https://circuitdigest.com/project/arduino-based-vending-machine
http://www.retrobuiltgames.com/the-build-page/arduino-vending-machine/
Creator: Ryan Bates
Summary: Arduino-Based Vending Machine (Venduino) is, as the name suggests, a vending machine that was built with an Arduino. More specifically, it uses Arduino Uno, four continuous rotation servo motors, Nokia 5110 LCD and 12v power supply for hardware and the external envelope is made of laser-cut plywood. This DIY vending machine is much smaller than the conventional vending machines we see every day with only four chambers to put the items, but it includes all the essential components that a vending machine does, including the place to put into the coins and the little coil that pushes the items out. Once you insert a coin and press the button, the coil (made from cloth hanger wires) attached to the servo will push out the item and the LCD Panel will display which item has been dispensed.
I liked this project because it was something that could teach you how things work by producing a downsized version of a conventional item. Surely all of us have seen a vending machine around, but very few of us would know how it actually works. Overall I was pleased to see that it provides an opportunity to learn and also a little source of entertainment. Only thing I would comment on is how fast the items come out of the dispenser. It almost flies out of the hole – and so maybe it would be a good idea to put a cover or a damper to slow down the items.
As someone who is not so experienced in physical computing or Arduino, this project came across as a surprise because I never knew Arduino could recreate a complex – or at least what I thought would be a complex – machine. And not just this project – I was surprised at the shear range and scale of projects that I came across while researching for this assignment, and I am most definitely excited to see the extent to which these projects reach in terms of not only complexity, but also creativity.