Basic operation

How does a vendig machine work basically:

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4928211_vending-machine-operate.html

Focus

I've decided to focus on a vendig machine that sells snacks. The mechanism used in the machine works with a spiral that turns around to release the snack. The snack falls down and is available for the customer. The same type of vending machine is used here at Howest.

History and types

The most unthinkable products are being vended in vending machines. This has a lot to do with the different cultures. For example: in Holland you can buy prepared food from a vending machine, in Belgium this is not so popular.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine

http://www.automatencenter.be/producten.html

Coin recognition

A very important and interesting part of a vending machine is the part where you insert money into the machine. How does the machine recognize real money. Certain machines accept credit cards, bills and coins. But most of them only accept coins. Now let's take a look how this problem is solved by several mechanisms.

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/03/31/32069/

http://web.mit.edu/2.972/www/reports/coin_tester/coin_tester.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4572360_vending-machines-read-money.html