DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A
CASHIER-LESS SUPERMARKET
FYP-16-15
METHODOLOGY
Lenny Orengo – EN292-0688/2015
Steve Mwenda – EN292-4120/2015
10.01.2020
ABSTRACT
Challenges in the highly competitive retail sector:
High labour cost: strain on profits.
Checkout inefficiencies: time wastage.
Aim of this project:
Cut labour cost.
[http://www.iea.org/]
Offer an efficient solution for supermarkets.
Outcomes:
Scan items
Display item name and price
Accept payment, print a receipt
Allow the customer through an access control system.
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Introduction: Background and Problem statement
Background:
Implemented by some firms in the West and Far east.
This has aided in cutting labour cost and streamlining check-out
process.
Not locally explored.
Come up with a practical system that can be easily adopted to serve
customers at supermarket check-out points.
Problem statement:
Retail sector experience many challenges that are detrimental to
profit margins.
Supermarket cashiers get exhausted and hence the need for shifts
and faster check out.
Need to develop a cashier less system that will relieve labour cost and
make check out more efficient.
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Introduction: Objectives
Main Objective:
The objective is to develop a cashierless system that will serve
customers at supermarket checkouts.
Specific objectives:
1. To develop an automatic item detection and identification system.
2. To develop a display, price computation and payment confirmation
system.
3. To develop an access control system.
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Literature Review
Amazon Go
Technology used: computer vision ,sensor fusion, computer vision and deep
learning technologies.
Sensors are also used to detect weight of items on the shelf.
The system detects:
when an item is picked.
put back on the shelf.
by whom.
Customers check in via QR code.
The system is limited by:
Too expensive: High computation requirements.
Only a certain number of people are allowed in the supermarket at a given time.
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Literature Review
Amazon Go:
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Literature Review
Tap and GO
Customer simply tap’s a pre-issued card on a shelf tag.
Customer’s bank account is automatically debited.
Technology used: Near field communication(NFC).
Customer returns the item by taping again.
The system’s drawbacks:
Customer may pick items and walk out with them without taping.
L. Orengo, S. Mwenda: Design and fabrication of a cashier less supermarket system 7
Literature Review
Scan and GO
Technology used: portable barcode scanners that scans both the customer’s
credit card and products.
Customers can alternatively use mobile app to scan items.
On check out the total price is computed.
The scanner or app also generates a barcode that allows the customer to exit.
The system’s drawbacks:
Poor feedback and poor customer participation because:
Customers often opt for cashier check out as they can’t figure out how to
use it.
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Literature Review
Robotic checkout(Regirobo)
Technology used: RFID tagging.
Items are placed in a special basket,
Robot reads the price of all items.
Once customer pays, they are allowed to pick the products.
Use of RFID in the retail Industry.
RFID: Radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that sends and
receives data from unique identification of objects.
Reader decodes when tag(s) is in read zone.
RFID benefits:
Improved inventory tracking and visibility hence reducing inventory theft and
stock outs.
Faster checkout: no line of sight is required for detection.
Customer data tracking.
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Literature Review: Gap Analysis
Need for a checkout system that is convenient and easy to use.
Need to eliminate human labour force at checkouts to reduce expenses and to
increase efficiency since human labour force gets exhausted.
Need to exploit the benefits RFID has over barcode technology such as
inventory visibility.
Need for an access control system.
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METHODOLOGY: Conveyor mechanical design
• Type: flat belt conveyor
• Why? The nature of the material
being transported.
Design parameters:
1. Dimensions.
2. Motor sizing.
3. Material selection.
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METHODOLOGY: Conveyor mechanical design
Sizing:
Considerations:
1. Belt width dependent
on the RFID reader.
2. Roller diameter:
standard 1 inch pipe.
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METHODOLOGY: Conveyor mechanical design
Analysis for motor sizing :(Conveyor design
manual, Bridgestone)
1. F(Belt tension) = 1.37*f*L*g*[2*mi+
(2*mb + mm)*cos (δ)] + (H*g*mm)
Where;
F is in Newton.
f = Coefficient of friction
L = Conveyor length in meters. Conveyor
length is approximately half of the total belt
length.
g = Acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/sec 2
mi = Load due to the idlers in Kg/m.
mb= Load due to belt in Kg/m.
mm = Load due to the conveyed materials
in Kg/m.
δ = Inclination angle of the conveyor
in Degrees.
H = vertical height of the conveyor in meters.
2. Torque(T)= F*V
Where: V is belt linear velocity.
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METHODOLOGY: Conveyor mechanical design
Results:
Torque required: 648 Nmm
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METHODOLOGY: Access Control mechanical design
Design parameters:
1. Dimensions.
2. Motor sizing.
3. Material selection
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METHODOLOGY: Access Control mechanical design
Considerations:
• Average height. ( A century Of Trends in average human height,
2016)
• Men: 1.7m
• Women:1.6m
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METHODOLOGY: Access Control mechanical design
Motor sizing: Results:
Analysis in Solidworks: Required motor torque: 234 Nmm
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WAY FORWARD:
1. Material selection justification.
2. Electrical Design.
3. Budget.
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Time Plan
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Thank you for your attention.
