Plastic bag opening tool

thingiverse

I am designing an electronic component we use at work that arrives in individually-sealed plastic bags rather than bulk packages of 25 due to the manufacturer's desire to minimize waste or simplify production. My tool quickly and easily solves this issue by clamping onto the edge of a table up to 1.75" (45mm) thick, securing itself with a sturdy 1/4"-20 bolt featuring a reliable hex nut. I engineered my solution using a slot at the top to hold an X-Acto or similar knife blade for precision slicing through the plastic bags. However, if necessary, you can stabilize the blade further by gluing it in place or inserting a shim - ideally created from material such as printer bed skirt which provides ample friction. You need sufficient pressure between the table and my device to secure the tool properly so that it effectively holds the cutting knife; otherwise, you might require an extra mechanism like adhesives to ensure a proper seal. The material left over from removing the printing surface can make excellent makeshift wedges to hold the blade firmly in position if additional force is required. This solution has greatly streamlined the unboxing and handling of these electronic components for our team. By eliminating tedious hand-cuts and other forms of manual processing, this innovation frees up more time for productive tasks rather than struggling with excessive packaging waste from sealed plastic bags.