What is Vendor Machine
Hardware and software make up the two primary parts of every vending machine. The software application handles the technical details, while the hardware parts make up the physical structure. When a vending machine malfunctions, you should be able to repair it quickly and effectively if you are well-versed in all of its parts.
1 Hardware:
The bill acceptor is the most crucial part of the hardware. Dollar bills are accepted, and the system checks and communicates the bill’s value for the transaction. An acceptor for coins is also present. Modern vending machines have credit relays to accept debit and credit cards and complete the transaction in order to accept cashless payments.
In addition to them, there is a keypad for entering your selection and a display showing all the available options and necessary information.
information. There are generally trays of different sizes to send out the products as per the options chosen. The vending machine can have a refrigerator deck to store food items at a safe temperature.
The vend motor is an important component that retrieves the chosen item and drops it on the pick-up tray. Besides, there are certain sensors that send confirmation to the system that the customers have picked up the product, fetched the change and balance, and likewise.
vending machine hardware
2:Software for vending machine:
Every vending machine has core software that accepts the order, validates the currency, and delivers the product. Along with that, modern vending machines use cloud-based software so that you can have complete control over the vending machine. You can access daily data on sales and available stock.
Besides, vending machine troubleshooting and maintenance software solution is equally an integral part now. You can get updates on the device’s health and usage, get alerts when it is not working, get the remote control, and solve technical issues. Moreover, you can communicate with on-site staff through such software and schedule update of applications.
Part 2. How Does Vending Machine Work?
It is essential to know how a vending machine works in order to repair vending machine when it breaks down. There are different types of vending machines available, but the basic functioning is the same in all. Basically, a vending machine keeps a stock of products in different rows, and each of them has a product code.
A customer selects a product from the display by pressing the product code on the keypad. Thereafter, he makes the payment through dollar bills, coins, or credit cards. After deduction as per the product price, the change is returned to the dedicated tray. Then the vending motor activates and goes to the row where the product code matches and picks and drops the product on the tray. The customer collects the product from the slot along with the change. The sensor senses the picking up, and the machine resets to the initial state.
Part 3. What are the Common Issues with Vending Machines?
Here are certain common issues that occur in most vending machines. You need to understand the issues and the reasons behind them so that you can solve them easily.
The machine is DownA vending machine can stop working due to hardware as well as software issues. If any hardware component malfunctions, it can affect the flow of the working process, and the machine can become unresponsive. Similarly, if any critical app gets outdated, hanged, or faulty, the machine will not be able to process the instructions from the customers, and it will be completely down.
The machine Heats Up or Cools Down Erratically If you find a vending machine heating up or cooling up abruptly, the issue is due to improper ventilation. This could be due to the placement of the vending machine very close to the walls which block proper airflow. It can also occur when the cooling fan inside the vending machine is not working. Therefore, it’s essential to monitor the machine’s temperature 24/7.
Vending Door Stuck The older the vending machine, the higher the chances of facing vending door stuck issue. This is because the access panels tend to get dented, and they get worn out. Therefore, the customers can find it difficult to fetch the products. Similarly, it could be hard to open the door and restock. The easiest solution is to replace the door or the access panel whichever is causing the problem, rather than trying out other tricks.
Stuck
vending machine stuck Issue with Apps Vending machines run various apps for accepting orders, displaying content, and much more. If any of these apps running in the background start to malfunction, the entire vending machine may look faulty. This is where you need remote technical support to pinpoint the problem remotely. Thereafter, you can replace the app with a new one or update it to fix the bugs. Dollar Bill Issues One of the frustrating issues that customers commonly face while operating a vending machine is bill invalidation and malfunctioning. The machine may not accept the bill or coin and return it every single time. This could be because the machine fails to recognize the newly released and very old bill or coin.
Similarly, there may not be enough change available to deduct and return the change to the customers. Therefore, you have to check for the availability of change as well as check if the bill validator is working properly. You can call the vending machine company to diagnose bill validator issues.
Out of Stock, The machine showing out of stock is the most common issue you will face in a vending machine. It is not actually an issue because it means the machine has run out of stock for the products it delivers. The message is displayed on the screen when customers choose a product that is out of stock. All you need to do is refill the product and get it back in stock. You can schedule restocking the best-selling regularly if your vending machine’s capacity is on the smaller side.
Part 4. How to Repair & Maintain Vending Machine?
Now that you have understood the common issues with vending machines, let us focus on how to go about their repair and maintenance. We will first discuss how you can solve the technical problem remotely and instantly to reduce the downtime of the vending machine. Most importantly, you will know how to maintain a vending machine to prevent it from halting its regular operation