Crisis container
Hackster article on the study on the development of a "crisis container" in the field "IT systems for e-business" in 2020
1. AbstractThis project was developed as a response to the COVID-19-Pandemic in 2019/2020. We wanted to offer a safe way of shopping essential household-items. The idea is an oversized vending machine that offers shopping while avoiding poorly ventilated buildings or physical contact with products or other customers. To accommodate a big and quickly alternating variety of products, we found out, a normal vending machine won’t do the trick. This article elaborates on the idea of building the machine on your own by using a 20-foot-shipping container and other metal pieces or buying a parcel-locker system and modifying it to your needs.
We addressed the perspective of all people who are affected by a crisis, which is everyone, provider and customer. We made sure that local shops, that are hit the most, can continue to sell their local-made-products and customers can buy them safely without exposing themselves to danger.
We chose these different approaches to reach the most people worldwide. Everyone who considers building this container might have a different availability of materials.
Maybe it’s even possible to build an absolute basic model in hurricane-destroyed regions with scrap materials without electricity with a person operating from inside. This would help a lot to achieve safety for everyone combined with making basic supplement accessible.
Independently of which prototype is chosen, we even elaborated professional use cases, building containers in industrial quantities and making them super innovative with a fully automated storage robot system inside and wireless connectivity, report the status to database and operate a container remote or via smartphone.
We at Team KriCo (de: Krisen-Container, en: Crysis-Container) believe that offering a way of buying necessary goods, by keeping social distancing top priority, helps to flatten the curve in future pandemics and making sure necessary goods are available for everyone in times when its most needed.
With the continuing constraints for everyday life due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, it became apparent rather quickly that new concepts and small inventions could offer a relief in that matter. Inspired by similar projects³, we developed a concept to help with transferring the highly risk afflicted shopping tours to scattering big individually equipped vending machines.
This project was developed to offer quick solutions to the shopping problem in this or a similar crisis. It can, however, be applied with the intentions of generating an extra income during normal non-crisis times as well.
The vision is to simplify and lower the risk of conventional shopping in a supermarket:
Social distancing: As selling goods in a vending machine does not limit the sales area, the customers are able to keep a reasonable distance to each other.
Avoid Shortages: The additional shopping facilities can help to avoid product shortages that mainly manifested in a shortage of toilet paper during the Corona outbreak. The local vending machine offers an alternative to traveling to another supermarket just to get the one or two items the latter didn’t have in stock.
Quick deployment: The standardized size of the vending machine makes it easy to deploy and deliver to places in need. If the demand is satisfied or the container empty, the same uncomplicated process can be reversed.
Permanent open hours: Especially in Germany’s Bavaria, the local shops close for the night. With products being available in the machines, they can be sold and bought 24 hours a day.
Hygienic standards: To establish a hygienic standard, to containers will be cleaned regularly, and the user interface is equipped with disinfecting measures.
With this setup, the KriCo-Container offers an attractive proposition even outside of a crisis.
2.2. Use CasesThe use cases for our business container are very broad and can be roughly separated into three top categories; first use it yourself, second sell the container and the third case would be provide the container for partners to use them.
1. Use it yourself
The container will be put up and managed by yourself, the vendor. For this you should take care of the supply chain and the IT-System behind it. Potential customers would be the end consumer, who will buy products, or strategic partnerships with local vendors, to save time and money and to have a broader range of products.
Supply chain: to fill up the container on time we recommend a centrally located warehouse, where the supplier can bring their products. The order pickers then put together individual boxes for each container in the warehouse, containing the products, that are missing in the warehouse. A distributor will bring them to the respective container, where the goods are placed in the compartments.
IT infrastructure: It is necessary to connect the computer inside each container to a central database and create an application programming interface to your ERP-system, to track the location of the goods and in which container what kind of goods are available or sold out. By evaluating the sales data, the assortment can be adapted precisely in order to make optimal use of each container.
Guidelines and laws1: A trade license from the tax office is needed (Section 14 (3) GewO). When food is offered for sale in the container, certain hygiene guidelines should be observed. Furthermore, installation permission (§14 and §15 GewO) or, if necessary, a building permit from the city or local community must be obtained. The containers must be provided with the operator's number and an emergency number.
2. Sell the container
After the container is manufactured, it will be completely sold to a customer as a product and will be brought to a location specified by the buyer. Potential customers are retailers or retailer communities and retail chains.
Supply chain: The customer must take care, of the supply chain use his resources so that the container can be loaded in addition to normal operation. In principle, the customers warehouse also serves as a warehouse for the container.
IT infrastructure: The IT system of the containers will be connected to the ERP-System of the vendor, who bought the container. When several dealers share a container, this must be specially managed in the system. If you have the capacity as a manufacturer, you can offer the IT structure as an additional service.
Guidelines and laws1: The guidelines from the first use case mainly concern the user of a container. As a manufacturer, you must check whether the container falls under the machinery directive. Of course, you are obliged to be registered with the tax office to sell products.
3. Provide the container for others
The container can be manufactured yourself or commissioned from a company. After that, partnerships are formed with vendors and / or producers, who are interested in offering their products in such containers. Potential customers are like in the case before retailers or retailer communities and retail chains. Additionally, local farmers and local producers are also interesting partners.
Supply chain: The partners should carry out their supply chain. When you have the resources, you can offer the filling process as additional service for the vendors.
IT infrastructure: As mentioned in the supply chain the two possibilities are to offer it as additional service to your tenants or let them handle it themselves.
Guidelines and laws
[1]: Various guidelines must be observed in this case. As a manufacturer you must comply with the machinery directive and as a landlord you must comply with special laws. The conditions for the transfer of goods (products), the transfer of ownership (crisis container) and the distribution of profits should be clearly clarified in the contract with the supplier or user.
2.3. Technical ConceptThe IT infrastructure consists of various assets. The frontend, that the user can see, like the web shop on an internet capable device and the touchscreen on the container to order products and the backend with the database and a computer inside every container. The computer can be a simple Raspberry Pi, that is running 24/7 to host the touchscreen GUI and application for the customer, where the existing products can be locally obtained. For the most part, it cannot be ensured that the container will be connected via LAN to an ISP. To solve this, we recommend establishing the internet connection to the database via sim card in the Raspberry Pi.
The database is the central storage location, where multiple containers update their data to. Additionally, it must be connected to the vendors IT systems so that the data can be pushed into the ERP system in real time. It is recommended to host the database in the cloud together with the web shop. In the web shop the customer should be able to filter for specific containers and inquire the products in every location.
The blue line in the picture above is a symbol for the internet connection between the different assets. The web shop and the database are hosted in the cloud together and the container and touchscreen are one physical entity.
There are basically three different variants available for the technical-constructive implementation. These are described in more detail and compared in the section "Various Variants".
2.4. System DesignAn essential design element is the web shop, that the customer will use to buy products. The requirements for the web shop are that it is clearly and transparently designed. Also, it shouldn't have too many tabs. For the creation of the homepage of the website, we can use the template we created, which was designed with Adobe XD as an example
[2].
In the top there are the main web shop functions like the search bar and the log in or register fields. Also, the shopping cart as icon is in the top to access the shopping list. Below the function header the logo is placed as eye catcher. The products are listed in tiles and can be filtered by function with the above headers. Every tile contains the price and with a click it can be added to the shopping cart.
2.5. Various VariantsTo quickly deliver the machine during an ongoing crisis, the different modules are embedded in a 20-foot shipping container with the standardized measures of 6, 058 m × 2, 438 m × 2, 591 m. Those containers can be obtained cheaply and modified rapidly through the standardized dimensions.
Another essential element would be the database. Mandatory for the container are the entities customer, product and supplier. There will be multiple supplier, who will buy multiple products and those will be delivered by the supplier. Between the supplier and the product is a m to n connection, because one of the suppliers can deliver multiple products, and a product can be delivered by multiple suppliers. The same issue occurs between customer and product. For both cases a connection table withdrawal and delivery are needed.
The articles are stored inside the container and can be purchased via a touchpad interface on both longitudinal sides. The different products are stored behind individual see-through hatches that are adjusted to the products size. After selecting your desired goods and completing the payment, the products can be retrieved from the individual hatches that are opened by the control unit.
The large size of the container enables the vending of products on both sides. The different sizes of the hatches are calculated to fit as many different products as possible. An exemplary product list, that resulted from analysing the special needs during the Corona crisis will be discussed later. By identifying ideal dimensions for the hatches with the different product volumina, the whole container can hold up to 200 products at once.
A touchscreen with a user interface is installed next to the hatches, with an estimated size of 70 cm. Above the product panels is a gap of 70 cm to install a shutter to secure the content of the container during transport and to provide the option to lock the container. With 10 cm space to the ground, the effective product area is 530 cm x 170 cm.
To refill the products, the container can be opened on the short sides to reach the inner storage room. The vendor can then place the new products behind the empty hatches.
There are three different methods for the implementation. First, the container can be assembled from existing modules that can be obtained from various online shops. Secondly, the container can be self-constructed from inexpensive materials according to some guidelines provided. Lastly, an automated version with a robotic storage system can be designed. This will only be discussed briefly later.
The following section will compare the different methods and mark the most important feature of each:
Method 1: Assembly of purchased modules
Implementation:
The long side of the container is substituted by a package storage or locker units. Depending on how and where those units are obtained, the user interface inclusive payment method can be integrated into the hatches. Alternatively, the operating unit can be built with homemade engineering.
Evaluation:
Price:
Mediocre – The different modules can only be obtained at a reasonable price when acquiring large quantities. Additionally, unexpected costs can occur through the diverse origin of the components.
Effort:
Minor – The operating unit as well as the storage unit are already constructed and only need to be assembled.
Feasibility:
Through the implementation, some compromises have to be made, since the different modules come from various manufacturers. The biggest problem might occur when trying to create an interface between the operating and the storage unit.
Method 2: DIY
Implementation:
The products are placed in the hatches from the inside of the container. The implementation of the individual hatches roughly follows the design of a server rack. Alternatively, the hatches can be mounted together like a locker, as the following figure outlines:
With vertical metal poles mounted in a constant distance of 80 cm. The different hatches with their individual heights can then be attached at will between the poles. This way, the amount and dimensions of hatches can be individualized.
Evaluation:
Price:
Low to medicore - Depending on the complexity and requirements, this approach can be used to develop the most cost-effective functional solution.
Effort:
High - Due to the high degree of individualisation and the assembly of many individual, partly unprocessed components, a lot of additional personal effort is required. The additional work can also be commissioned externally, but this is associated with high additional costs.
Feasibility:
Basically the variant is easy to realize, but for the implementation and the design a lot of know-how and time is needed.
Method 3: Automated storage system
This version is based on a completely different approach. The entire handling (warehouse management, sorting, picking and delivery) is done by a robot inside the container. On the outside of the container there is only the control panel and an output compartment, where the robot collects the ordered goods. After the payment process has been completed and the goods have been picked by the robot, the customer can pick up the goods there.
Since the price and the development effort is much higher than with the other approaches, it will not be discussed further here. Basically, existing solutions such as those from digital warehouses or pharmacies can also be used for the implementation.
3. Further consideration3.1. Supply Chain ManagementIn the supply chain is highly dependent on the way of operating the containers. In the following, different concepts are explained.
The first concept is that a kind of Refill on Demand. This involves monitoring the contents of the containers and creating a list of missing products for each container. With this list the refillers can work effectively and targeted. However, this type of replenishment requires a relatively high level of planning and organisation, as well as good data processing.
Another possibility is to load your vans or trucks with the maximum number of products and fill up the containers. The supplier can log in at the terminal and then see which products need to be filled up. This is the clear and simple refilling procedure. There is also no need for data processing. But the disadvantage is that some products may be moved back and forth unnecessarily.
One constructive possibility is to place the container on wheels or on a trailer. If the container is empty, it is picked up and replaced by a full container. Another possibility is to load the container with a crane onto a truck and transport it away. Again, a full container is placed in the same place. The empty container is transported to the warehouse and filled again there.
The easiest way for the operator to fill the container is to give the producer direct access to the container so the producer can put his goods directly into the container without the operator having to worry about it.
3.2. Logistics and transportThis section is about setting up a container. Depending on how large and heavy the container is, a suitable location must be found. This location must be clarified and approved by the city or state.
The container can be transported on a truck, just like an overseas container. A crane is needed to unload the container from the truck. Another possibility is to construct the container as a trailer. If the container is a trailer you must pay attention to the road traffic regulations where and how long you can leave it there.
3.3. Partners / Suppliers / StakeholdersSuitable candidates for the partnerships are supermarkets that want to use the opportunity to sell more. The same applies to farmers who offer local products. Small businesses can also benefit.
A good strategic partnership while in the case of an energy supplier operating in the region of the site. Furthermore, a contract or partnership with an internet provider is needed to connect the containers to the internet.
3.4. Open questionsSome open questions about the Container Project:
- How does the booking of the sold goods work and how does the producer get his share?
- What energy supply does the container need? How can one ensure that this energy supply works and is secure?
- What is the maintenance concept of the container?
- Can the container be realized in other sizes?
[1] For detailed legal advice, we recommend consulting an authorized lawyer or ask the relevant authorities. Our research mostly refers to the German laws and guidelines.
³ https://ambulancemed.com/20-ft-mobile-hospital-container/
[2] https://xd.adobe.com/view/7237235b-5c81-46f5-7e49-2842a67f6687-0406/?fullscreen&hints=off
Technical concept
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