Include how they arrive at pickup. A person turning each carton to find the best face is a process step, even if the vacuum pickup then works beautifully.

Keep the intended contents in the examples too. I do not know your box construction, but an empty demonstration would leave the packed load and deformation questions unanswered.

Actual packed samples selected. The proposed cups cross tape on some incoming orientations; demo operator chose a clear face.

Is that orientation choice permitted in your planned station, or would somebody need to inspect and turn each carton before it reaches the robot?

Someone would have to turn some. Current proposal has no person assigned to that step.

Then ask for two explicit comparisons: the proposed incoming presentation, and an optional prepared presentation with its labour included. Neither should borrow results from the other without saying what changed.

Manual preparation might still earn its place. I would measure it rather than dismiss it, but start the comparison before that work begins.

Agreed with packing. First check stays as received; a separately recorded preparation option is allowed if it needs one.

What counts as an unsuccessful transfer in the test? It should include the carton condition and final placement, not only whether the cups initially acquire it.

And release into the receiving station. A box can make the journey and still need someone to square it or free it from the tool, which belongs in Nathan's comparison.

Have the supplier agree the test conditions and failure response before the trial, rather than let an operator improvise around a marginal pickup while everyone watches

Supplier's controlled comparison retained the as-received tape case as a failure. Prepared orientation passed their initial handling check, but packing timed extra preparation and noted final-position checks still outstanding.

Does that extra work replace anything the packer already does, or is it entirely added? The answer matters more than whether preparation sounds like a small task.

Entirely added in this layout. No shared inspection or label step to absorb it.

Then keep the as-received failure and prepared result separate in the decision sheet. A summary saying carton trial passed would erase the work that made the second result possible.

I have declined the as-received concept as offered. Prepared option remains a separate costed proposal, with release and final placement still to assess.

Thanks for reporting the split result. Will packing own the final comparison as well, so the extra preparation does not disappear when the tooling quote is revised?