Vending Machine Actuators

Actuators, also known as peripheral machines, are standalone vending machines or lockers that operate under the control of a master machine. The master machine (a kiosk with touchscreen or main controller) coordinates multiple peripheral machines to create a larger, unified vending system.

What Are Actuators?

An actuator is a peripheral machine that:

Operates without its own touchscreen or user interface
Can be either a locker unit or a coil-based vending machine
Receives instructions from a master machine (kiosk or main controller)
Communicates over the network using IP address and port
Has a unique identity and operates within a specific MDB (Multi-Drop Bus) address range

Master and Peripheral Architecture

In most deployments:

Master Machine: A kiosk or vending machine with a touchscreen that employees interact with
Peripheral Machines (Actuators): Additional lockers or coil machines without screens that extend the system’s capacity
The master machine controls all peripheral machines, coordinating dispensing operations
Typically, there is already one actuator (the master’s built-in dispensing mechanism) in the kiosk or locker

MDB Address Ranges

Each actuator is assigned to a specific MDB (Multi-Drop Bus) address range:

First actuator: MDB codes 0000 to 0999
Second actuator: MDB codes 1000 to 1999
Third actuator: MDB codes 2000 to 2999
And so on…

This addressing scheme allows product maps to be organized by actuator. For example:

Selections 0301-0399 would be on the first actuator
Selections 1301-1399 would be on the second actuator

System Capacity: A single master machine can support up to 253 actuators, allowing for very large, distributed vending systems.

Actuator Types

The system supports two types of peripheral machines:

Coils

A standalone vending machine without a screen that dispenses products using rotating coil spirals. These are traditional vending machine units that are controlled by the master machine.

Locker

A standalone locker unit without a screen, containing individual compartments with electronic locks. The master machine controls which doors open based on employee authentication and product selection.

Managing Actuators

To access the actuator management page:

Visit Vending Machines page
Find the master vending machine (kiosk) you want to configure
Click the Actuators button in the Operation column

Viewing Actuators

The actuators page displays a table with the following columns:

Identity - A unique name or identifier for the peripheral machine
Type - Either “Coils” (coil-based vending machine) or “Locker” (locker unit)
IP Address - The IPv4 address of the peripheral machine on the network
Port - The communication port number (1-65535)
Sequence - The order in which this actuator is accessed during dispensing operations
Created At - When the actuator configuration was added to the system
Actions - Edit or Delete buttons for managing the actuator

Adding a New Actuator

To add a new peripheral machine:

Click the Add Actuator button at the top of the actuators page
Fill in the required fields:
- Identity - Enter a unique name for this peripheral machine (e.g., “Left Locker Bank”, “Additional Coil Unit”)
- Type - Select either “Coils” or “Locker” from the dropdown
- IP Address - Enter the valid IPv4 address of the peripheral machine (e.g., “192.168.1.100”)
- Port - Enter the communication port number between 1 and 65535
- Sequence - Enter a numeric sequence number to define the order of operations (typically matches the MDB range: 0, 1, 2, etc.)
Click Save to create the actuator

Important validation rules:

Each actuator must have a unique identity within the master machine
IP address and port combinations must be unique
Sequence numbers must be unique
IP addresses must be valid IPv4 format
Port numbers must be in the range 1-65535

Editing an Actuator

To modify an existing peripheral machine configuration:

Click the Edit button (pencil icon) next to the actuator you want to update
Modify any of the fields as needed
Click Save to apply the changes

Note: The same validation rules apply when editing - you cannot create conflicts with other actuators on the same master machine.

Deleting an Actuator

To remove a peripheral machine from the system:

Click the Delete button (trash icon) next to the actuator
Confirm the deletion when prompted
The actuator configuration will be permanently removed

Warning: Deleting an actuator will remove its configuration from the system. Ensure the peripheral machine is no longer physically connected or has been moved to a different master machine before deleting its configuration.

Coordinating Product Maps with Actuators

When setting up product maps for a multi-actuator system:

Assign MDB codes according to which actuator (peripheral machine) will dispense the product
First actuator handles MDB codes 0000-0999
Second actuator handles MDB codes 1000-1999
Continue this pattern for additional actuators
The sequence number in the actuator configuration should match the MDB range (sequence 0 for first actuator, 1 for second, etc.)

Best Practices

Network Configuration

Ensure all peripheral machines are on the same reliable network as the master machine
Use static IP addresses for all actuators to prevent configuration drift
Keep peripheral machines on an isolated network segment for security
Document your IP address allocation scheme for troubleshooting

Sequence and MDB Planning

Align sequence numbers with MDB address ranges (sequence 0 = MDB 0000-0999, sequence 1 = MDB 1000-1999)
Plan your product layout across actuators before deployment
Consider grouping similar products on the same actuator for easier inventory management
Leave gaps in your MDB assignments for future expansion

Identity Naming

Use descriptive names that indicate the peripheral machine’s location or purpose (e.g., “Left_Locker_Bank”, “Main_Coil_Unit”, “Extension_Coils_A”)
Include the physical location if managing multiple sites
Avoid special characters that might cause issues in logs or reports

Capacity Planning

Remember that you can attach up to 253 actuators to a single master machine
Plan for future expansion when designing your initial layout
Consider network bandwidth when deploying many actuators
Balance product distribution across actuators for even wear

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Peripheral Machine Not Responding

Verify the IP address is correct and the peripheral machine is powered on
Check network connectivity between the master machine and the actuator
Ensure the port number matches the peripheral machine’s configuration
Verify the master machine can ping the actuator’s IP address
Review system logs for connection errors

Product Dispensing from Wrong Actuator

Verify the MDB code in the product map matches the intended actuator’s range
Check the sequence number is correct for the actuator
Ensure there are no overlapping MDB ranges between actuators
Confirm the actuator configuration matches the physical setup

Duplicate Configuration Errors

Each actuator must have unique identity, IP:port combination, and sequence number
If you receive a validation error, check for conflicts with existing actuators
Edit or delete conflicting actuators before adding new ones

Incorrect Dispensing Order

Review the sequence numbers of all actuators
Ensure sequence numbers align with your MDB address scheme
Lower sequence numbers are processed first

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How many actuators can I add to a single master machine?

You can attach up to 253 actuators to a single master machine. This allows for very large vending systems with thousands of product selections across multiple peripheral machines.

Q2: Do I need to configure the built-in actuator in my kiosk?

In most cases, there is already one actuator built into the kiosk or locker (the master machine’s own dispensing mechanism). You typically only need to add configurations for additional peripheral machines you’re attaching to the system.

Q3: Can I mix coil machines and lockers as actuators?

Yes, you can attach both coil-based vending machines and locker units as peripheral machines to the same master kiosk. Just ensure each has the correct type configured and appropriate MDB address ranges assigned.

Q4: What happens if I delete an actuator that has product maps assigned?

The actuator configuration will be removed, but product maps with MDB codes in that actuator’s range will remain in the system. You should reassign or delete those product maps before removing the actuator configuration.

Q5: How do I know which MDB range to use for a new actuator?

Check the sequence numbers of existing actuators. If you have actuators with sequence 0 and 1, your next actuator should use sequence 2 with MDB range 2000-2999. The sequence number typically corresponds to the MDB range (sequence N = MDB N000 to N999).

Q6: Can I use the same IP address for multiple actuators?

No, each IP address and port combination must be unique. However, you can use the same IP address with different ports if your peripheral machines support multiple port configurations.

Q7: What’s the difference between sequence number and MDB code?

Sequence number: Defines the order in which actuators are accessed by the master machine (typically 0, 1, 2, etc.)
MDB code: The specific selection number on a product map (e.g., 0301, 1450, 2100)
By convention, sequence N corresponds to MDB range N000-N999

Q8: Who can manage actuators?

Only administrators with appropriate permissions can view and manage actuator configurations. This ensures that critical system architecture settings are only modified by authorized personnel.