Packing material product and method and apparatus for making, monitoring and controlling the same

A diagnostic system for performing real time diagnostics on a crimping machine, the system comprising:

• a machine resident monitoring system for controlling and monitoring operation of the crimping machine;
• a remote processor for performing diagnostic functions based on information retrieved from a crimping machine;
• and
• a communication device for facilitating real time communication between the monitoring system and the remote processor.

A method of making crimped, elongate strip segments, said method comprising the steps of:

• supplying a stock material;
• providing a conversion machine including a shredder, a feeder assembly and a crimping barrier for converting the stock material into the crimped, elongate strip segments;
• using the conversion machine to convert the stock material into the crimped, elongate strip segments;
• monitoring the operational status of the machine;
• generating signals in accordance with such status;
• and
• communicating the generated signals in real time to a remote processor.

A diagnostic system for performing real time diagnostics at a remote service station on a conversion machine at a packaging site, the system comprising:

• a machine resident controller, resident in the conversion machine, for controlling and monitoring operation of the machine;
• a remote processor, at the remote service station, for performing diagnostic functions based on information retrieved from the machine resident controller;
• and
• a communication device for facilitating real time communication between the machine resident controller and the remote processor, whereby skilled personnel at the remote service station may perform real time diagnosis on the conversion machine at the packaging site.

In combination, a conversion machine at a packaging site and a diagnostic system for performing real time diagnostics on the conversion machine at a remote service station, the combination comprising:

• a conversion assembly which converts a stock material into crimped, elongate strip segments;
• a controller, resident near the conversion machine, for controlling and monitoring operation of the conversion assembly, determining a status of the conversion assembly, and generating signals in accordance with such status;
• a remote processor at a remote service station;
• and
• a communication device for communicating the status of the conversion assembly to the remote processor, whereby a skilled personnel at the remote service station may perform real time diagnostics on the conversion machine.

A method of making crimped, elongate strip segments, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a conversion machine including a conversion assembly for converting stock material into the crimped, elongate strip segments at a packaging site;
• activating the conversion assembly to convert the stock material into the crimped, elongate strip segments at the packaging site;
• monitoring the operational status of the conversion assembly at the packaging site;
• generating signals in accordance with such status at the packaging site;
• and
• communicating the generated signals to a remote processor at a remote service station, whereby a skilled personnel at the remote service station may perform diagnostics on the conversion machine.