2023-2024•Symphony 3D

IoT Solution for Remote 3D Printer Control

Complete IoT ecosystem enabling remote control and monitoring of SLA 3D printers through internet connectivity

Project Context

Symphony 3D needed a comprehensive solution to remotely monitor and control their SLA 3D printers for their custom hearing aid manufacturing process. The challenge was to create an end-to-end IoT system that could handle file transfers, printer control, real-time monitoring, and over-the-air updates while maintaining industrial reliability.

Key Technologies

ESP32MQTTWiFiNFCC/C++RabbitMQHTTPEEPROM

Tools & Platforms

  • RabbitMQ for message queuing
  • EasyEDA for PCB design
  • Fusion 360 for mechanical design
  • Wireshark for protocol analysis

Technical Implementation

Reverse Engineering & Protocol Analysis

  • Discovered local WiFi control capabilities of the SLA printer
  • Used Wireshark for network traffic analysis due to incomplete documentation
  • Reverse-engineered communication protocols and API endpoints
  • Adapted to new firmware versions from printer manufacturer

IoT Architecture & Communication

  • ESP32-based control unit with comprehensive sensor integration
  • MQTT protocol implementation to avoid client port forwarding
  • Hybrid MQTT/HTTP approach for optimized file transfer performance
  • Real-time heartbeat monitoring for printer status tracking

Sensor Integration & Hardware Features

Environmental Monitoring

  • • Humidity & Temperature sensors
  • • Real-time environmental tracking
  • • Optimal printing condition alerts

Security & Access Control

  • • NFC readers for user authentication
  • • Door limit switch sensors
  • • LED status visualization system

Results & Impact

Major Achievements

  • First functional PoC delivered in just 1 month
  • Complete remote printer control capabilities
  • Optimized file upload system implementation
  • EEPROM-based platform recognition system
  • Over-the-air firmware update capability

Technical Challenges Overcome

  • Incomplete manufacturer documentation requiring reverse engineering
  • Protocol adaptation for new firmware versions
  • Real-time communication reliability requirements
  • Large file transfer optimization over MQTT

System Capabilities

File Management

  • • Remote file upload to printer
  • • Progress tracking
  • • File validation

Print Control

  • • Start/Stop/Pause operations
  • • Real-time status monitoring
  • • Progress tracking

Maintenance

  • • OTA firmware updates
  • • Remote diagnostics
  • • Health monitoring
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