QIDI Box NFC Tagger

NOTE: There are DIY tasks associated with the use of this app. Please see the details at the support site URL before purchase even though the price is less than a can of soda ;-)

The app will read and write MIFARE NFC tags compatible with the format used by the QIDI Box Filament AMS. The app communicates via Bluetooth to a DIY tag reader/writer easily built from a or Seeed Studio microprocessor connected via I2C (only four wires) to a PN532 NFC reader/writer and provides a convenient way to write the filament color and type information to low cost MIFARE NFC tags that can be applied to your own non-QIDI filament stock for use in the QIDI Box AMS. It uses the encoding provided to the public domain by QIDI. Complete DIY information and parts list (both parts available for less than $15 or so from Amazon) along with 3D Model(s) for the enclosure (3MF that you can modify to suit as desired) are on the App support site.

NOTE: This app requires a DIY build of the reader/writer hardware for full function. This is an easy build but it is a "maker" project. The app here has a demo mode that will allow you to explore the UI while you are waiting for your parts to arrive from Amazon (or wherever you get your electronic parts.) The whole project can be seen on the support site for this app and while it's priced for less than a candy bar just to have some ROI on my part, you must be willing to buy the microprocessor and the PN532 module and connect them with four wires and put them in whatever enclosure you like. Since the context of this is 3D filament tagging, you are probably a 3D printer enthusiast so I've also posted the 3MF model I designed for mine that you are welcome to use. This app just provides a nice "front end" to send the simple Nordic UART Service (NUS) commands serially over bluetooth to the module. You could easily use any other Bluetooth serial connection software to send those commands. Thus the module could be used for other tag formats besides those used by the QIDI box. The protocol is implemented by an Arduino sketch loaded by the Arduino IDE onto the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 microprocessor. The sketch and the full source is available for your convenience as part of the DIY info. You just need to get the two modules, make four connections and apply power via USB.