Public Funding for Inventor-E Limited

**Opportunity** Industrial Vending Machines (IVMs) can significantly increase workplace efficiency by dispensing high value assets, components and personal protective equipment (PPE) directly to workers. However, the currently dominant technologies (cheap locker and helix-coil IVMs) have significant limitations. The use of weight-sensor technology in IVMs, which would address these limitations, has been limited primarily due to the high cost of component technology. Additionally, with existing weight-based IVMs, once a system is ordered in a set configuration of shelves, drawers and/or bins, due to the internal wiring and mechatronics, the system cannot be changed easily, resulting in poor flexibility for meeting changing customer needs. **Objectives** This 18-month experimental development project supports Inventor-e, a UK SME with expertise in stores and asset management to develop an innovative, low-cost IVM to disrupt the status quo. "Mod-iVend" will develop a new IVM to include novel, cheap weight sensor-based item bins. Utilising wireless technology, a range of sizes and shapes of bins, along with the ability to reconfigure shelves in-the-field will also ensure the solution is modular and reconfigurable - firsts for the industry. Furthermore, we will leverage Inventor-e's novel IoT technology (SMARTIE asset tags) to track/control asset usage and deployment to specific job codes and SOURCERER, our inventory software. This will provide automated check in and check out of assets from the vending machine using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) SMARTIE tags and BLE gateway technology. **Benefits** Mod-iVend will help to reduce costs for end-users by preventing theft of goods, ameliorating inappropriate issuance of high-value items, accurately tracking assets, and logging employee asset responsibility as well as ensuring workers are kept safe through monitoring PPE compliance to specific job roles.

Inventor-e will augment their asset management system, Smartie-Tag, by implementing solutions to create a tag that can provide location and remote condition monitoring functions, as well as recharge itself. The company, along with its project collaborators, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, SKN Electronics and Rexel, will develop and demonstrate the technology during a 12-month project funded by Innovate UK.

iVendNFC, Smartie, SmartSafe and SmartAsset development combine to provide the worlds lowest cost but most versatile industrial vending and asset management and tracking solution for enterprise wide inventory management including van asset management. Smartie is a patent pending asset management tag combining NFC (Near Field Communication) and iBeacon/Eddystone technology. IVendNFC will be the first industrial cabinet to be accessed by a Smartphone through the SmartSafe app. Consumables, spares and assets can be issued and returned to iVendNFC with job number charge capture. iVendNFC (patent pending) has significant benefits to the current state of the art helix machines and asset locker systems. Items can be returned, and iVendNFC removes all non value added activities; the requirement to repack to ensure less jamming and restocking products is completed in a fraction of the time. With SmartSafe and Smartie, assets can be managed inside and outside iVendNFC and vans. The iBeacon in Smartie allows the tracking of assets with the bluetooth network of a phone up to 50 metres away - no more lost tools. The NFC (Near Field Communication) allows a user to address the asset locally, upload and download information on the assets history showing a full audit trail with photographs, warranty, technical information and inspection reports. Assets can also be environmentally monitored with the sensors in Smartie; temperature, pressure, humidity and movement. Smartie can be used to prevent white finger, recording the hours of use of power tools to specific users.

The ToolSafe system enables multiple item dispensing of inventory with enhanced security; this is achieved through sensor based inventory control using RFID and weight into automated supply cabinets to provide individual compartment control with full accountability for the quantity replenished and issued to users. Flexible configuration allows for the management of supplies in a single cabinet. Advantages of this system are that it: • Controls access to a single item, increasing accountability and accuracy • Controls access to multiple items in a single compartment with weight sensor audited accountability for the physical quantity taken (if quantity taken does not match quantity asked for the system will alert the user via the touch screen and records the discrepancy) • Items can be booked to multiple charge codes through the touch screen to track expensive items to a particular asset and/or department as well as the user • Reduces inventory consumption by between 20% and 40% • Provides detailed reporting on high cost/critical items • RFID capability enables serial number management of specific tools to users, batch number control and expiry/calibration date management • Supports Foreign Object and Debris Control (FOD); items confirmed complete and returned to ToolSafe • Cuts walk around time as ToolSafe is strategically located close to point of use • Automates the ordering process; orders are transmitted electronically • Audited proof of delivery through weight sensor and RFID validation, ensuring the correct items go into the right locations. • Access control can be with employee clocking in cards (e.g. bar code; magnetic swipe and RFID) or biometric (fingerprint) access • Integrates with third-party software systems such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) • Monitors and compares employee product usage trends • Measures supply KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) to predetermined service level agreements • Prevents stock-outs/work stoppages • ROI in 12 months