Automated Bag Knotting Tool

Operators at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Rochester site currently use a “twist & tape” method to seal multiple bagged products. The repetitive nature of this task leads to wrist strain and injury, resulting in in worker compensation costs. Our team was tasked to design and implement a tool to seal these bags without causing excess wrist motion. To solve this problem, we developed an automatic knotting tool, capable of tying and sealing bags of various sizes. Designed for ease of use, it offers a fast and reliable sealing method while minimizing operator effort. With operator convenience in mind, it minimizes strain and excess motion through the integration of an external tool balancer, enhancing both usability and ergonomics.