated with a preselected plurality of packaging elements of low density packaging material to be made for packaging the at least one particular item, the plurality of packaging elements comprising first packaging elements and different second packaging elements;
• retrieve information on at least one of the associated packaging elements and an individual or entity associated with the at least one particular item, wherein an association between the preselected plurality of packaging elements and the at least one particular item has been predetermined prior to receiving the item data from the external sensor, wherein the plurality of packaging elements is preselected from among a plurality of different selectable types of packaging elements of low density packaging material, and wherein each of the different selectable types of packaging elements is made by a different process of converting high density supply material to low density packaging material;
• selectively re-configure, based on the retrieved information, a setting for at least one first machine parameter of a first machine of a plurality of machines configured to manufacture the first packaging elements and a setting for at least one second machine parameter of a second machine of the plurality of machines configured to manufacture the different second packaging element, wherein the at least one first or second machine parameter comprises at least one of a maximum for a queue, a minimum for a queue, a maximum delay, a minimum delay, a cleaning cycle parameter, a power restriction, an access level restriction, and a heating element parameter;
• determine machine instructions for activating the first and second machines to cause a simultaneous manufacturing of the first and second packaging elements from the high density supply material;
• concurrently transmit the determined machine instructions to the first and second machines, including:
• transmit first machine instructions to the first machine to cause the first machine to convert high density supply material to low density packaging material using a first process to make the first packaging element;
• and
• transmit second machine instructions to the second machine to cause conversion of high density supply material to low density packaging material using a second process different from the first process to make the second packaging element;
• wherein the processor is further caused to restrict or no longer restrict reconfiguration of settings for one or more of the following machine parameters based on a setting of the access level restriction which was selectively re-configured:
• a film feed rate, a heating time, a heating temperature, a fill material percentage, a maximum allowable fill percentage, and a minimum allowable fill percentage.

A controller comprising a processor and a memory, the controller communicatively coupled to a scanner and to each of a plurality of different types of machines selected from a foam-in-bag machine, an inflated air pillow machine, and a paper dunnage machine, the memory containing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

• receive, from the scanner, item data corresponding to at least one particular item to be packaged, the particular item being associated with a preselected plurality of packaging elements of low density packaging material to be made for packaging the at least one particular item, the plurality of packaging elements comprising first packaging elements and different second packaging elements;
• retrieve information on at least one of the associated packaging elements and an individual or entity associated with the at least one particular item, wherein an association between the preselected plurality of packaging elements and the at least one particular item has been predetermined prior to receiving the item data from the external sensor, wherein the association between the preselected plurality of packaging elements and the at least one particular item has been predetermined in the item data prior to receiving the item data from the scanner, wherein the plurality of packaging elements is preselected from among a plurality of selectable types of packaging elements, each produced by a different type of packaging machine;
• selectively re-configure, based on the retrieved information, a setting for at least one first machine parameter of a first machine of the plurality of different types of machines configured to manufacture the first packaging elements and a setting for at least one second machine parameter of a second machine of the plurality of machines configured to manufacture the different second packaging element, wherein the at least one first or second machine parameter comprises at least one of a maximum for a queue, a minimum for a queue, a maximum delay, a minimum delay, a cleaning cycle parameter, a power restriction, an access level restriction, and a heating element parameter;
• determine machine instructions to cause the first and second to simultaneously make the first and second packaging elements that are associated with the received item data;
• communicate the machine instructions to the first and second machines to automatically and simultaneously make the first and second packaging elements;
• and
• restrict reconfiguration of settings for one or more of the following machine parameters based on threshold levels:
• a film feed rate, a heating time, a heating temperature, a fill material percentage, and a packaging element length.