ReFILL-ament for 3D Printers

Hello Abhijt !

Sure, Ravi is risht and also the flow sounds correc. As far as I know, this can be used for the calculation. So, if this can be used maybe better IMHO to setup an easy calculation program (maybe Excel or open OO Sheets (the same) used to create a self-calculatingtable. On the market usually I find two diameters filaments (or three in some special cases), like 3 mm and 1.75. Rolls have three dimensions in the most of the cases, but as this is connected to Amazon it is not difficult to find how the diameters are the same for almost all.

In a similar project (not related to self ordering on Amazon, this is the real value added of your idea) I have explored the "geometrical approach" to detect the filament status but it is not reliable 100% because filament is sold in weight instead of meters. The XYZ 3D printers adopted the too complex method of an eeprom inside every spool and as a matter of fact I experienced a while with these devices and discovered that 15-20% of the filament is lost if you just trust on this sensor information.

Enrico

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first post read, as this also is my first reply.

First of all if you have a new value for a trigger to chagne the configuration of the filament, so it records manually the first time when it's empty and use that as a base for the calculus? It will be, by a rute 66 lenght shorter to write, and easy for the user.

Something like, ir1 read, ir2 noread, ir3 read will trigger "Store new rte count" so you now know how many revolutions where needed till the filament was consumed.

In addition other way to do it, is the ye old way, a database that stores the data and users can contribute to it, So you have software updates :3 Evewyone loves a software update. And you have a file wich stores a keyword for the filament and it's rte (revolutions to end) values.

So lets imagine that u have to program the arduino first, so you look at the database and select wich filaments are you going to use "I don't have a 3dprinter... for now :#" so I imagine that people don't switch filaments that fast "As per brand/model"

So you can have something like this on the arduino code.

filamentBase.c

#define brand-type-weight rte;

#define code number

By this method, you can also made a change on the industry making the filamenters write down how many revolutions to the end of the filament where stored on a bobin. That would made them easy to control. And for the factory is easy to record, as they already have that value.

The problem is that for obvious commercial reasons filament is almost universally sold in Kg, machines making rolls check the weight, not all the rolls have the internal diameter and it will cost too much to setup the filament winding machines for internal diameter  of the support (that changes meaningfully the number of rotations.

Then, remain anyway the problem that first rotations corresponds to an higher amount of filament than the last.

Beside these reasonably issues there is another problem on top of the project; Usrrs that need to know really when their filament is about to finish can be classified with the following parameters:

• Almost expert using 3D printing
• Frequently users
• Frequent changes of filament due needs of creations of different colours
• Have acquired sufficient experience to be able to see with a good precision if the next object can be printed with the amount of filament remaining in the roll
• Rarely remain out of filament especially while making a project

Enrico

So the solution is outside. I will add: this project remain a very good project and really well done, my respect to the author. But unfortunately I think it does not solve the problem or at least not the problem at all in all manifest conditions.

Enrico

That's why I said that this could change how filaments are produced, adding this on industrial scale is like 1cent X bobine, and could tag your company as friendly to the user, providing the number of revolutions needed to end a bobine. I will ask my grandma about this, she was a filament maker back in the past, as she was also worked on a fabric industry.

David,

without making a new industrial revolution I think there is a better and useful solution. Without waiting that producers move one step.

How much did it cost to the OP develop this idea? You believe that something like this on industrial scale would be that costy?

A internal counter for the revolutions on each bobine-creator machine.

A laser mounted that writes the numbers on one side of the same.

As I said, this would cost the company that produces it 1 cent or less per bobine.

Saying "Hey client, this bobine has a mark that let u know how many revolutions you need to end the bobine" would be a good reason for me to chose one brand for another. As they invest in us, the clients.

That put aside, No one comented the first part of my idea. The second is like going 1 by 1 talking with filament makers and telling them that this would be a good idea.

Hello sourgin,

Thank you for your suggestions. These could be definitely looked upon.  I liked the idea where we could integrate the count in bobbin itself. Software updates also sound cool!

Abhijit

Hello balearicdynamics

The purpose of putting this project here was to get a second opinion on the ideas that I have worked on. The filament count issue was one of the issues I faced during designing this. Thanks to the community that beautiful insights and suggestions were given for this.

Abhijit.

Hello Abhijit,

I took a look to the original project you published on hackster.io There are lot of interesting videosl did you also shared the software together with the circuit schematics? Just for curiosity as you published it under a CC license.

Instead. the idea for monitoring soounds interesting as well as the auto mated order. IMHO this is just adaptable for demonstration purposes as depending on the country it is not so obvious that users will buy from Amazon for sure. Also in this case the offer of different filaments is wide on Amazon and constantly updated. Every time I need to order new filament I make a screening on Amazon of the last updates in filaments, quality, pricing etc. The ordering side I think will work fine for small 3D printing companies that has a large consumption of filament and more than one 3D printer. If they buy from Amazon. Just to cite my experience, sometimes I buy from Amazon as I need almost urgently a certain filament while for almost large amounts (I mean 10+ rolls in different colors) I prefer to buy them by Geeetech; they provide my 3D printers and it's their interest to sell goos quality of filament, at a competitive price than Amazon. But this is just a persona opinion.

The very important point instead is the tool you created to keep a constant monitoring of the filament usage. BTW, I appreciated very much your citation of ravi_butani for the suggested math calculation. Analysing in depth what I see as a limit in your project is the condition to use only one filament roll at a time on the printer. What if I stop changing color? Do I loose the previous calculation or there is a way to backup it somewhere so when I start with a not new filament roll the calculation remains valid?

Enrico