Tool Andon System

Tool Andon System (TAS)

A Passive Monitoring and Awareness System for PS1 Woodshop Equipment

Version: Draft 0.1

Author: Rubin Abdi

Date: December 2025

Status: Proposal / RFC

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File:Manufacturing equipment 091.jpg

Andon Lights above a control panel.

Executive Summary

This proposal outlines a passive monitoring system for high-value woodshop tools at Pumping Station One. The system uses visual indicators (inspired by Andon lights) to remind members of their authorization status when operating specific equipment. Critically, this system does not prevent tool operation - it serves as a gentle reminder that members participate in the honor system for safe tool use.

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Problem Statement

Certain expensive power tools in the PS1 woodshop experience abuse from members who may not have received proper training on their care and operation. Examples include:

• Taking excessive material off in a single pass through the planer
• Improper feed rates on the drum sander
• Misuse of the jointer leading to premature wear

Current state: There is no system to remind members whether they've been trained and authorized on specific equipment. Authorization records exist, but there's no point-of-use reminder.

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Goals

1. Remind members of their authorization status at the point of tool use
2. Encourage members to seek training before using unfamiliar equipment
3. Log usage patterns to understand when and how often unauthorized use occurs
4. Preserve the honor system - this is about awareness, not enforcement
5. Maintain safe tool operation regardless of system state

Non-Goals

1. Preventing any users from operating tools, authorized or unauthorized
2. Cutting power to tools based on authorization status
3. Identifying or punishing specific members
4. Replacing human judgment and community accountability

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Design Philosophy

"The main goal with this system is not to prevent a non-authorized user from using a tool. It's to remind the user that they also participate in safe operation of tools in order to not wreck them."

This system prioritizes:

• Low barrier to entry - Start simple, iterate based on learnings
• Safety first - Tool operation must never be compromised by system state
• Community trust - Reinforce the honor system rather than replace it
• Graceful degradation - If the system fails, tools remain fully operational

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System Overview

Core Components

<┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     TOOL MONITORING STATION                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                  │
│   ┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐     │
│   │  RFID Reader │    │    Current   │    │   Status     │     │
│   │  + Tag Tray  │    │  Transformer │    │   Lights     │     │
│   └──────┬───────┘    └──────┬───────┘    └──────▲───────┘     │
│          │                   │                   │              │
│          └───────────┬───────┴───────────────────┘              │
│                      │                                          │
│              ┌───────▼───────┐                                  │
│              │  ESP32 / MCU  │                                  │
│              │  Controller   │                                  │
│              └───────┬───────┘                                  │
│                      │ (PoE or WiFi)                            │
└──────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────┘
                       │
                       ▼
              ┌────────────────┐
              │ Home Assistant │
              │    Server      │
              └───────┬────────┘
                      │
         ┌────────────┼────────────┐
         ▼            ▼            ▼
   ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
   │ Logging  │ │ Discord  │ │ Dashboard│
   │ Database │ │  Alerts  │ │   View   │
   └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘

Hardware per Monitored Tool

Component	Purpose	Estimated Cost
ESP32 or similar MCU	Main controller	$5-15
RFID Reader (RC522 or PN532)	Read member fobs/cards	$5-10
Current Transformer (CT clamp)	Detect tool power draw	$10-15
LED Strip or Signal Light	Visual status indicator	$10-20
Tag tray/holder	Place for member to leave fob	$5 (3D printed)
Enclosure	Housing for electronics	$10-15
Power (PoE splitter or USB)	Power the station	$10-15
Total per station		~$55-90

Software Stack

• Firmware: ESPHome (integrates natively with Home Assistant)
• Central Hub: Home Assistant (already in use at PS1)
• Logging: Home Assistant recorder or external database
• Notifications: Discord webhook integration
• Dashboard: Home Assistant Lovelace UI

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Status Light States

The visual indicator uses a simple, learnable color language:

State	Light Behavior	Meaning
Standby	Dim blue, steady	Awaiting RFID tag
Authorized Ready	Pulsing green	Authorized tag present, tool idle
Authorized Active	Solid green	Authorized tag present, tool running
Unauthorized Ready	Pulsing amber	Tag present but NOT authorized for this tool, tool idle
Warning	Blinking amber	Tool running without authorization (first 10 seconds) - logged locally
Alert	Blinking red	Tool running without authorization (after 10 seconds) - logged + Discord notification
Lockout	Solid red	Tool marked as down/out of service (manual flag)

State Transition Diagram

                    <┌─────────────────┐
                    │    STANDBY      │
                    │   (dim blue)    │
                    └────────┬────────┘
                             │
              ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
              │ Auth tag     │              │ Non-auth tag
              │ detected     │              │ detected
              ▼              │              ▼
    ┌─────────────────┐      │    ┌─────────────────┐
    │ AUTHORIZED      │      │    │ UNAUTHORIZED    │
    │ READY           │      │    │ READY           │
    │ (pulsing green) │      │    │ (pulsing amber) │
    └────────┬────────┘      │    └────────┬────────┘
             │               │             │
             │ Tool powers on│             │ Tool powers on
             ▼               │             ▼
    ┌─────────────────┐      │    ┌─────────────────┐
    │ AUTHORIZED      │      │    │ WARNING         │
    │ ACTIVE          │      │    │ (blinking amber)│
    │ (solid green)   │      │    │ 0-10 seconds    │
    └─────────────────┘      │    └────────┬────────┘
                             │             │
                             │             │ 10 seconds elapsed
                             │             ▼
                             │    ┌─────────────────┐
           No tag present,   │    │ ALERT           │
           tool powers on    │    │ (blinking red)  │
                             │    │ Discord notify  │
                             └───►└─────────────────┘

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Data Logging

Phase 1: Anonymous Usage Logging

Initial logging captures tool usage patterns without identifying members:

<{
  "timestamp": "2025-12-22T14:35:00Z",
  "tool_id": "woodshop_planer",
  "event": "unauthorized_use",
  "duration_seconds": 45,
  "tag_present": false,
  "notes": null
}

This allows us to understand:

• How often unauthorized use occurs
• Which tools are most affected
• Time patterns (day of week, time of day)
• Whether usage is brief (forgot to tap) vs extended

Phase 2: Optional Member Identification

Only after community discussion and consent:

• Log member ID alongside usage
• Enable follow-up conversations
• Still no automatic enforcement

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Implementation Phases

Phase 1: Proof of Concept (1-2 tools)

Timeline: 4-6 weeks

Cost: ~$150-200

• Install monitoring station on planer and one other high-priority tool
• Basic light states (standby, authorized, unauthorized)
• Local logging only
• Gather feedback from regular woodshop users
• Refine hardware mounting and tag tray design
• Integration with existing authorization database

Phase 2: Expanded Deployment

Timeline: 2-3 months after Phase 1

Cost: ~$300-500

• Add monitoring to remaining priority tools (drum sander, jointer, etc.)
• Discord notification integration
• Dashboard for viewing tool status
• Anonymous usage analytics

Phase 3: Enhanced Features

Timeline: Based on Phase 2 learnings

• Dust collector integration (status, filter change reminders)
• Tool lockout capability (for maintenance, not enforcement)
• Optional member identification (with community buy-in)

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Integration Points

Existing PS1 Systems

System	Integration Type	Notes
Member RFID database	Read-only lookup	Need API or database access for authorization check
Home Assistant	Central hub	Existing installation can be extended
Discord	Webhooks	Notifications to appropriate channel
Dust collection	Future	Could monitor run time, back pressure, bin weight

Open Questions

1. RFID Format: What format are current member tags? (Mifare? HID? Mix?)
2. Authorization Data: Where is tool authorization currently stored? How do we query it?
3. Network: Does the woodshop switch support PoE? If not, USB power is fallback.
4. Mounting: What's the best physical location for each tool's station?

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Risk Assessment

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
System failure during tool operation	Low	None	System is passive; tool operation unaffected
False positives (auth'd user shown as unauth'd)	Medium	Low	Clear escalation path; user can continue working
Member pushback on monitoring	Medium	Medium	Emphasize reminder vs enforcement; anonymous logging first
Scope creep toward enforcement	Medium	High	Document non-goals clearly; require community vote for changes
Hardware reliability in dusty environment	Medium	Low	Proper enclosures; easy replacement

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Success Metrics

After 3 months of operation, we should evaluate:

1. Unauthorized usage frequency - Baseline vs after deployment
2. Tool maintenance incidents - Are expensive repairs decreasing?
3. Member feedback - Is the system helpful or annoying?
4. Authorization requests - Are more members seeking training?
5. System reliability - Uptime and false positive rate

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Appendix A: Bill of Materials (Single Station)

Item	Quantity	Source	Unit Cost	Total
ESP32-WROOM-32 DevKit	1	Amazon/AliExpress	$8	$8
RC522 RFID Reader	1	Amazon/AliExpress	$5	$5
SCT-013-030 CT Clamp (30A)	1	Amazon	$12	$12
WS2812B LED Strip (1m)	1	Amazon	$8	$8
3D Printed Enclosure	1	PS1	$5	$5
3D Printed Tag Tray	1	PS1	$3	$3
PoE Splitter (802.3af to 5V)	1	Amazon	$12	$12
Misc (wiring, connectors)	1	-	$7	$7
Total				$60

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Appendix B: ESPHome Configuration Sketch

<esphome:
  name: woodshop-planer-monitor
  platform: ESP32
  board: esp32dev

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

api:
  encryption:
    key: !secret api_key

# RFID Reader
rc522_spi:
  cs_pin: GPIO5
  
binary_sensor:
  - platform: rc522
    uid: !secret authorized_tags
    name: "Planer Authorized Tag"

# Current sensing for tool power detection
sensor:
  - platform: ct_clamp
    sensor: adc_sensor
    name: "Planer Current"
    update_interval: 1s
    filters:
      - calibrate_linear:
          - 0 -> 0
          - 0.5 -> 10

  - platform: adc
    pin: GPIO34
    id: adc_sensor
    attenuation: 11db

# Status LED
light:
  - platform: neopixelbus
    type: GRB
    variant: WS2812
    pin: GPIO13
    num_leds: 10
    name: "Planer Status Light"

Note: This is a simplified example. Production config would include state machine logic, Home Assistant integration, and error handling.

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Next Steps

1. Review proposal with interested woodshop members
2. Identify first 2 tools for Phase 1 pilot
3. Confirm RFID tag format and authorization data access
4. Order Phase 1 hardware
5. Design and print enclosure prototypes
6. Schedule installation window

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This is a living document. Comments and suggestions welcome.