I have messed with a Maestro controller before but not an Arduino yet, I want to be able to put vending machines on wireless networks so I assume I would need an Arduino of some sort then a WiFi shield (possibly aftermarket) with an external antenna standoff so that I can use a directional antenna. These machines vend beverages and snacks so knowing what has been sold when and what is running low helps me a lot, with Arduino channels wired to the vending slot motors it will give me statistics and I should be able to wire a webcam or two to the Arduino if I wanted to mount them to the machine right?
What would I need how much hardware cost am I talking per machine? Thanks
Thanks for the reply, I guess you can say guessing for now. I wanted to possibly tap into this 1 of 2 ways, snack machines have a motor that spins a coil and soda machines work in a similar fashion with a relay. So either tap into it before the relay or at the motor itself and use a resistor to bring the power back down for a low voltage lead to a channel on the Arduino.
Once I have a system down implementing these will be really easy into all sorts of machines.
This is how I assume vending machines work drinks or snacks, there is a low voltage analog signal from the touch-pad board or button that goes to a relay, which allows more power to a vending motor be that to spin a coil or release a beverage (negatives most likely grounded) .
This is the first of two ways the simple link to an Arduino can be made, this one being a definite at last choice I would say. The Arduino channels need a digital PWM pulse signal to operate I believe so an LM-IC chip is needed between the motor and Arduino channels to convert the signal, assuming the machines operate on 12V motors I would also need a resistor since both the converter and Arduino operate on I believe 5V.
This is the more preferred way staying on the low voltage side if possible, everything stays the same minus a resistor and working with most likely 5V. Now there are aftermarket WiFi boards for the Arduino such as the red one with a standoff for an external antenna which will be useful for something like an omnidirectional bi-quad WiFi antenna. Does anyone want to chime in on my electrical theory? Like I said I am still going to tinker with prototypes because granted you are all intimidated by the approach and setup of an internet connection on these machines I take it as a challenge and it only gets easier and easier every year, once established its 100% free unlimited live monitoring and even remote control functions such as individual rack or coil lockout/reset/power/etc.
