Coin Acceptor Supplier
Coin acceptors are the main part of a vending machine. They validate coins and send them to the appropriate hopper. They can also be used to dispense change back. They may be known by other names, such as coin selectors or coin validators.
They study a coin’s weight, size, thickness, and metal composition to determine its authenticity. They can also be trained to recognize new types of coins.
Units with a faceplate
Units with a faceplate are coin acceptors that come with a mount for mounting to a surface. These can be either a flat plastic or metal plate, depending on the model you choose. These models are not as expensive as other types of coin validators, and may be suitable for a smaller project. They also come with a cable for power and signal, and a slot to route the coins.
The acceptors are fully programmable to work with different currencies and coins, they use sensors that look for things like thickness, diameter, and drop speed to determine which coins are valid. They also have a serial output that reports the value of each valid coin inserted, these values are sent in binary bytes and can be read using a simple microcontroller.
Each coin type will need to be programmed into the acceptor, this is done by setting up a “coinset”, which tells the sensor which coins are acceptable. The sensors then look for those coins and if they are detected will send the correct signal over the output connection to the host machine.
These units are ideal for a simple arcade, pinball machine or even an electronic piggy bank. You will need a 12VDC supply and some place for the coins to fall once they are accepted.
Units with a chassis
Manufacturers & distributors of vending machines & supplies including coin hoppers, tokens, cards, eclectibles & other payment devices. Products are used in amusement, gaming, vending, cashless payment systems & toll systems. Custom services & repairs are also available.
The chassis system on some acceptors consists of an external metal box to house the device, a motor reject that opens to clear jammed coins & an escrow to hold coins whilst the transaction is being finalised. This option is more coin acceptor supplier expensive than a faceplate mounted unit but will be more reliable in the long run.
Typically the coin acceptor will be able to identify up to 6 different types of coins by their thickness, size & fall time. They can also be programmable to route coins in certain directions depending on where the machine is being installed e.g. top entry & front exit or bottom entry & top exit etc.
It is important to ensure that the currency you are accepting is supported by the coin acceptor, some coins may not be accepted due to their low value or their size / thickness being too large or small for the acceptor to recognise. Similarly some new coins may be released for the currency you are using & these will need to be added into the coinet file of the acceptor, this is usually done via USB but can be done in-house with a programming cable if you have one.
Units with a motor reject
Units with a motor reject are designed to study the coin or token and check its authenticity. This is done based on its weight, thickness, diameter, and metal composition. It also verifies the coin against a database that has previously been stored in the system. In addition, the acceptor will also determine if the coin is magnetic. This helps to prevent any sort of counterfeiting or tampering with the coins.
These units can be used in vending machines and many other types of automated systems. They can be programmed to accept a specific currency or to recognize all the coins in a particular country. They can be connected to the machine through a variety of different protocols, including parallel and ccTalk / MDB. Some can even connect to a computer using a direct USB connection.
There are only a handful of manufacturers that produce these units, coin acceptor supplier with Crane Payment Innovations (joining the former MEI and Crane) and Japan Cash Machine leading the way in terms of market share. Other players in this market include Pyramid Technologies, Inc., Astrosys, and Validation Technologies International.
Most units are modular, meaning that a damaged acceptor can be replaced with a new one. This will minimize downtime and the need to send the unit back for repair. Additionally, some acceptors can be taught to recognize new coins by inserting them into the machine multiple times and measuring their weight.
Units with a escrow
Units with a escrow are a must-have for car wash operators who want to give customers change back. They’re also ideal for coin-operated machines where the vending price exceeds a dollar. These units have a built-in comparator that can determine the coin type and verify its authenticity. This is done by comparing the coin’s weight, size and metal composition with the parameters stored in the system. The machine will then send the correct values to the controller.
Most of these acceptors are modular so a dirty one can be replaced with a clean unit, minimising downtime. They also feature on-board diagnostics and international currency acceptance. However, be sure to check the coinset of your local currency as not all coin acceptors will support all types of coins.
Some units come with a chassis system, so they can be mounted behind the surface of a machine. These models can be fitted with a motor reject to open the door of the coin acceptor in order to clear jammed coins and an anti-pin to stop unwanted foreign objects from entering the coin acceptor’s mouth. They can also be fitted with an escrow to hold the inserted coins until the transaction is finalised. The coin hopper is then available to dispense the change. A hopper can be connected to a cash register or a POS system to record the transaction.
