Adding a Light Barrier using Epoxy

published: April 2, 2021 — last modified: October 23, 2025

As you read in my last post about the pet-feeding device project, there was an issue with the fill sensors. The lines from the 3d-print transferred the light directly to the sensor and made a useful measurement impossible.

One of the solution to this problem is a small gap between the LED and the sensor.

Here you can see the slots. These already work fine, the measurement results are looking great. The only disadvantage about the slots is the mechanical one. Crumbs will fall into this slots and it makes the turntable hard to clean.

To solve this problem, I fill the slots with black epoxy. I use a syringe to be able to use tiny amounts and fill the slots flush with the surface. You can see the process in the following video:

I use epoxy with a low viscosity with a drop of black colour: Epoxy resin L + hardener L from R&G. You see in the video, how the epoxy flows easily into all cracks and levels itself.

The result is an almost perfectly flat surface.

I hope you found this update interesting. Currently, I am testing the platform using different fill angles at the sensors. If you have any questions, missed information, or simply want to provide feedback, feel free to comment below. 😄

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