Industrial vending machines that dispense needed products to employees, such as health and safety items or packages of supplies, are designed to automate warehouse management, therefore saving time for procurement managers. How is this realized - how does the distribution process, including the replenishment of products in the dispensing machines, work?

How do industrial automatic dispensing machines work?

At our company ASD Systems we design and manufacture vending machines for businesses, especially large and medium-sized manufacturing plants and offices. The topic of vending machines - the use and management of them - in this context is somewhat narrow. Our machines are not standard, they are automatic warehouses that streamline the dispensing of products for employees inside companies, such as on the production floor. For this reason, they "work" quite specifically.

From the employee's point of view, the matter is simple - he receives an employee card and uses it to retrieve the necessary products, indicating where the cost occurred.

This retrieval is recorded by the system in real time, and the employee who manages it has a full view of the inventory from the IDS application. In it, he can set alerts for the minimum number of pieces of an item. In this way, he checks or is informed which products need to be replenished (or ordered or reported to the purchasing department). What's next.

What does replenishing products in the dispensing machine look like?

Refilling or replacing products in a dispensing machine is done in several ways - it all depends on the type (tumbler or spiral machine) and the model of the machine. We have designed three options for loading the machines, and a given model may offer all options or two, or one selected.

  • Loading through the open door of the v ending machine - this is such a basic option, which is great when the machine is replenished with a large number of pieces of one or more types of product. It also allows quick adjustment (in terms of dimensions) of the chambers in the vending machine to the dimensions of a given product.
  • Loading through flaps in the door - this is a faster solution and we recommend it especially when refilling products of many different types in smaller numbers. There are small flaps in the door of the machine, so you don't have to open the machine each time, which saves a lot of time.
  • Vending machinedrum scanning system - an innovative and most convenient option available in a drum machine. The system automatically detects where specific products are loaded, which significantly reduces loading time and makes the whole process extremely easy. All you have to do is use the touch panel.

Depending on the type of machine, the way the chambers are configured also differs, i.e. in a drum machine we adjust the dimensions of the shelves, and in a spring system - the winding itself. The configuration possibilities of springs are almost unlimited and can be combined into larger designs. On the other hand, regardless of the model, we adjust the capacity and layout of the machine each time according to current needs. And this allows you to get a well-stocked warehouse in the smallest possible space.

Our vending machines can also be expanded with auxiliary units and equipped with a storage terminal, which is used to visualize the entire actual storage area and order products.

How is the vending machine managed?

To manage the automatic warehouse system, we have prepared a proprietary IDS application, which can be accessed by a device with the Internet. We have already mentioned that it allows you to monitor stock levels and receive alerts about the need to replenish a particular product, but that's not all. It is a "command center" - products and their categories, companies and distributors, machines and users: individual employees and their groups. What else?

  • Assigning products to employees. The manager assigns authorizations to employees - in relation to the use of a given machine and the downloading of specific products or their categories by position or type of work, but also access to IDS modules.
  • Limiting product downloads. For specific employee profiles, you can also set the maximum number of pieces of a product to be downloaded at a given time, e.g. in a month, quarter. These permissions are fully editable, and the limit itself can apply to one, several or all assigned products.
  • Product labeling. In the PRO version of the vending software, all those products available in the system can still receive individual labels, thanks to which employees and warehouse workers will know the statuses of the items - e.g. new, used, used - which significantly improves the distribution system.
  • Reporting and data transfer. From all data on products, picks, users and cost centers, the system automatically generates useful statements and reports to support billing or optimization of the entire warehouse management. These can also be automatically sent to others.

In addition, the IDS software connects to the ERP system, and the functionality of the machines is extended according to the customer's needs - with the possibility of implementing processes important for optimizing supply, such as ordering products.

What benefits do vending machines bring to a company?

  • Time and labor savings. The organization of supply is simplified. There is no need for 24-hour presence of supply staff at work - the employee takes the necessary products himself, the system records them on an ongoing basis, the manager has real-time access to all the necessary information.
  • Reduction of procurement costs. By giving permissions to groups of employees, including limits on downloads, products are used by the right people and long enough. The cost of procurement decreases and the purchasing policy changes - from quantity to quality, which promotes the efficiency of the plant.
  • Warehouse under full control. Without manual record-keeping and inventory - the entire automated warehouse works like a Swiss watch. Eliminating the risk of human error translates into process stability, including the lack of the need to organize work stoppages. And this also means big savings.

Naturally, there are many more benefits of using employee automatic dispensing machines! We will be happy to talk to you about them - feel free to contact ASD Systems specialists.

FAQ:

Where does the vending machine system prove itself?

The dispensing machine system works well primarily in large manufacturing and industrial workplaces, but also in education, medical facilities or large-scale offices.

What do vending machines dispense in companies?

Vending machines dispense products of various types: all those that are needed and generate costs - from health and safety items, consumables (such as abrasives) or MRO, to personal protective equipment, tools and office accessories.

How does the replenishment or replacement of products take place in the dispensing machine?

At ASD Systems, we have designed three options for loading products into the vending machine - either through an open door, a flap in the door, or using a drum scanning system. Depending on the type and model of machines, we use selected or all options.

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