SummaryThe filament sensor was developed as part of a project for a Materials Processing class at RIT in 2017.
The sensor can be used to detect if filament is present in a 3D printer, and to see if the filament is moving as expected. If a printer runs out of filament or the filament gets jammed during a print, it can lead to a failure that damages the machine.
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OperationThe sensor has two critical parts for monitoring the filament. If the filament is no longer present in the sensor, a limit switch will close, and the print can be stopped. The sensor also has an optical switch and wheel that is directly connected to a tire that runs on the filament. By tracking the pulses in the optical switch, the rate at which filament is consumed can be determined. If filament is being consumed faster or slower than expected, the printer can be paused and inspected.
The monitoring of the sensors is handled onboard using an Arduino Pro Mini, and connects to the printer via an RJ45 connector. The entire assembly is encased in a plastic box that has 3 M5 bolts on the bottom, which can be used to mount it to the printer frame.
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