Shop Vending of MRO Items

AutoCrib, Inc. (Santa Ana, CA), an innovative manufacturer of automated inventory vending systems that have become the de-facto industry standard, unveiled its industry-changing TX750 at IMTS 2014.

Continuing the company’s history of innovation, the TX750 is the first industrial vending solution to feature a flexible, rolling dual-tambour-style door that dispenses square boxes and other maintenance, repair and operations (MRO)-related items with no repackaging required. The TX750 is ideal for maintenance, plant services and manufacturing environments that have a need to dispense large, square or rectangular-shaped products not supported by traditional helix/coil machines or carousel type machines that use pie-shaped bins.

“We continue to change the way the industry looks at vending solutions. We listened to our customers and addressed a fundamental problem — the need to dispense boxed or oddly shaped items without repackaging,” said Steve Pixley, the president and founder of AutoCrib. “Finding a solution drove the creation of the TX750, a cost-effective, easy-to-use machine that allows customers to store, dispense and track inventory that won’t fit in any other machine currently on the market.”

Using a patented rectangular bin shelf system, the TX750 offers a 30 percent increase in capacity. It virtually eliminates the vertical bin “height” waste associated with fixed-door machines and supports up to 900 bins in a very small footprint. In addition, the dispense door can open to as little as 2 in and up to 60 in – all within half-inch increments, enabling it to accommodate a vast range of inventory with minimal waste.

The rugged dual-tambour system provides a fast, reliable dispense that greatly reduces maintenance costs while virtually eliminating the vertical bin height waste associated with fixed-door machines. The TX750 delivers further innovation with its clean user interface, which takes maximum advantage of the bin density and flexibility while allowing a user to configure the machine on-the-fly using a native bin assignment process that is quick and intuitive.

The company also showcased a number of other industry ‘firsts,’ including AutoLocker FX, a flexible, easily configurable and reconfigurable modular locker system with smart charging capabilities and management control for a company’s tools and technology assets; and the first object-recognition enabled Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) to elevate and store parts, equipment and documents.

Each product is designed to deliver automated inventory vending support for shops that want to provide 24/7 unmanned access to inventory while maintaining complete control and 100 percent inventory accuracy. “We have designed from the ground up new technology that addresses some of the industrial vending industry’s greatest challenges for users — cost, density and inflexibility,” noted Pixley. “AutoLocker FX and Vertical Lift Modules deliver never-before-seen capabilities to store, track and manage inventory which essentially makes other current industrial vending systems obsolete.”

AutoLocker FX safely stores, tracks, monitors and even re-charges an inventory of laptops, tablets and other battery-operated power tools. The lockers can be configured to work with AutoCrib or other standard storage drawers for application across a number of settings and industries. To support each shop’s unique storage needs, AutoLocker FX is available in 12 different sizes, ranging from 6 in by 6 in by 24 in to 24 in by 24 in by 24 in and can operate up to 126 lockers from one control.

“With many manufacturers and distributors using power tools, eTool manuals and tech devices, the need to track, protect and charge these assets becomes a priority that requires complete, real-time knowledge of the location, usage and availability of the devices,” added Pixley. “AutoLocker FX not only safe-guards, monitors and updates these costly resources, but also offers an onboard power component to keep them charged, updated and ready for use.”

Built on a patented sturdy frame, the AutoLocker FX eliminates locker flexing resulting from uneven plant floors and has built-in LED lighting to clearly illuminate each product. An indicator lighting system provides the status of each locker and the system automatically updates software on electronic devices and dispenses the item with the most-charged battery.

Freeing up valuable warehouse floor space, new Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) can reach a height of up to 40 ft with the option to ascend in 6 in increments, within the elevated racking systems. A VLM offers lifting and storage capacity of parts, equipment and supplies up to 500 lb per tray. The three standard VLM models, VLM180, VLM240, VLM310, each deliver the industry’s first object recognition capabilities integrated into a vertical lift system. The optional real- time tracking of objects works to record items as they are issued or returned to the storage tray.

The module occupies a minimal footprint (5 ft 9 in wide and 8 ft 3 in deep) and the intuitive control system allows the operator to retrieve parts by tray, part number or description. These VLMs are also useful in a variety of business applications because of the convenience and adaptability of trays to fit various sized-parts and files, including the storage and retrieval of valuable company documents.

AutoCrib has been providing industrial vending solutions since 1994 and has deployed more than 20,000 systems worldwide. AutoCrib’s product line includes handheld scanners, automated lockers, traditional coil/helix machines, a PPE specific dispensing machine, RFID systems, vision based tool cabinets as well as small and large robotic carousel systems with optional counting scale attachment.

The systems can be managed by AutoCrib’s powerful client/server software or its web-based application, AutoCrib.net. This powerful software, which provides end-users with real time usage data and in many cases, updates their ERP systems and allows manufacturers to dramatically reduce inventory costs by as much as 50 percent through increased accountability and tighter access control.

Autocrib Inc., 3011 S. Croddy Way, Santa Ana, CA 92704, 800-671-6501, www.autocrib.com.