Why did closing the carton gaps remove the gripper's way out?

The gripper drawing currently shows only a held case. I've requested the opening envelope and added numbers to the placement order so we can discuss the same position.

Which placement loses the opening space?

The final case in the second layer. Earlier placements have a free side. The final one ends up enclosed on both finger sides by cases already placed.

Could the final case go in first? Obvious question, but I've watched everyone redesign tooling before anyone tried changing the little arrows.

Worth drawing, but the new last case still has to go somewhere. I'd trace the whole revised order before declaring the last-placement problem gone.

There may also be a withdrawal problem even where the fingers can open. Ask for both motions on the drawing, especially beside the completed first row.

Changing the order moves the trapped position to another case. The supplier says they could grip across the other pair of faces, but packaging hasn't assessed those faces for that contact.

There goes my cheap answer.

Are those faces different internally? Our cartons looked symmetrical outside but weren't once we looked at the inserts.

Yes. The current insert backs one pair of faces and leaves more space behind the other pair. I don't know whether the proposed contact is acceptable there.

Send an opened sample as well as filled ones to that discussion. Otherwise the tool person may keep treating a printed rectangle as four interchangeable sides. Packaging can explain what the insert actually supports.

Another tool concept could be worth comparing now. Do not assume changing the carton is cheaper just because the gripper proposal arrived first.

The tool supplier is costing another concept while packaging reviews the side contact. We're also checking a lower-count pattern. Dispatch dislikes that option because it changes the number of pallets.

Fewer cartons may still win on total hassle, though dispatch gets to put a real cost beside its objection. I meant cost, not just a vote.

What happens to the last part-filled pallet? We found that was the arrangement nobody had drawn at all.

Good catch. Part-filled pallets are common here and the packing lead wants them included. Thanks, Sofia Chen; our current comparison only shows completed stacks.

I'd get the proposed handling and dispatch conditions into packaging's assessment too. Supporting the carton while it sits still is only one part of how you'll use that stack.

Packaging has ruled out the proposed contact on the unsupported faces for these cartons. The other tool and lower-count arrangement are still being compared, with part-filled pallets included.

Did dispatch manage to price the extra pallets? Curious whether that objection stays as strong once the alternative tooling has a price.