With our mechanism working as planned, we're able to take a step back and look at ways we can further improve our design and make plans to further expand on our design. One of the most glaring flaws of our design as it stands is the compression created in the blue 3D printed hook-like mechanism attached to the wooden frame when the mechanism is operating. When the claw pushes the bag into the hook-like mechanism of the wooden frame, the hook-like object deforms, as pictured below:
Figure 7.1: An animated visual showing the deformation of the hook-like mechanism when in use, stretching wider when in the arm pushes the bag inside
While it allows the mechanism to apply the necessary friction forces on multiple sides of the bag, this deformation will result in the part breaking over time. This problem was slightly alleviated by removing the infill of the bottom row (as seen in Figure 7.1), but the issue is still present regardless and would be worth looking into in a future revision.
When looking to expand our design, it'd be interesting to look into finding a way of inserting goods into the reusable plastic bag and resealing them once filled. While the mechanism in its current state is not something companies would want to purchase, being able to fill and/or reseal the bags in addition to opening them could result in a machine akin to that of a food processing plant, as seen below:
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Figure 7.2: A YouTube video showcasing the process of packaging at a potato chip processing plant
Adding these features onto our preexisting design could give our mechanism a niche in terms of food processing and could be worth looking into as part of a future revision.