This project is under development and not yet tested!!! Use it at your own risk.
Fabman is an all-in-one makerspace management solution. It is the "operating system" for makerspaces, fab labs, coworking spaces or school workshops. It helps to manage machines and members easily, safely & efficiently. raspi-faman is an open source library written in python3, with the help of which you can build your own Fabman-compatible hardware.
Specific use cases are described in detail below:
- RasPi Bridge: Open source alternative to the Fabman Bridge, primarily intended as a basis for customer-specific hardware integrations that cannot be covered with the standard Fabman Bridge.
- MicroPOS: Point of sale solution for Fabman
- Vending Machine: Vending machine to sell consumables which charges automatically via Fabman
- ...more use cases coming soon...
We will gradually expand the list and we look forward to your feedback.
All of the above use cases are based on this library running on a RasPi 3 B+. The first thing to do is to install the library on your Raspberry Pi as follows.
You can download this image (zip-file, ca. 1.3 GB), unzip it and install it on your SD card (min. size 8 GB). We suggest to use the Raspberry Pi Imager for this purpose.
- Download, install and start the Rapberry Pi Imager
- Insert a Micro SD card into the card reader on your Computer
- Select "CHOOSE OS" -> "Use Custom" and select the .img-File you have just downloaded and unzipped (
MicroPOS-<date>.img) - Select "CHOOSE SD CARD" and select the card you have inserted before
- Select "WRITE" to write the image to your Micro SD card. This will take several minutes.
Before you insert the Micro SD card into your Raspberry Pi you need to configure your WiFi settings. In the /boot/ directory, open wpa_supplicant.conf and enter your Wifi parameters (ssid and password):
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=<Insert 2 letter ISO 3166-1 country code here>
network={
ssid="<Name of your wireless LAN>"
psk="<Password for your wireless LAN>"
}
Attention: Depending on the OS and editor you are creating this on, the file could have incorrect newlines or the wrong file extension so make sure you use an editor that accounts for this. On Windows we suggest to use Notepad++.
If needed, you find more detailed istructions here.
When you have done this, insert the SD card into the Raspberry and power it on. It will now automatically connect to your WiFi and receive an IP address from your DHCP server.
You can login via ssh on raspi-fabman.local with username pi and password raspberry.
For security reasons you are strongly advised to change the password of the default user on your Raspberry Pi according to this Howto.
Get the latest version of the raspi-fabman library:
- Login to your Raspberry Pi via ssh (user pi)
- go to the fabman directory:
cd /home/pi/raspi-fabman - get newest version:
git pull origin master
Now continue with the instructions for the specific use case you want to implement: go to section RasPi Bridge, MicroPOS, or Vending Machine
RasPi Bridge is an open source alternative to the Fabman Bridge. It currently only offers the essential basic functions of a Fabman Bridge (checking authorizations, switching a device on / off). The source code can, however, be adapted and expanded as required. The RasPi Bridge is primarily intended as a basis for customer-specific hardware integrations that cannot be covered with the standard Fabman Bridge.
Functionality:
- Swipe member card
- If access is granted, the relay is switched on
- Press the button to switch off
All you need is
- a RasPi 3 B+,
- a display,
- a push button (basic soldering skills required to solder jumper wires to the contact pins of the push button),
- a card reader module,
- a relay module to switch your equipment on/off, and
- some jumper wires (female to female)
Install display, card reader, relay, and stop button according to the wiring plan below. Attention: There are two versions of the OLED display with different pinouts. On some the pins VCC and GND can also be positioned in reverse order. Please take this into account when wiring!
3D-printed enclosure:
- STL-Files: bottom and cover
- Matching Screws (20x)
Before you can start with the configuration, the library must be available on your Raspberry Pi. If you have not already done so, please follow the steps in the section Software Installation before continuing.
Create a Fabman Bridge API key for your corresponding equipment in Fabman. If it doesn’t yet exist, create a new equipment in Fabman first and then create an API key for it.
Login to the Raspberry Pi (raspi-fabman.local) via ssh and configure your fabman settings in /home/pi/raspi-fabman/fabman.json:
{
"api_url_base" : "https://fabman.io/api/v1/",
"reader_type" : "MFRC522",
"display" : "sh1106",
"api_token" : "XXXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXX",
"left_button" : 24,
"relay" : 26
}
You just need to set the api_token created before.
To start the program run:
cd /home/pi/raspi-fabman
python3 bridge.py
If you like to start MicroPOS automatically during the boot process of the Raspberry Pi add the following line to /etc/rc.local before the line exit 0:
runuser -l pi -c "cd /home/pi/raspi-fabman;/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/raspi-fabman/bridge.py >> /home/pi/raspi-fabman/log/bridge.log 2>&1 &"
Use the following /home/pi/raspi-fabman/bridge.py as basis for further development:
#!/usr/bin/python3
'''
Minimal Example for Fabman Bridge:
* Switch on with member card
* A relay is switched on, when access is granted
* Switch off by pressing a button
'''
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time, logging, pprint
from raspifabman import FabmanBridge, Fabman
bridge = FabmanBridge(config_file="bridge.json")
# Handle stop button
def callback_left_button(channel):
if (bridge.is_on()):
logging.debug("Switching off")
bridge.stop()
bridge.relay.off()
GPIO.add_event_detect(bridge.config["left_button"], GPIO.FALLING, callback=callback_left_button, bouncetime=300)
# Run bridge
logging.info("Bridge started")
while (True):
if (bridge.is_off()):
bridge.display_text("Show card to start")
logging.debug("Waiting for key")
key = bridge.read_key()
if (key != False and key is not None):
if (bridge.access(key)):
bridge.display_text("Access granted\n\n\n<-STOP")
logging.debug("Switching on")
bridge.relay.on()
else:
bridge.display_text("Access denied",3)
logging.debug("Access denied")MicroPOS is a simple point of sale solution for Fabman based on a Raspberry Pi.
The sales process is then very simple and intuitive:
- Scan the items you want
- Swipe a member card to complete the sale
- An invoice line is then automatically created for the member.
All you need is
- a RasPi 3 B+,
- a display,
- a barcode scanner,
- a card reader module, and
- some jumper wires (female to female)
Connect the barcode scanner to a USB port of the Raspberry Pi and install the display and the card reader according to the wiring plan below. Attention: There are two versions of the OLED display with different pinouts. On some the pins VCC and GND can also be positioned in reverse order. Please take this into account when wiring!
3D-printed enclosure:
- STL-Files: bottom and cover
- Matching Screws (16x)
- Barcode label for Reset an Undo
- Scan RESET to cancel current sale
- Scan UNDO to remove the last item you scanned from the cart
Before you can start with the configuration, the library must be available on your Raspberry Pi. If you have not already done so, please follow the steps in the section Software Installation before continuing.
Create a Fabman Bridge API key for your MicroPOS equipment in Fabman. If it doesn’t yet exist, create a new equipment in Fabman first and then create an API key for it.
Login to the Raspberry Pi (raspi-fabman.local) via ssh and configure your fabman settings in /home/pi/raspi-fabman/fabman.json:
{
"api_url_base" : "https://fabman.io/api/v1/",
"reader_type" : "MFRC522",
"display" : "sh1106",
"api_token" : "XXXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXX"
}
You just need to set the api_token created before.
The article list with the prices are saved in a tab-separated text file. An unique number is assigned to each article, which can then be printed out as a barcode. Here's an example for /home/pi/raspi-fabman/articles.csv (columns: id for barcode, article name, article price):
1234567 Plywood 1.00
7654321 Screw 2.00
1111111 Endmill 3.00
To start the program run:
cd /home/pi/raspi-fabman
python3 micropos.py
If you like to start MicroPOS automatically during the boot process of the Raspberry Pi add the following line to /etc/rc.local before the line exit 0:
runuser -l pi -c "cd /home/pi/raspi-fabman;/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/raspi-fabman/micropos.py >> /home/pi/raspi-fabman/log/micropos.log 2>&1 &"
We are currently working on an open source extension for Fabman for material sales. In principle, it is a cabinet with many scales inside. The products are placed on the scales.
The use case then looks like this for the members:
- Open the cabinet using a chip card
- Remove the required items
- Close the cabinet door
- Weighing is done before and after the transaction. The system therefore knows who has withdrawn how many of which articles. Charges are then automatically generated in Fabman for the articles.
The system is currently being tested at Happylab in Vienna. As soon as I find the time, I'll document it here. Thank you for your patience!
If you want to support 125kHz EM4100 RFID chips instead of NFC you need to replace the MFRC522 reader by the Gwiot7941E reader. The library doesn't support to run both readers at the same time. Wire the
Set the parameter reader_type in /home/pi/raspi-fabman/fabman.json to Gwiot7941E (instead of MFRC522). Use the supplied cable to connect the module to the Raspberry PI. In order to be able to connect the cable to the pin headers of the Raspberry Pi, you have to solder suitable sockets to the open ends of the cable.
| Pin on 7941E | Color | Pin on RasPi |
|---|---|---|
| 5V | red | Pin 4 - 5V |
| TXD | green | Pin 10 - GPIO15 |
| GND | black | Pin 6 - GND |