Packaging device and method for packaging discrete medicaments in pouches

A packaging device for packaging discrete medicaments in pouches, the packaging device comprising:

• a web drive for guiding an elongated web of pouches in a transport direction (T) along a web trajectory (P),
• a sealing station along the web trajectory (P), wherein the sealing station is configured to apply a seal in the elongated web to form at least a part of a pouch,
• a driven output roller downstream of the sealing station in the transport direction (T), and
• a control unit that is operationally connected to the sealing station and the web drive, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the steps of:
• a) controlling the web drive to drive the elongate web in the transport direction (T) along a web trajectory (P) at a constant transport torque (T1) of the output roller;
• b) controlling the web drive to cease the transportation of the elongate web and controlling the sealing station to locally apply a seal to the elongate web for forming at least a part of a pouch;
• and
• c) controlling the web drive to drive the output roller at a constant first velocity (V1) to increase the torque back to the transport torque (T1),
• wherein the control unit is arranged to reverse the direction of the output roller during step b) to reduce the torque on said output roller.