Build Guide: Standalone Scanner¶
A standalone scanner sits on your desk or mounts to a wall. Place a spool on the NFC reader to scan it.
Parts Needed¶
- ESP32 board (WROOM or S3-Zero)
- NFC reader (PN5180 or PN532)
- USB cable for power
- (Optional) LCD, LED, keypad
Assembly¶
Enclosure designs needed
As of March 2026 only a few printable cases exist. We need the community's help! If you design one, see Contributing > Enclosure Design for how to submit it.
Basic Build (No Enclosure)¶
- Wire the NFC reader to the ESP32 per the wiring guide
- Connect optional peripherals (LCD, LED, keypad)
- Flash firmware via the installer
- Power via USB
The NFC reader antenna should face upward so you can place spools on top of it.
With Enclosure¶
| Enclosure | Hardware | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Jim's Enclosure v2 | ESP32-S3-Zero + PN5180 | Jim |
| LinuxGangster's Case | ESP32-S3-Zero + PN532 | LinuxGangster |
See Community Mods for all available designs, or contribute your own.