Systems and methods for supplying a web of packaging material to an indexing-motion packaging machine

The invention relates to a system for supplying a web of packaging material to a packaging machine, the system comprising: a motor (14) rotating a roll (16) of a web of packaging material (12), a conveyor conveying the web (12) from upstream to downstream. The system is characterized in that it further comprises the system further comprises a dancer (36) located downstream of the roll (16) and upstream of the conveyor, the dancer (36) being movable between first and second positions based upon a change in tension of the web (12), and a control circuit (154) controlling the motor (14) and being in communication with at least one sensor (56) sensing the position of the dancer (36), wherein the control circuit (54) controls the motor (14) to rotate the roll (16) to thereby cause the dancer (36) to move from the first position to the second position, wherein the control circuit (54) calculates a starting speed of the motor (14) based upon the movement of the dancer (36) from the first position to the second position, and further wherein the control circuit (54) controls the motor (14) at the calculated starting speed to begin supplying the web (12) to the conveyor.