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

**机会**工业自动售货机(IVMS)通过将高价值资产、组件和个人防护装备(PPE)直接分配给工人，可以显著提高工作场所的效率。然而，目前占主导地位的技术(廉价的储物柜和螺旋线圈IVMS)有很大的局限性。重量传感器技术在IVMS中的使用受到限制，主要是因为组件技术的高成本。此外，对于现有的基于重量的IVMS，一旦订购了货架、抽屉和/或垃圾箱的一套配置的系统，由于内部布线和机电一体化，系统不容易改变，导致不能很好地满足不断变化的客户需求。**目标**这个为期18个月的试验性开发项目支持Inventor-e，一家在商店和资产管理方面拥有专业知识的英国中小企业，以开发一种创新的、低成本的IVM来打破现状。“Mod-iVend”将开发一种新的IVM，其中包括基于新型廉价重量传感器的物品箱。利用无线技术，各种大小和形状的垃圾箱，以及现场重新配置货架的能力，也将确保该解决方案是模块化的和可重新配置的-这是行业的第一次。此外，我们将利用Inventor-e的新型物联网技术(Smartie Asset Tag)来跟踪/控制资产的使用和部署，并根据特定的作业代码和我们的库存软件SOURCERER进行部署。这将使用蓝牙低能耗(BLE)智能标签和BLE网关技术从自动售货机自动检入和检出资产。**好处**Mod-iVend将通过监控特定工作角色的个人防护设备合规性，帮助最终用户降低成本，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，并确保员工的安全。

**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.