Description
The Challenge
A client operating an industrial facility needed to control PPE consumption — limiting the number of items each employee could collect per day. They tracked equipment manually and often lost helmets and harnesses because there was no enforced return process.
Standard vending machines could dispense items, and separate return lockers could collect used gear — but running two separate systems meant double the floor space, double the installation cost, and employees who ignored the return station entirely.
Our Solution
KioskForce deployed the hybrid PPE vending machine — an ambient unit with 3 locker cells that each operate in dual-purpose mode: dispensing AND accepting returns from the same cell.
We then built a customizable daily quota system on top of the hybrid platform:
- Per-worker dispense limits — administrators set daily caps per employee (e.g., 2 masks, 1 pair of gloves)
- Return enforcement — trackable items like helmets must be returned to the assigned cell before a new one can be dispensed
- Real-time compliance dashboard — every dispense and return logged with employee ID, timestamp, and item details
- Override capability — supervisors can temporarily lift quotas for special circumstances
The Hybrid Advantage
Because each locker cell serves both functions, the client avoided purchasing and installing a separate return station. Employees pick up their gear at the start of shift, use it, and return it to the same cell at end of shift — all in one machine, all tracked automatically.
This eliminated lost equipment, reduced PPE waste by over 30%, and gave the client full visibility into who had what, when.
Cost
- Initial Cost: $2000
- Monthly Cost: $100
