Summary
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You can also set up an ESP32-S3 SuperMini control panel to monitor Bambu prints in real-time.
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The screen shows a progress bar, tempo metrics, fan speed, layer count, remaining time and animations.
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The project includes web configuration, network options, auto shutdown feature, NVS persistence and AP mode for setup.
What’s better than a 3D print tracker? A DIY 3D print tracker, of course. If you make your own, if something breaks, you can always fix it by hand, and you can brainstorm new and fun ways to display the information you need while building on the base you’ve already created.
If you’re into making something yourself, chances are you already have an ESP32-S3 SuperMini and a Bambu 3D printer. If you do, I have a cool project to show you: a DIY 3D printer monitor where you can watch your precious prints progress.
This 3D printer dashboard is the perfect way to monitor your prints in real-time
It also looks amazing
This amazing little project was brought to us by AdvertisingFormal746 on the ESP32 subreddit. It uses an ESP32-S3 SuperMini connected to a 1.54″ TFT SPI ST7789 display to show the status of your current print. The developer says you can use the display to show a print’s “progress arc, temperature readings, fan speed, number of layers, and (and) remaining time,” which tells you everything you need to know.
On the project’s GitHub page, the creator lists more things this project can do:
- H2 type LED progress bar – A full-width glow bar inspired by the Bambu H2 series
- Anti-aliased arc meters – smooth nose and bed temperature arcs with color zones
- Animations – loader spinner, progress pulse, completion celebration
- Web configuration portal – Dark themed settings page for WiFi, network, printer, display and power settings
- Network configuration – DHCP or static IP, with optional IP screen at startup
- Automatic screen off – configurable timeout after printing is complete, automatic shutdown when the printer is turned off
- NVS continuity – all settings survive reboot
- Auto AP mode – creates WiFi hotspot on first boot or when WiFi is lost
All in all, it sounds like a great project for anyone who loves DIY and wants to combine the ESP32 with their 3D printing hobby. If you want to learn how to make your own, go to the page the project’s GitHub page for a full hardware overview, assembly video, installation guide, and all the code you need to make it at home.
