While waiting for the kit to arrive, I've started to think about the mechanical aspects of the challenge.
Simple acts are sometime difficult to model as they're so simple that we don't really think how we perform them.
The action of taking a cap off involve 3 forces (A, B & C), A & B are used to hold the 2 parts (sharpie & cap) and need to be performed at the same time while the third force (C) will take them apart and should be performed after A & B (while A & B are still on).
To understand and illustrate this a bit better, I've 3D printed a basic "tool" that can be usee to manually take cap off a sharpie.
Bolts are used to hold the sharpie and its cap, they simulate A & B.
Once the sharpie and its cap are hold by A & B, a simple lever is used to take them apart. This lever simulates C.
and ... it works!
That's the simple part of the challenge, now the real thing can starts...
PS: You'll notice that LEGO Technic pieces are very useful when 3D printing quick prototypes! 
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