IoT-based real-time online monitoring system for open ware FDM printers

Abstract

3D Printing enables designers to create parts that were previously used to be too complex to produce economically. FDM amongst all 3D printing methods is the most widely used technology in additive manufacturing which uses thermoplastic material to build robust and complex parts. Now a days, open ware FDM Printers have become handy and being used everywhere. But certain drawbacks of open ware FDM Printers make them reluctant to be used such as material jamming, reliability of printing, insufficient material during printing etc. Therefore, to overcome such problems, IoT-based Real-Time Online Monitoring System is needed to be developed for open ware FDM printers. Such monitoring system should be remotely controllable and should detect material jamming, flow runout etc, so that user can decide whether to pause or stop printing from remote location. Raspberry Pi controller is used for providing web interface for remote control along with G-Code sending software such as Octoprint. Also, Rotary Encoder and load cell is used to detect the material flow and measurement of weight of available material respectively. This paper aims at methodology adopted in development of IoT based Real-Time Online Monitoring System for Open Ware FDM Printers.