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Compact energy supply system in the snack-vending machine of the future

Narrow bend radius and high stability: e-chain® type E2.1 in ultra-modern vending machinery

An incredible all-rounder: in contrast to conventional vending machines on the market, the new machine not only sells sweets, but also offers numerous special functions. The so-called BMC Media Kiosk differs from other vending machines in that the user can put together a customised mix of sweets. The customised bag is then packaged airtight and, if desired, printed with the ingredients of the selected varieties or information on nutritional content. With e-chain® type E2.1, all the necessary functions can be realised in the limited space available - with constant movement of individual cables.

vending machine

vending machine
  • What was needed: energy chain of type E2.1
  • Requirements: Compact cable routing with tight bend radius, high reliability even with constantly moving cables
  • Industry: vending machinery
  • Success for the customer: Several E2.1 energy chains run in the vending machine in the tightest of spaces and without interfering with each other. They enable a long service life for the kiosk while protecting the cables.

BMC Universal Technologies, Nicole Allison, Newmarket, Canada

Problem

The Canadian technology company BMC Universal Technologies has developed a vending machine of the future that can sell more than just sweets. With a 42-inch touchscreen and a 65-inch programmable display on the back, targeted advertising can be displayed. For example, based on the customer data that the vending machine collects from its users. For example, the gender or age of the customer can be recorded and used for better targeting.
However, the core of the vending machine is its interior: instead of simply selecting a specific product from a shelf, customers can have a customised package of ingredients delivered directly to them. The goods are sealed airtight in a bag in front of the customer - everything is clearly visible through a viewing window at the front. The user can also have the ingredients of the selected flavours or information on nutritional content printed on the bag. The challenge was to manage the numerous cables inside the complex vending machine in a safe and space-saving manner.

Solution

Due to the large number of cables in the vending machine, which move in different directions, it was necessary to find an energy supply that was as compact as possible. In order to move the sealed bags of sweets to the dispensing compartment every day in continuous operation, for example, many cables need to be moved safely. BMC Universal Technologies therefore decided to use several e-chain® of type E2.1, which both save installation space in the tightly dimensioned media kiosk and allow safe and failure-free cable routing thanks to their high stability. The narrow bend radius also prevents the e-chain® from getting in each other's way. And another decisive advantage: due to the large advertising spaces and the complex movements inside, the device requires a lot of power. To ensure that the innovative snack vending machine can still be connected to the power supply with a standard wall plug, the energy required to guide the cable must also be kept to a minimum.

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