How to build a vending machine? | Vending Expert Series Ep. 2
Smartven started a new form of informative series on vending machines titled Vending Expert Series. The series with more or less 2-minutes long will be in the format of asking questions to the vending machine expert, and hopefully can help people understand better about vending machines in a less text-book way. Previously we have found out what a vending machine is. The second episode will cover the basic question of “how to build a vending machine?”. Let’s take a look.
Futuristic features
We may have seen various types of vending machines around us. The first type of vending machine that sticks with us is the analogue one, which normally contains snacks and drinks and we pay using cash and coins. At times a vending machine is associated with a commercialised refrigerator, too. But as the technology is advancing, vending machines are also changing. Starting with the term smart vending machines, with LED screens replacing the conventional glass screen to display the products. From there, as less people have cash with them these days, a cashless payment option is installed within the machine.
With how complicated the machine looks and the futuristic features mentioned, how the machine is being made is pure curiosity. A simple vending machine system can be built by ourselves, or sometimes we call it DIY (Do It Yourself), as the main highlight of the system is how we dispense things by motoric input, either from inserting some amount of coins or a programmed language. Aside from the analogue version, vending machines can be built by purchasing machine parts from the factory. It may take 1-2 months for the vending machines to be made from scratch when you order from the factory. But if you choose to buy or rent a vending machine from a distributor, it can only take more or less about 5 days and your machine is ready to go. From there, the machine can be upgraded to cater for our needs such as adding a designated software to manage inventories remotely, adding touchscreens to make the visual more appealing, and even down to choosing the design you want to put on your machine. Depending on the distributor, it is not limited to the smart vending machines only, but analog versions can also be upgraded with both cashless payment system and management system software.
The weekly series will cover more interesting topics about vending machines, so make sure to check the video on Smartven’s YouTube channel, and give it a thumbs up, comment, subscribe and share the video! You can always check our website and Instagram page for more information. Stay healthy and see you in the next episode!
English version by: Nadhiya Pradhanitasari
