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

**机会**工业自动售货机（ivm）通过直接向工人分发高价值资产、组件和个人防护设备（PPE），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ivm）有很大的局限性。在ivm中使用重量传感器技术可以解决这些限制，但主要由于组件技术的高成本而受到限制。此外，在现有的基于重量的ivm中，一旦订购了一套货架、抽屉和/或垃圾箱配置的系统，由于内部布线和机电一体化，系统无法轻易更改，从而导致灵活性差，无法满足不断变化的客户需求。这个为期18个月的实验性开发项目支持Inventor-e，一家在商店和资产管理方面具有专业知识的英国中小企业，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，各种尺寸和形状的垃圾箱，以及在现场重新配置货架的能力，也将确保解决方案是模块化和可重新配置的，这在行业中是首创的。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/控制资产的使用情况，并将其部署到特定的工作代码和SOURCERER（我们的库存软件）。这将使用蓝牙低功耗（BLE） SMARTIE标签和BLE网关技术，为自动售货机的资产提供自动登记和结帐。**好处**Mod-iVend将通过防止货物被盗，改善高价值物品的不当发行，准确跟踪资产，记录员工资产责任，以及通过监控特定工作角色的PPE合规性来确保工人的安全，从而帮助最终用户降低成本。

**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.