Packaging machine and method for producing packages from a sheet of packaging material

A packaging machine for producing packages from a sheet of packaging material having a plurality of marks associated with portions of the packaging material, the packaging machine comprising:

• a plurality of tools that perform packaging operations on the packaging material;
• a packaging unit having a closed-loop track along which the plurality of tools are configured to move, wherein the packing unit operates at least one of the plurality of tools on the packaging material when producing the packages;
• a plurality of transport unit units that move independently along the track, wherein each transport unit supports a tool used to perform a different packaging operation on the packaging material, each transport unit further including:
• a sensor device configured to detect a corresponding mark on the packaging material and to generate a position signal indicating the position of the mark relative to the respective transport unit;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the position of the transport unit along the track on the basis of the generated position signal.

A method for producing packages from a sheet of packaging material, the packaging material comprising a plurality of marks associated with corresponding portions of the packaging material, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of transport units, each transport unit supporting a tool configured to perform an operation on the packaging material, the transport units being independently movable on a track;
• providing each of the transport units with a sensor device;
• detecting a corresponding mark with the sensor;
• generating a signal indicating the position of the mark with respect to the transport unit;
• and
• controlling the position of the transport unit along the track on the basis of the generated signal.