Intelligent Medical Consumable Storage Cabinet Supplier

Single-Unit Accurate Counting & Automatic Charge Deduction for High-Value Consumables: Gravity + RFID Dual-Mode Technology in Intelligent Medical Consumable Storage Cabinets

Wanma Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 1997, specialising in various communication cabinets, communication electronic equipment, and passive optical components. Its products are extensively deployed across Ethernet networks, optical communication networks, central equipment rooms, national high-speed railways, and urban rail transit systems. The company not only develops, manufactures, and markets its proprietary brand products but also delivers integrated solutions for customised products. Applying its deep expertise in precision sensing and high-frequency identification, Wanma Technology Co., Ltd. has engineered the Intelligent Medical Consumable Storage Cabinet with a dual-mode recognition architecture—combining gravity sensing and UHF RFID—to achieve per-unit accuracy and automated financial reconciliation for high-value consumables such as stents, catheters, and surgical sutures.

1. Gravity Sensing: Continuous Weight-Based Inventory Monitoring

High-value consumables are often stored in dedicated drawers or trays. The cabinet integrates a matrix of high-precision load cells beneath each slot or bin:

• Individual bin granularity: Each drawer contains up to 16 independent weight-sensing zones (resolution 0.1g). The system is pre-calibrated with the exact weight of a single unit of each consumable SKU (e.g., one coronary stent = 2.35g).
• Real-time delta detection: When a nurse removes one item, the system detects a sudden weight decrease matching the pre-set unit weight. The change is recorded within 0.5 seconds, triggering an immediate inventory deduction and charge preparation.
• Multi-item removal handling: The algorithm can identify removal of up to five identical units simultaneously by comparing the total weight drop against the per-unit weight, then generating a batch transaction.
• Drawer open/close correlation: Weight sampling is performed every 200ms but only "committed" after the drawer is closed, preventing false counts due to vibration or partial removal.

2. RFID Layer: Identification & Confirmation for Multi-SKU or Mixed Bins

Gravity alone cannot identify which SKU was taken when different items share similar weights. RFID provides the second verification layer:

• Embedded UHF RFID antennas: Each drawer contains 4–8 near-field antenna elements, generating a uniform reading field with >99.5% tag readability, even for foil-wrapped or liquid-containing consumables.
• Before-open vs. after-closed scan: The cabinet performs a full RFID inventory scan immediately before the drawer is opened and again 2 seconds after it is closed. The difference between the two scans identifies exactly which RFID-tagged items were removed, including their batch numbers and expiry dates.
• Fusion logic (gravity + RFID): The system compares the weight-based quantity change with the RFID-based change. If both match (e.g., gravity says 1 unit removed, RFID shows exactly one tag missing), the transaction is auto-approved. If there is a discrepancy (e.g., a tag was damaged or an untagged item was placed), the drawer locks and alerts a supervisor.
• Automatic charge deduction: Once verified, the system sends the removed item's GTIN, lot number, patient ID (if linked to an active case), and cost to the hospital ERP/HIS via HL7 or REST API. A charge is posted to the patient's bill within 3 seconds of drawer closure.

3. Parameter Comparison: Dual-Mode (Gravity+RFID) vs. Single-Mode Systems

The table below compares Wanma Technology Co., Ltd.'s dual-mode intelligent cabinet against traditional single-technology solutions commonly used for high-value medical consumables.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• FAQ 1: Can Wanma Technology Co., Ltd. integrate the dual-mode cabinet with our existing hospital ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle Cerner) for real-time charge capture?
  Yes. Wanma Technology Co., Ltd. provides pre-built middleware adapters for all major hospital information systems. The cabinet communicates via HL7/FHIR, REST API, or database direct connection. We also offer a configurable transaction gateway that maps each removed SKU to your specific charge codes, cost centers, and patient accounting rules. On-site integration typically takes 3-5 days.
• FAQ 2: What happens if a staff member removes a high-value consumable but then returns it to the wrong bin without closing the drawer?
  The system handles this through its "drawer state machine". If the drawer remains open, both gravity and RFID sensors continue sampling. When an item is placed back (even in a wrong slot), the system records a "restock" event. Upon drawer closure, the final inventory state is compared to the state before opening. The final transaction log will show a net removal of zero items if the same item was taken and returned. The returned item's location is automatically updated in the software, so the next user finds it correctly.
• FAQ 3: Is the system able to differentiate between a nurse removing a consumable for a patient versus simply moving items around for organization?
  Yes, through a "transaction intent" interface. Before opening a drawer, the nurse selects a reason from the touchscreen: "Patient Use," "Transfer to Sub-storage," "Damaged/Quarantine," or "Inventory Adjustment." Only "Patient Use" triggers automatic charge deduction. All other actions update inventory without billing. Additionally, the cabinet's AI behavior algorithm learns typical usage patterns and can flag unusual "move" actions for audit. Wanma Technology Co., Ltd. provides full customization of these work modes.

The Wanma dual-mode Intelligent Medical Consumable Storage Cabinet is compliant with ISO 13485:2016 and meets GS1 standards for automatic identification of medical devices. It is currently deployed in over 200 hospitals across Asia and Europe.