How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management  

RE:

"I would think about designing an app that allows me to scan my filaments into a database that can be exported to a spreadsheet." 

@gertl I'm doing something similar (with tagging and managing filament) and was also thinking about a database. I bumped into Spool Buddy on the App Store and have been testing it for the past couple of days. I may use it for my filament database (with both Open Spool tags and OpenPrintTags...it gets complicated, still working out the system). I have no connection with the developer (beyond sending them one of their suggested tips for this free software). It has CVS export. Seemed worth passing along. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

I am fooling around a bit with different apps and possibilities, but I must say it seems Prusa found something, and brought it to the market without real solution. Good would be for example to have filamendb, the website, connected to this. It feels so inefficient to type all in constantly for every spool. NFC.cool costs constantly money, they is no lifetime fee. NFC Tools does not work with OpenPrintTag and I found some app on GitHub but it seems also not to work. (Android). I wonder how Prusa wants the people to adopt this, if there are hardly ways to work with it. 

I would love to, as I see advantages, but I will wait until it is somewhat more grown up. 

RE:

Posted by: @3d0zer

I am fooling around a bit with different apps and possibilities, but I must say it seems Prusa found something, and brought it to the market without real solution. Good would be for example to have filamendb, the website, connected to this. It feels so inefficient to type all in constantly for every spool. NFC.cool costs constantly money, they is no lifetime fee. NFC Tools does not work with OpenPrintTag and I found some app on GitHub but it seems also not to work. (Android). I wonder how Prusa wants the people to adopt this, if there are hardly ways to work with it. 

I would love to, as I see advantages, but I will wait until it is somewhat more grown up. 

This weekend I'm building a mobile version of Filament-DB which will work on iOS and Android. Also, the latest version supports storing filament information in a QR code label. You will be able to scan the label with your phone camera, bring up the spool information and have it sync with PrusaSlicer. The app fully supports OpenPrintTag and Bambu (readonly)

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

I am fascinated and following the topic.  This could really revolutionize the way I use QR codes to track my filaments.  

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

This could really revolutionize the way I use QR codes to track my filaments.

I agree, the direct link between the phone camera and the database would be huge.

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Labels are done for the most part. Need to add some customization to it next to control font type, size, layout etc. Will work on the phone side of it this weekend but may take a week or so. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

This is a good step forward. Great work @hyiger. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

You've put a lot of work into this solution. Thank you. However, are you concerned that Prusa Slicer 3.0 will do all the things your solution accomplishes?

Posted by: @hyiger

I attach these iCode SLIX2 Sticker Label which are 25mm in diameter to the outside of my dry boxes. For iOS (don't know about Android) I first use NFC Tools to format the tag and then NFC.Cool to generate the OpenPrintTag record for 3rd party spools and then save it to the tag. For Prusa Spools, I use the Prusa App to scan the QR Code and then I write the record to the tag using the Prusa App. Then I read it back using NFC.Cool so I can edit the container weight (to change it from just the spool weight to the box weight plus spool). When generating a record I use the dry box and spool weight for the "container weight" and the container and spool weight plus the filament weight (for a new spool) as the "nominal weight". I then weigh the filament in the box to get the remaining amount of filament. 

So far this is still in it's infancy. If I have time (which I don't really) I would think about designing an app that allows me to scan my filaments into a database that can be exported to a spreadsheet. 

NFC Tag and importing into Prusa App

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @phil-15

You've put a lot of work into this solution. Thank you. However, are you concerned that Prusa Slicer 3.0 will do all the things your solution accomplishes?

Can't dwell on something where there is no information besides a new version number. My opinion (and it's just that) is 3.0 won't be a significant improvement over 2.9.X except for maybe a redesigned UI. I've gotten hints from Reddit and Discord that it will be mostly a tech-debt release. Meaning it will include a lot of changes in the backend code but not particularly at lot of new functionality. 

Anyway, right now all I can do is speculate so won't know until the beta is released. And no reason for me to make decisions based on speculation. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @hyiger

 

Posted by: @phil-15

You've put a lot of work into this solution. Thank you. However, are you concerned that Prusa Slicer 3.0 will do all the things your solution accomplishes?

Can't dwell on something where there is no information besides a new version number. My opinion (and it's just that) is 3.0 won't be a significant improvement over 2.9.X except for maybe a redesigned UI. I've gotten hints from Reddit and Discord that it will be mostly a tech-debt release. Meaning it will include a lot of changes in the backend code but not particularly at lot of new functionality. 

Anyway, right now all I can do is speculate so won't know until the beta is released. And no reason for me to make decisions based on speculation. 

@hyiger, where is that really nice setup guide you made for filament-db solution? I was reading thru it last night but forgot to bookmark it. This is not this setup guide, https://github.com/hyiger/filament-db/blob/main/docs/setup.md

The one I was reading had a lot of images embedded.  Thanks.

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @phil-15

 

@hyiger, where is that really nice setup guide you made for filament-db solution? I was reading thru it last night but forgot to bookmark it. This is not this setup guide, https://github.com/hyiger/filament-db/blob/main/docs/setup.md

 

The one I was reading had a lot of images embedded.  Thanks.

Start here: https://github.com/hyiger/filament-db/blob/main/README.md

I think you might be referring to the setup guide which is here: https://github.com/hyiger/filament-db/blob/main/docs/smart-filament-workflow-guide.md

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @hyiger

Labels are done for the most part. Need to add some customization to it next to control font type, size, layout etc. Will work on the phone side of it this weekend but may take a week or so. 

Siraya Tech must have discontinued the PPS-CF.  It is no longer listed on their site.  

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @cwbullet

 Siraya Tech must have discontinued the PPS-CF.  It is no longer listed on their site.  

Actually, they never produced PPS-CF. This is a typo in my database, it should be PPA-CF. Funny that I didn't notice until you pointed it out. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

funny.  I can't make fun of you.  My middle name should be typo.  

Posted by: @hyiger

 

Posted by: @cwbullet

 Siraya Tech must have discontinued the PPS-CF.  It is no longer listed on their site.  

Actually, they never produced PPS-CF. This is a typo in my database, it should be PPA-CF. Funny that I didn't notice until you pointed it out. 

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

@hyiger, how is the app development, is it running already?

RE: How I've started to use OpenPrintTags for filament management

Posted by: @3d0zer

@hyiger, how is the app development, is it running already?

I haven't had time recently to work on it. I've been mostly bug fixing the existing code base. I'll probably get an alpha version put together (hopefully) this weekend.