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Monorail-style
Overhead System (Cont.)
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(Why should you purchase a TransTrax®?)
The TransTrax® The positive drive alternative system...
The TransTrax® uses a unique push pull tape system. It has
no valves, requires no sealed tubes and uses only one motor which
has a rated life which is 20 times greater than that of a typical
pneumatic tube!
The carrier is housed in a small car. The carrier is only a container
and is not part of the drive system as is the carrier in the pneumatic
tube system. The only moving parts in the system are: the motor, the
tape, the tape sprocket and the car itself. There are no mechanicl
switches used in the control of the carrier in motion as there is
in a pneumatic tube. All control sensing is done with solid state
electronic detectors with no moving parts.
Appropriate use of technology...
Control of the TransTrax® is handled by an industrial computer.
It does not rely on mechanical or electrical timers.
The TransTrax® computer monitors the progress of the car throughout
its travel. In the verticals, the computer runs the car in slow speed.
When the car gets to the horizontal section, it shifts the car into
high speed. When the car gets to the end of the horizontal, it shifts
the car back to low speed. It accomplishes these speed shifts without
any mechanical switches or through gearing; the speed changes are
handled by the amount of voltage that the computer supplies to the
system's DC motor - it is that simple.
The TransTrax® motor operates at very reasonable levels with an
average total life of 10,000 hours which is very impressive compared
to an average life of only 500 hours for the Tube. In other words,
the TransTrax® motor is rated with an average life of 20 times
that of a tube system motor!
TransTrax® Operation...
The operation of the TransTrax® is comparatively simple. When
the send button is pressed, voltage is applied to the DC motor causing
the carrier to move almost instantly at a predetermined speed. At
the same time, the control computer of the TransTrax® counts the
number of revolutions of the motor electronically. Once the carrier
is in the horizontal section, the computer applies greater voltage
to the motor making the carrier go faster. The computer continues
to track the carrier through the horizontal. When the carrier approaches
the turn to go down the vertical section on the other side, the computer
reduces the voltage, thereby slowing the carrier. The carrier continues
until the sensor at the end of the run electronically detects that
the carrier is in the proper position. At that point, the voltage
from the motor is disconnected and the electronic brake is applied.
Note again that there are no wand switches, valves or any other mechanicl
aspects of the function of the machine. the only moving parts are
those directly associated with moving the carrier from side to side.
This low parts count is the secret to the TransTrax® reliability.
Every moving part increases the risk of the system failing; therefore,
with only a few parts there is much less risk of something failing
rendering the system unusable.
Better visibility by design...
The TransTrax® has another advantage - it offers better visibility
between teller and customer than any system in its class.
The TransTrax® tube is 2" x 3". Pneumatic tube systems
use at least a 4" tube and most use a larger tube. In addition,
to make the tube system appear a better value, tube manufacturers
tend to make the customer station rather massive. This large station,
coupled with the large diameter tube, greatly reduces visibility between
customer and teller. Don't be fooled by the clear tube. While plastic
tubes are clear, they are not optically clear and cannot be seen through.
Island size is another aspect to consider. The TransTrax®' low
profile allows it to be installed virtually on any island. Again,
because of the larger base of the customer stations on tube systems,
they are more limited.
Condensation is not a problem...
Because tube systems move air from outside into the building and from
the building out, water condenses in the tubes causing all sorts of
problems. Since the TransTrax® does not use air to move the carrier,
it does not have a condensation problem.
No hidden costs...
The TransTrax® requires only one 110 volt circuit which is positioned
inside the building above the teller work space. Unlike tube systems,
all of the wiring is contained within the tube of the TransTrax®
which eliminates the need for conduit and the like. Again, well thought
out design saves money!
The best ergonomics...
The TransTrax® does not rely on the expensive, complicated round
carriers required by pneumatic tube systems. Instead, it uses an inexpensive,
rectangular plastic box.
How is this an advantage? The box is easy to open for both the teller
and customer, thereby helping speed transaction processing. The box,
because of its shape, can be used as a writing surface for filling
out paperwork or endorsing checks.
Why buy a tube system...
The only advantage that a tube system may offer over the TransTrax®
is a slightly lower initial cost. This difference in cost is not a
long term savings when purchasing a pneumatic tube because the tube
requires much more maintenance, provides greater down time and limits
the types of transactions that can be done at the drive-thru. The
TransTrax® is a superior system by design. It was built with both
initial purchase price and long term costs in mind so that it provides
a much more cost effective drive-thru system for financial institutions
over the competitive tube systems.
There is no reason...
If initial cost of the system is the only concern of the financial
institution, the TransTrax® is sufficiently cost competitive that
it can meet those needs and more, including greater: reliability,
warranty and ease of use.
Pneumatic tube systems have not developed over time - they have only
cheapened. The TransTrax®, in contrast, is the positive drive
system specifically designed to further the positive drive concept
at a lower price point - not cheapen the entire concept!
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