See similar product: DC-60C-N-PARKING-PKG

Chick-fil-A ordered a customized version of the DC-25C-Term Network Car Counter with Webpage Display to help track the number of customers who have placed an order in the drive-thru. The system was designed around the restaurant’s drive-thru process, using pneumatic air hose switches to detect vehicles as they move through the lane and providing synchronized digital displays along with network webpage access to the current count.

The DC-25C-Term provides a straightforward method of counting completed customer orders without requiring employees to manually keep track of every vehicle. Pneumatic air hose switches are installed across the drive-thru lane and connected to the counter’s input terminals. When a vehicle passes over the hose, the system detects the activation. The vehicle then passes over the hose a second time after placing its order, causing the counter to increment by one.

This two-activation process allows the counter to represent completed customer orders rather than simply counting every vehicle that passes through the lane.

Tracking Drive-Thru Customer Orders

For Chick-fil-A’s application, the counting process begins when the front wheels of a vehicle pass over the pneumatic air hose. This provides the first activation. After the customer places an order, the vehicle continues forward and passes over the hose again with its rear wheels. The second activation causes the counter to increase by one.

The same process can be repeated for each vehicle using the drive-thru.

The system provides:

• Pneumatic air hose vehicle detection
• Two activations for each completed customer order
• Automatic incrementing of the customer count
• Synchronized master and secondary displays
• Network webpage access to the current count
• Four-digit counting capacity up to 9,999
• Additional decrement and zero-reset inputs

This approach provides Chick-fil-A with a dedicated counting system that can follow the physical movement of vehicles through the drive-thru while keeping the displayed count synchronized.

Master and Secondary Digital Displays

The customized DC-25C-Term consists of a master enclosure and a secondary enclosure. The two units are directly connected through terminal blocks, allowing both displays to update at the same time when the pneumatic air hose inputs are activated.

Both enclosures use 2.3-inch green LED digits and provide four-digit counting, allowing the system to display values from 0 through 9,999. A 50-foot cable is supplied for connecting the master and secondary units, providing flexibility when the displays need to be positioned in different locations.

The synchronized displays allow the current customer count to be viewed from more than one location without requiring separate counting systems.

Network Webpage Display

In addition to the physical LED displays, the Chick-fil-A customized system includes network connectivity that provides access to the counter through a webpage.

The master enclosure contains the network card and an RJ-45 Ethernet connection. Once connected to the local network, authorized users can access the webpage to view the current count and configure various settings.

The webpage configuration provides options for:

• Device identification
• Username and password protection
• DHCP or static IP configuration
• Network information
• Time zone selection
• Primary and alternate network addresses
• Adjustable webpage update intervals

The webpage provides another convenient way to monitor the customer count without needing to be directly beside one of the physical LED displays.

Automatic Reset Capability

The customized DC-25C-Term is also designed with an automatic reset function. When the master unit is connected to the network and receiving time-of-day information, the system can use the configured timing to reset the count after the designated counting period.

For this application, the system is designed to reset after one hour. If the Ethernet connection is unavailable, the unit can revert to its internal timing functionality and reset the count after a shorter period.

This automatic reset capability allows the counting process to begin again for the next counting period without requiring personnel to manually clear the display.

Pneumatic Air Hose Inputs

The pneumatic air hose switches provide the vehicle detection used by the customized Chick-fil-A system. Each switch connects to the terminal blocks on the Opto input board inside the master enclosure.

The inputs are designed to accept either a momentary dry contact closure or a momentary PNP source from 5-30 VDC. For this particular application, the pneumatic switches provide the momentary activations needed to detect the vehicle’s movement across the counting point.

The first activation identifies the vehicle crossing the hose, while the second activation completes the counting sequence and increases the displayed customer count by one.

Additional Counter Controls

The master enclosure also includes additional input terminals that can be used for decrementing and resetting the counter. These inputs provide Chick-fil-A with the option of incorporating external devices to manually decrease the displayed count or return the counter to zero.

This provides additional flexibility when the counting system needs to be adjusted or cleared outside of the automatic counting process.

Customized for a Specific Drive-Thru Application

The DC-25C-Term demonstrates how an industrial digital counter can be configured around a specific customer requirement. Rather than simply counting vehicles as they pass a detection point, the customized Chick-fil-A system uses two pneumatic activations to distinguish a completed customer order from a vehicle that has only entered the counting area.

By combining pneumatic vehicle detection, synchronized master and secondary LED displays, Ethernet network connectivity, and a webpage interface, the system provides multiple ways to monitor drive-thru customer activity.

The customized DC-25C-Term provides Chick-fil-A with a dedicated solution for tracking completed drive-thru orders while giving personnel access to the current count through both physical displays and a network-connected webpage.

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