Pneumatic Tube Systems Beyond The Hospital

The Enduring Relevance of Pneumatic Tube Systems

Pneumatic tube systems have a long history dating back to the 1850s. Given the spectacular growth and innovation of today’s technologies, one would think they would have long since become obsolete. Yet pneumatic tubes are still used today, not only in hospitals but other industries as well — and we're not just talking about the bank.

That doesn’t mean that the technology has remained unchanged, however. The tube systems and carriers are continually being updated and enhanced. For instance, in today’s hospitals, the design of the pneumatic tube carriers has evolved to the extent that they are now entrusted with the transport of blood, a fragile and highly sensitive material that requires careful handling, as well as chain of custody tracking.

Pneumatic tube systems remain one of the safest, fastest, and most efficient methods of transporting materials across a network from one area to another. This may be why they have been adopted for use across a range of markets. You may recall the days of drive-through banking stations with canisters used to receive and deliver money. But there are other industries you may not be aware of that are using pneumatic tube systems to improve efficiency, security, and, in a couple of cases, as quirky marketing differentiators.

Major Industries Using Pneumatic Tube Systems

Manufacturing: Used to deliver parts, components, tools, and other materials safely throughout the plant, freeing up personnel from manual transport. 

Grocery stores: Used to move cash from the floor to the back-office vaults. This prevents the buildup of cash in registers and conserves resources by eliminating the need for employees to manually transport the money.

Casinos: Used to move cash from gaming areas to back-office vaults. This reduces the amount of money on the floor and keeps it secure in locked canisters that can be monitored and tracked.

Industrial Laboratories: Unlike in the hospital, industrial laboratories manage, process, and transport thousands of biologics per day. The pneumatic tube system helps this remain an efficient and hygienic process.

Innovative Uses of Pneumatic Tube Delivery

Restaurants: Pneumatic tubes were used up until 2011 at a McDonald’s in Medina, Minnesota as a novel way to deliver fast food to customers. They’re still being used at the C1 Café in Christchurch, New Zealand. Customers can have their burgers delivered right to their tables via pneumatic tubes. The owner is proud of his unique delivery system which he describes as a “world first”.

Drink delivery: The Cahoots Postal Office bar in London serves up cocktails delivered from the bar to the table via a pneumatic tube. Beer lovers should check out this Science Channel video featuring two entrepreneurs, Kevin Moore and Grant Reynolds. They built a pneumatic tube system to deliver beer from a refrigerator in their kitchen out to their garage. They even branded it as “the envy of garages everywhere”.

The Future of Pneumatic Tube Systems

Who knows where the next innovative use of pneumatic tube systems will emerge? Hospitals will continue to rely upon pneumatic tube systems to expeditiously and safely carry medications and sensitive materials between wards and across large hospital complexes. To this day, no other technology comes close to providing fast, reliable, efficient, and safe transport.

As for the underlying technology, it will continue to evolve and may potentially find new markets to take advantage of its benefits. What these markets are is anyone’s guess. But one thing is certain. This unique and robust technology, road tested since the 1850s, is here to stay.