Building Vending Machine from Scratch

[simtechlabs]

I've been tasked with designing and assembling a small countertop vending machine. On hand we have 2 spare machines, one from a Chinese company TCN, and one from Seaga. Considering reusing their board, wires, and trays and just repackaging it in a homemade case. Or should I go find a UCB kit that includes motors, nayax, etc, and assemble from there? How difficult is the whole process of rewiring, reprogramming? Very new to the vending machine business. Thank you!

[NYCandyMaN]

i am assuming youre an engineer of some sort, there are many videos on youtube, you can even use the pi to convert all electronics

[Vendo Mike]

We offer a countertop version that might prevent you having to reinvent the wheel. 

https://www.vendoco.com/vending-equipment

 

[simtechlabs]

43 minutes ago, NYCandyMaN said:

i am assuming youre an engineer of some sort, there are many videos on youtube, you can even use the pi to convert all electronics

At a very basic level yes, just recently graduated and this is a small start up. So we are all learning as we go. I do have some experience in industrial electronics. What do you mean by pi? 

[simtechlabs]

4 minutes ago, Vendo Mike said:

We offer a countertop version that might prevent you having to reinvent the wheel. 

https://www.vendoco.com/vending-equipment

 

I did suggest that we go with a premade route but the investors were insistent on building one in house. In the future if they decide to go a different route we will be in contact, thank you!

[Vendo Mike]

Sounds good.  Have fun!

[tblake05]

USI has a small countertop unit as well that pop up from time to time for sale second hand at pretty OK prices.  I think they use the GVC1 board so fitting it with a credit card reader 'shouldn't" be too difficult.

[NYCandyMaN]

21 hours ago, simtechlabs said:

At a very basic level yes, just recently graduated and this is a small start up. So we are all learning as we go. I do have some experience in industrial electronics. What do you mean by pi? 

i think its called rasberry pi

[AZVendor]

21 hours ago, simtechlabs said:

I did suggest that we go with a premade route but the investors were insistent on building one in house. In the future if they decide to go a different route we will be in contact, thank you!

Your investors are idiots.  They, besides yourself, aren't asking the industry, us, for advice.  There have been many, many versions of countertop vending machines over the years that barely sold to operators.  The money made in this business is with full size machines in good locations that can support them.  Using Chinese crap and Seaga machines (made with Chinese crap parts) is not a good start.  You don't say what your machine will be for but I can guarantee the business will fail because of the idea of a countertop vending machine.  Get out while you can and DO NOT invest in this company.  It will fall by the wayside in less than, say, 3 years.

[Vendo Mike]

With the right product in the right location, a countertop could be very profitable.  If you move your mindset away from snacks/drinks and on to higher margin products like headphones and such.  We offered one for PPE and hand sanitizer during COVID but our timing wasn't right.