Comments on: Parts Vending Machine http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/ Tinysaurs and Hacking and Nonsense Mon, 07 May 2012 11:42:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jason Olshefsky http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-7631 Jason Olshefsky Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:31:32 +0000 http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/#comment-7631 If I do actually steal this idea, I'll be sure to give you credit. Although I begin to wonder how I'd limit a machine to <50 items and what I'd fill it with. If it's something I can think of, I probably already have it, and I suspect other electronics makers are the same way. If I do actually steal this idea, I’ll be sure to give you credit. Although I begin to wonder how I’d limit a machine to <50 items and what I'd fill it with. If it's something I can think of, I probably already have it, and I suspect other electronics makers are the same way.

]]> By: Shawn http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-7580 Shawn Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:21:41 +0000 http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/#comment-7580 Metrix Create:Space in Seattle has a vending machine for parts & crunchies, they might be able to help. http://metrixcreatespace.com/ http://everythinginthesky.com/post/223770618/this-thursday-oct-15-metrix-create-space-will Metrix Create:Space in Seattle has a vending machine for parts & crunchies, they might be able to help.
http://metrixcreatespace.com/
http://everythinginthesky.com/post/223770618/this-thursday-oct-15-metrix-create-space-will

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-7568 Jonathan Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:42:21 +0000 http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/#comment-7568 Haven't seen it in person, but since a vending machine really isn't much more than a bunch of motors, solenoids, lights and switches, consider rebuilding the controller from scratch. It can be a fun project and by selling the original boards as spares it can probably fund itself and maybe even lunch for you and your crew. This may spark your imagination, even though it's a student project and therefore a bit overdone: http://ece.colorado.edu/~ecen4610/expof08/VENDETTA_PDR.ppt If you decide to use a coin box or bill acceptor, see the interface spec at http://www.vending.org/technical/MDB_3.0.pdf which describes the interface to bill acceptors and coin boxes. Other than a tiny amount of electrical interfacing, it's nothing that standard microcontroller UARTs including the ATMEGA haven't been doing for decades. You may have the good fortune of happening upon a machine with separate CPU and driver boards. If you do, that's a good thing because interfacing will mean little more than reverse-engineering the existing board and doing a bit of wiring. If you're not so fortnate, there are motor control shields for Arduino that have more functionality and less I/O than what you'd need but have the advantage of being prefabricated and ready-to-use. To fit within your I/O budget you may wish to borrow ideas from the painfully obvious US Patent 6,008,597 and/or link multiple Arduinos together somehow. Or you might need to assemble your own shield with some power MOSFETs to reclaim I/O for other purposes. Of course, the details of the hack depend on what carcass you have in front of you and how much time and money you're willing to sink into it. Haven’t seen it in person, but since a vending machine really isn’t much more than a bunch of motors, solenoids, lights and switches, consider rebuilding the controller from scratch. It can be a fun project and by selling the original boards as spares it can probably fund itself and maybe even lunch for you and your crew. This may spark your imagination, even though it’s a student project and therefore a bit overdone:

http://ece.colorado.edu/~ecen4610/expof08/VENDETTA_PDR.ppt

If you decide to use a coin box or bill acceptor, see the interface spec at http://www.vending.org/technical/MDB_3.0.pdf which describes the interface to bill acceptors and coin boxes. Other than a tiny amount of electrical interfacing, it’s nothing that standard microcontroller UARTs including the ATMEGA haven’t been doing for decades.

You may have the good fortune of happening upon a machine with separate CPU and driver boards. If you do, that’s a good thing because interfacing will mean little more than reverse-engineering the existing board and doing a bit of wiring. If you’re not so fortnate, there are motor control shields for Arduino that have more functionality and less I/O than what you’d need but have the advantage of being prefabricated and ready-to-use. To fit within your I/O budget you may wish to borrow ideas from the painfully obvious US Patent 6,008,597 and/or link multiple Arduinos together somehow. Or you might need to assemble your own shield with some power MOSFETs to reclaim I/O for other purposes.

Of course, the details of the hack depend on what carcass you have in front of you and how much time and money you’re willing to sink into it.

]]> By: Gregory Weir http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-7567 Gregory Weir Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:06:56 +0000 http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/#comment-7567 Rose-Hulman, the college I attended, has a web-accessible soda machine. You can see its website with contact information at http://soda.cs.rose-hulman.edu/ Rose-Hulman, the college I attended, has a web-accessible soda machine. You can see its website with contact information at http://soda.cs.rose-hulman.edu/

]]> By: eagleapex http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-7565 eagleapex Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:12:59 +0000 http://www.kellbot.com/2010/01/parts-vending-machine/#comment-7565 I've seen a very expensive vending machine at te airport like this one: http://gizmodo.com/5031695/best-buy-vending-machine-haunts-dallasfort-worth-airport I'm sure the machine is expensive too. Have you tried contacting a local vendor for a used one? I’ve seen a very expensive vending machine at te airport like this one: http://gizmodo.com/5031695/best-buy-vending-machine-haunts-dallasfort-worth-airport
I’m sure the machine is expensive too. Have you tried contacting a local vendor for a used one?

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