FAST 2000CT & FAST 4000CT FAQs

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1 FAST 2000CT & FAST 4000CT FAQs Machine Information What are the FAST 2000CT machine specifications? Machine Dimensions 27"W x 10"D x 31.5"H Insert Capacity 12 SKUs x quantity of 20 per SKU = 240 individual part locations Round Tool Capacity 6 SKUs x a quantity of 10 per SKU = 60 individual part locations Overall Capabilities 18 SKUs with 300 inventory positions What are the FAST 4000CT machine specifications? Machine Dimensions 33"W x 27.5"D x 38.5"H (on pedestal, height is 68") Insert Capacity 24 SKUs x quantity of 20 per SKU = 480 individual part locations Round Tool Capacity 16 SKUs x a quantity of 10 per SKU = 160 individual part locations Overall Capabilities 40 SKUs with 640 inventory positions What is the size range of tooling that can be dispensed? Round Tool Capacity minimum size tool dispense is 1875" diameter x 1.500" long; maximum size tool dispense is.750" diameter x 6.0" long Insert Capacity minimum size tool dispense is.49"w x.49"l x 0.280"H; maximum size tool dispense is.49"w x 1.5"L x.360"h What are the dimensions of the machines? Each location must have space to accommodate the physical dimensions of the machine: - FAST 2000CT machine dimensions: 27"W x 10"D x 31.5"H - FAST 4000CT machine dimensions: 33 W x 27.5 D x 38.5 H (on pedestal, height is 68 ) What is the weight of the machines? FAST 2000CT = 250 pounds FAST 4000CT = 350 pounds Are the units rated intrinsically safe (I-Safe)? No. FAST CT Series machines have not been submitted to the approval process for this standard. This is a fire-related standard usually applied to computers, mobile devices, and other low-power devices rather than equipment. What is the approximate cost to run each machine? The machine draws 3 amps at 110 volts = 330 watts. 330 watts x 24 hrs. x 365 days = 2891 kw. Example: The average cost to run each machine in Ohio (where the average energy cost is.08 per kw) would be $231 per year if running at full use 24/7. Rule of thumb: approximately $20 per month. What is the carbon footprint of each machine? The annual carbon footprint is approximately 520 lbs. of C02 and 0.09 tons of coal. This is if the power comes from a coal-fired power plant and not a wind turbine or nuclear plant. How many SKUs can be put into a FAST CT Series machine? FAST 2000CT: 18 individual combined SKUs with 300 inventory positions. o Insert Capacity 12 SKUs x quantity of 20 per SKU = 480 individual part locations

2 o Round Tool Capacity 6 SKUs x a quantity of 10 per SKU = 60 individual part locations FAST 4000CT: 40 individual combined SKUs with 640 inventory positions. o Insert Capacity 24 SKUs x quantity of 20 per SKU = 240 individual part locations o Round Tool Capacity 16 SKUs x a quantity of 10 per SKU = 160 Individual part locations THIS SEEMS REDUNDANT VS. THE SPECIFICATION INFO. ABOVE What type of battery does the machine display take, and how is it changed? The display uses a CR2032 watch battery. To remove the battery, take a small blade screwdriver and push down on the latch that holds the battery in place. The battery should pop out, and you can replace it with the new one. Use and Product Information Which machine is right solution for my cutting tool needs? The FAST 4000CT and FAST 2000CT are designed to be a point-of-use solution for machine shop work cells where BOTH round tools and inserts are consumed at a high volume. This typically describes a manufacturer producing the same items repetitively in the work cell where the machine is located. If you only require round tooling (not inserts) within a work area, we offer a version of the FAST 4000CT (the FAST 4000CT-R ) that exclusively dispenses round tools (24 round tool SKUs x 10 positions per SKU = 240 inventory locations). Our FAST 5000 and FAST 3000 coil vending machines are also commonly used by customers looking to provide a broad range of round tool SKUs in a single location. What is the suggested temperature range for the machines? The standard FAST CT Series machine can operate between 55 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Will products vend properly? FAST CT Series machines incorporates Verified Vend Technology which checks and verifies the accuracy of each vend. Most of the cutting tools for these machines are based on product dimensions it either goes into a Large Stack or a Small Stack. If the machine is loaded correctly, historical data shows a 99.9% accuracy rate. Fastenal customers dispense many thousands of items every day without problems. Can the machines be placed in dusty environments? FAST CT Series machines come equipped with an industrial grade seal around the door that is designed to keep small particles, such as dust, out. Generally, you or your Fastenal representative will have to clean the glass and wipe the key pad down every few weeks. Some types of card readers do not operate well in very dusty environments. If keypad-only operation is an option, it is preferable for high-dust areas. How is product replenished in the machine? The FAST Solutions software uses min, max, and critical inventory levels to notify the local Fastenal store when items fall below min. When an inventory change occurs that puts an item below the min level, the local Fastenal store will receive an automated alert. This will prompt your Fastenal representative to come to your site and replenish the machine. What is the warranty policy? There is a 1-year warranty on parts. Fastenal will take care of any normal wear and tear issues over the course of the 3-year agreement. Repairs due to abuse will be the customer s responsibility. Who is responsible for the machine if destroyed by natural disaster?

3 Fastenal is responsible for the machine if destroyed by natural disaster. The user is responsible only if they negligently damage/destroy the unit. Who covers the cost of the machine in case of theft? Fastenal is not responsible for lost machines. The machines may be covered by your company s commercial general liability policy you will need to check with your insurance agent. How long will it take to deliver and set up a FAST CT machine once the agreement has been signed? Approximately 45 days from the time the agreement is signed AND all of the pre-implementation documents are submitted. *This process can be fast-tracked if all of the pre-implementation documents are submitted quickly. Who installs the machine(s)? Regionally-based Fastenal personnel will install the machines and provide training on the day of installation. Employee Access and Reporting Information I m concerned that my employees might abuse other employees badges. Can a FAST CT machine prevent this? Yes. Users can be required to enter a secret PIN number in addition to scanning their badges. Can the machine limit the number of items an employee can dispense in a given time period? Yes. The machines can restrict the number of certain items an employee can access within specified time periods per hour, per shift, per day, per year, etc. Can I control which items my employees have access to? Yes. Allocation codes can be used to control access. An allocation code is a rule that applies to all of the employees in a particular group. Allocation codes can also be used to track usage/costs by department, work orders, job numbers, or other process variables. How many codes can be entered at the time of dispense? FAST CT machines have the ability to accept the following: o Employee ID or employee code and PIN number (display on machine limits to 64 digits) o Up to 6 user-defined allocation codes e.g., Department, Job #, Location, etc. (each code can be up to 20 digits long) o The reporting software allows you to view usage/costs according to each of these metrics How many items can an employee vend at once? Using the software, managers can specify how many vends employees can execute each time they swipe/enter their ID. Example: If an employee s specified limit is 4 vends per swipe/entry, this individual would be able to swipe/enter his or her ID and make 4 separate product selections before having to swipe/enter again. Can a customer return items back into a FAST CT machine? No. FAST CT machines are designed for dispensing only and are not capable of returns (if an unneeded part is accidentally dispensed, it would simply be returned to an individual with keys to the machine). Potential solution: In Fastenal s machine shop, we have mounted small bins near the machine with a location for each SKU in the machine. Partially used tools are stored in the bins, and each time a new tool is needed, the bin is manually checked by the machinist prior to dispensing a new tool. This process does

4 not involve the machine or software in any way but offers a simple solution to use up tools before new items are dispensed. Technical Information What kinds of power/connections are required for the machines? Each machine requires an electrical outlet and an open Internet connection. Multiple machines running on one Internet connection would require a switch (or router) located inside the master machine. What are the electrical requirements for the machines? A single 110V AC outlet. What operating system do the machines run? The machines use an embedded processor with an industrial kernel and do not require a separate operating system. What are the networking requirements? The machine requires a 10 Base-T Ethernet connection. You can also use a wireless bridge to connect to a Wi-Fi network. (Linksys is recommended, but you can choose one that is most compatible with your local wireless network.) A network connection that allows communication over port 80 (the same as all standard websites) is needed. Port 8576 can be used as an alternative. A static IP or DHCP can be used. Each machine has a unique identifier used in communications with the server so that it does not require maintaining a specific IP. For further details, please refer to the Technology Overview document on Fastenal.com (Services > FAST Solutions > FAST 4000CT & FAST 2000CT > Tech Overview tab). Unlike carousel-type machines (which require IT personnel to install at least one PC on the user s network), FAST CT Series machines do not require any support from the user s IT department. How does the machine communicate? FAST CT Series machines initiate all communication to Fastenal s web server. Neither Fastenal nor anyone else can initiate a connection to the machine. The machine communicates with the server twice per hour to confirm with the web software that it is still operating correctly. The machine also initiates transactions with the web server every time a user dispenses something from the machine. All transactions are encrypted with the AES encryption algorithm. Transaction sizes average between 1 and 2 KB each. Can the machine use proxy servers or firewalls that require authentication? Not currently. If you have such a system on your network, we request that the machine(s) be placed in a DMZ. How do I know what kind of card reader will be required? Two samples of your company s current employee ID cards/badges will need to be tested by Fastenal to determine the required reader type. What types of ID badges can be utilized with the machines? The machines can be used with only a keypad or with one of the following types of ID badges/cards: o Barcode (*only option available for the FAST 2000CT) o Infrared barcode o Magnetic stripe

5 o Proximity badges A standard card reader is included at no additional cost. Non-standard readers will require an additional charge based on the reader type. Can an HR, ERP, or other systems be integrated with the machines? The FAST Solutions software can export several reports in.xml or flat file that you can then import into your existing systems. These reports can be automated via . Currently, the machines do not allow for automated data import from existing IT systems. Does the FAST Solutions software integrate with customer systems like Oracle, SAP and Ariba? The software does not integrate directly with these types of systems. However, the system DOES integrate with Fastenal s POS system. This allows us to export transaction data to support most of our customers business needs. This can be done through the standard export functionality of the software provided with FAST CT Series. The best practice for most use cases is to send updates or transaction data by XML or CSV file to the receiving system. If you would like to generate POs from your system (Ariba, SAP, or other), you could issue a blanket PO for a period of time and then treat individual machine restocks as incremental releases against the blanket PO. If Fastenal is already integrated with your ERP system, there could be multiple ways to pass information about POs, etc. without directly connecting to FAST CT machine. This should work for both consigned and non-consigned inventories. The only difference between consigned and non-consigned inventory is that, with the non-consigned model, you would be billed for the initial inventory. How do I sign up to take online training courses? On-site training will be provided on the day of the install. You can sign up to take additional, WebEx-based trainings by contacting our FAST Solutions training group. o Phone number: o fastsolutionstraining@fastenal.com Is there a number to call for technical questions? FAST Tech Support can be reached at Support personnel are on call 24/7. What happens if the power goes out or the Internet connection is lost? Transactions that occur when a machine is offline are stored in non-volatile memory. If the power were to go out, the transactions would remain in memory until both the power and the Internet connection are restored, at which time they would be sent to the central database. No transactions can occur when the power is out. How is connectivity monitored? The machine verifies its connection to the database server every 15 minutes. If a specific machine does not report in for 3 hours, the reporting software will send an to the group advising of a problem. This allows for momentary hiccups in connectivity. If the machine loses connectivity for any extended period of time, products will vend offline, as long as that option is chosen for vending product during downtime. Data generated during offline use can be tracked by the software but will not be available until connectivity is restored.