Elegant overkill: a printer filament monitor

thingiverse

This 3D printer filament monitor email alerts you when your printer runs out of filament. It's compatible with any printer that uses spools of filament and works with a ball bearing-based filament spool support system, which reduces friction during filament movement. The system uses an Arduino Uno with an Ethernet board, custom electronics, and software to track filament movement non-contactingly by monitoring changes in magnetic field vectors generated by the movement of ball bearings supporting the filament spools. This monitor can save you time by providing a practical, debugged overall electronics design and software, though some adjustments may be needed for different printers or 3D printed designs. All source files, including 3D printer housing, electronics, and software, are provided but require a modicum of expertise to replicate.