EDITOR’S CHOICE
The hidden bottleneck in warehouse operations By Nigel Smith, CEO, TM Robotics
W
arehouse automation is usually associated with highly visible technologies, from autonomous
mobile robots to automated storage and retrieval. However, the pace of an inbound operation can still be determined by something far simpler: how quickly and safely employees can open cartons arriving on the conveyor. Opening a carton appears straightforward in isolation. Repeated hundreds of times an hour, however, it becomes a variable process involving manual handling, sharp tools and pressure to keep goods moving. Box dimensions, board thickness, tape position and contents can change from one carton to the next. This is why operators must adjust their technique while working at the speed of the line; a blade inserted too deeply can damage stock, while an incomplete cut can delay lid removal, decanting and put-away. These factors can impact speed of production, along with several others Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC). They include dock-to-stock cycle time and the number of lines received and put away per hour, both of which are used to assess the Manual carton opening affects both variables by making them dependent on operator speed, carton variation and cutting-tool changes. Aside from production line speeds, we must also consider workers’ safety. Health and Safety lifting or carrying accounted for 17 per cent of employer-reported non-fatal workplace injuries in Great Britain during 2024-25. The HSE’s hand- knife guidance also advises businesses to eliminate manual cutting through automated methods where reasonably practicable. These guidelines particularly impact carton opening which, of course, combines repetitive material handling with regular use of cutting tools.
TARGETING OVERLOOKED PROCESSES
All of these pressures explain why warehouse businesses are examining smaller processes alongside major automation projects. In a survey of logistics and supply-chain executives, McKinsey & Company found that 70 per cent planned with speed, process stability and reduced labour
24 May/June 2026 Irish Manufacturing
Why automated box opening can improve safety, throughput and inventory protection.
tasks involving high labour hours, repetition and injury risk as strong candidates for automation.
early enough for delays to affect every stage that follows.
Rather than redesigning an entire facility,
existing conveyors, software and downstream equipment. Yet, automated carton opening requires A system must identify each carton, measure its dimensions, calculate a cutting path and respond safely to material changes or obstructions.
A REAL MACHINE-BUILDING APPLICATION
This challenge has already been addressed in a real original equipment manufacturer (OEM) development project. Automation specialist CASI worked with TM Robotics, its UK and European sales partner, and Shibaura Machine to develop the CASi-IBOD, or Intelligent Box Opening Device, an inline alternative to manual carton cutting. TM Robotics and CASI have worked together for more than 15 years, with the former company leading customer engagement and providing local technical support. The CASi-IBOD is equipped with a SCARA
robot for its rigidity. TM Robotics helped customise the robot’s internal parameters, programmable logic controller settings and cutting algorithms. Photoelectric and displacement sensors measure each carton before cutting, while torque monitoring
helps detect resistance from heavy tape, staples or Real-world applications have demonstrated that
the CASi-IBOD can cut carton tops at up to 500 boxes per hour while reducing product-damage up to 550 boxes per hour, rising to 950 in a duo arrangement with automated lid removal. The system can also process mixed box sizes
in any order and apply three-sided, four-sided or customised cutting patterns. Blade monitoring warns when the tool begins to dull, while light curtains, impact sensors, emergency stops and safety tunnels separate employees from the cutting area.
REDESIGNING AN OVERLOOKED TASK The strongest automation opportunity is not always the most complex or visible. It may be a routine process accepted despite consuming labour, to avoidable risk.
operators can improve safety, protect inventory and create a more predictable route from dock to stock, returning attention to the simple process that can determine the pace of everything that follows.
https://www.tmrobotics.com/
www.irish-manufacturing.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
