Machine and method for producing dunnage having an x-shaped cross-section profile

A method of converting sheet stock material into a dunnage product, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing multiple separate plies of sheet stock material that are independent of each other, each ply having a generally planar shape;
• advancing the separate plies of sheet stock material along separate respective paths;
• while advancing the separate plies of sheet stock material along the separate respective paths, randomly crumpling each of the plies of sheet stock material to form modified plies, each modified ply having a generally three-dimensional shape and laterally-extending crumpled edge portions;
• connecting the modified plies together along longitudinal portions thereof, after each ply has been converted into the generally three-dimensional shape, to form a dunnage strip;
• and
• after the connecting step, separating one of the laterally-extending crumpled edge portions of one of the plies from another one of the laterally-extending crumpled edge portions of another one of the plies to form a continuous dunnage product having an X-shape cross-section;
• wherein the separately randomly crumpling step includes drawing each of the generally planar plies through a separate chute, where each chute has converging side walls.