Cash in A Jam?

June 22, 2015

It's fair to say that ATMs are among the most reliable devices on the market. However, no machinery is infallible and dispensing malfunctions occasionally occur. Fortunately, operators can troubleshoot the most frequent issues with a few simple steps, and keep their machines running smoothly.

DC Payments National Operations Manager, Phil Pranjic says that among the multiple models of ATMs installed across Canada, the two most common problems are bill jams and feed failures.

Dealing with the Immediate Issue
"With bill jams, poor quality bills may not be rigid enough to travel through the feed path within the dispenser," says Pranjic. Nearly all dispensers use a design that gently curves the bills as they pass through the mechanism, increasing their strength and rigidity. Old, soft, or torn bills may not curve as well and as a result, can get stuck. Once the bill fails, others back up behind it, creating a mess inside the dispenser that must be carefully removed.

The solution to this problem is to remove each bill, being careful not to affect the position of the belts or damage any sensors. It may be necessary to remove the cassette to expose the entire feed path and to open trap doors where applicable.

"Typically, it's okay to open or touch any area marked with green or yellow," Pranjic says. "Once all bills are removed, trap doors are properly closed, and the cash inside has been checked for quality, the machine can be tested and resume service."

Tips for Prevention
Feed failures can result when there is unequal pressure on the feed wheels that dispense the cash. Notes should be neatly organized inside the cassette. While it's not necessary to go through and visually inspect each and every piece of currency, an orderly arrangement will make it easier to spot potentially troublesome notes and remove them.

Tidiness is a solid preventative measure, especially since the introduction of the new Canadian polymer notes brings new challenges. These new bills have a clear window that can set a stack of notes askew unless the position of the panels balances throughout the stack. "It's important to arrange the notes so that the windows alternate position from left to right," says Pranjic. "It's not necessary to alternate every note, but a good balance between left and right will help ensure proper bill picking."

Skewed note feeds and the jams that can result from it are more common when larger sums of cash (i.e. 1,000 notes or more) are loaded into a machine. Bundles of new cash are particularly problematic because they're typically arranged in one direction. If you're loading a number of new bundles, it's best to fan them a few times to prevent note cohesion. You should always make sure the bundles are placed in an alternating fashion.

Generally speaking, ATM malfunctions are rare. Owners who check for bill quality, alternate note direction, and keep their machines clean and tidy shouldn't experience problems. It's smart to have a can of compressed air on hand to gently "dust" the dispenser three or four times a year, or more often if the machine is in a particularly dirty or high-traffic area.

Having a clean and clear feed path and clean sensors helps ensure the dispenser will operate per the manufacturer's specification. Instructions for care can be found in your ATM manual, or you can always call DC Payments for support at 1.888.414.email us - we're happy to help.

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