Modular iVend Scale (Mod-iVend) - a modular weight-based Industrial Vending Machine (IVM)

模块化 iVend 秤 (Mod-iVend) - 基于重量的模块化工业自动售货机 (IVM)

• 批准号: 51665
• 金额: $ 24.76万
• 依托单位: INVENTOR-E LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Study
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=51665
• 关键词: Modular; iVend; Scale; Mod; modular

**Opportunity**Industrial Vending Machines (IVMs) can significantly increase workplace efficiency by dispensing high value assets, components and personal protective equipment (PPE) directly to workers. However, the currently dominant technologies (cheap locker and helix-coil IVMs) have significant limitations.The use of weight-sensor technology in IVMs, which would address these limitations, has been limited primarily due to the high cost of component technology. Additionally, with existing weight-based IVMs, once a system is ordered in a set configuration of shelves, drawers and/or bins, due to the internal wiring and mechatronics, the system cannot be changed easily, resulting in poor flexibility for meeting changing customer needs.**Objectives**This 18-month experimental development project supports Inventor-e, a UK SME with expertise in stores and asset management to develop an innovative, low-cost IVM to disrupt the status quo. "Mod-iVend" will develop a new IVM to include novel, cheap weight sensor-based item bins. Utilising wireless technology, a range of sizes and shapes of bins, along with the ability to reconfigure shelves in-the-field will also ensure the solution is modular and reconfigurable - firsts for the industry.Furthermore, we will leverage Inventor-e's novel IoT technology (SMARTIE asset tags) to track/control asset usage and deployment to specific job codes and SOURCERER, our inventory software. This will provide automated check in and check out of assets from the vending machine using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) SMARTIE tags and BLE gateway technology.**Benefits**Mod-iVend will help to reduce costs for end-users by preventing theft of goods, ameliorating inappropriate issuance of high-value items, accurately tracking assets, and logging employee asset responsibility as well as ensuring workers are kept safe through monitoring PPE compliance to specific job roles.

** 机会 ** 工业自动售货机（IVM）可直接向工人分发高价值资产、组件和个人防护设备（PPE），从而显著提高工作场所的效率。然而，目前占主导地位的技术（廉价的锁定器和螺旋线圈IVM）具有显著的局限性。在IVM中使用重量传感器技术将解决这些局限性，主要由于组件技术的高成本而受到限制。此外，对于现有的基于重量的IVM，一旦系统以架子、抽屉和/或箱子的一组配置订购，由于内部布线和机电一体化，系统不能轻易改变，导致满足不断变化的客户需求的灵活性差。目标 ** 这个为期18个月的实验性开发项目支持在商店和资产管理方面拥有专业知识的英国中小企业Inventor-e开发一种创新的、低成本的IVM，以打破现状。“Mod-iVend”将开发一种新的IVM，包括新颖、廉价的基于重量传感器的物品箱。利用无线技术、各种尺寸和形状的储物箱，以及沿着现场重新配置货架的能力，也将确保该解决方案是模块化和可重新配置的，这在业内尚属首次。此外，我们将利用Inventor-e的新型物联网技术（SMARTIE资产标签）来跟踪/控制资产使用和部署到特定作业代码和我们的库存软件SOURCEER。这将使用低功耗蓝牙（BLE）SMARTIE标签和BLE网关技术，从自动售货机自动登记和结账。**优势 **Mod-iVend将通过防止货物被盗、改善高价值物品的不当发放、准确跟踪资产、记录员工资产责任以及通过监控PPE合规性确保工人安全来帮助最终用户降低成本。