I recently completed my dashboard for my Ender 3 3D printer and wanted to share my experience. The setup has been a fantastic way to monitor my prints and manage my materials efficiently. Here’s how I did it!
The Ender 3 is running the latest Marlin Bugfix firmware and is controlled via a Raspberry Pi 4 using OctoPrint. I’ve found OctoPrint to be incredibly user-friendly and powerful for managing my prints remotely. One of my favorite plugins is the Filament Manager, which helps me keep track of my spools and their remaining lengths. It’s been a lifesaver for planning my prints without running out of filament mid-job.
In addition to the printer itself, I’ve set up a network of sensors to monitor my print environment. I’m using five DHT22 sensors—one for the printer enclosure and four for my dry boxes. This setup allows me to keep an eye on the temperature and humidity levels, ensuring optimal conditions for both printing and filament storage.
All the sensor data is collected via a Python cronjob running on the Raspberry Pi and sent to Home Assistant via MQTT. It’s been a great way to centralize all my monitoring data in one place. I’ve even created a custom dashboard in Home Assistant to display all the key metrics at a glance.
I’d love to hear from others who have set up similar monitoring systems for their 3D printers. What tools or plugins have you found particularly useful? Any tips for improving the sensor setup or data collection process? Let’s share our experiences and tips!
If you’re interested in replicating this setup, I’ve shared my Python script and MQTT integration details on GitHub. Feel free to check it out and contribute your improvements!
Overall, this project has been a fantastic learning experience and has significantly enhanced my 3D printing workflow. I’m excited to see how I can further refine this setup in the future!