Methods and a machine for forming a container from a blank

A method for forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine including a servo-controlled transfer assembly, a mandrel assembly, a servo-controlled lateral presser arm adjacent the mandrel assembly, and a servo-controlled folding arm adjacent the mandrel assembly, the method comprising:

• positioning the blank under the mandrel assembly using the servo-controlled transfer assembly;
• wrapping a first portion of the blank about the mandrel assembly using the servo-controlled lateral presser arm;
• wrapping a second portion of the blank about the mandrel assembly using the servo-controlled folding arm, wherein at least one of a speed and a timing of movement of the servo-controlled folding arm is controlled independently of the servo-controlled lateral presser arm;
• and
• ejecting the container from the mandrel assembly after the first portion and the second portion of the blank are wrapped about the mandrel assembly.

A control system for controlling a machine configured to form a container from a blank of sheet material, the control system including a computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for instructing the control system, the control system configured to:

• transmit a first signal to a transfer assembly to instruct the transfer assembly to transfer the blank to a mandrel assembly of the machine;
• transmit a second signal to a first servomechanism to control a first lift mechanism to wrap a first portion of the blank about the mandrel assembly;
• transmit a third signal to a second servomechanism to control a second lift mechanism to wrap a second portion of the blank about the mandrel assembly;
• and
• transmit a fourth signal to a third servomechanism to control a folding arm coupled to the second lift mechanism to wrap the second portion of the blank about the mandrel assembly,
• wherein the first lift mechanism, the second lift mechanism, and the folding arm are independently controlled by the control system.

A method for forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine including a frame, a mandrel assembly mounted to the frame, the mandrel assembly including a mandrel having an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the container, a servo-controlled lateral presser arm adjacent the mandrel assembly, and a servo-controlled folding arm adjacent the mandrel assembly, the machine further including a control system communicatively coupled to the servo-controlled folding arm and the servo-controlled lateral presser arm, the method comprising:

• positioning the blank under the mandrel;
• moving the servo-controlled folding arm at a first speed to wrap a first portion of the blank about the mandrel;
• and
• moving the servo-controlled lateral presser arm at a second speed to wrap a second portion of the blank about the mandrel, wherein at least one of a speed and a timing of movement of each of the servo-controlled folding arm and the servo-controlled lateral presser arm is controlled independently of one another using the control system, and wherein the second speed is different from the first speed.