Introduction: QR Dog Tag

By Technisch Speelgoed
About: I'm a social-worker, working with 12 - 23 year-olds. I used to be a printer. In 2018 I opened a small makerspace (www.imdib.nl) in my house, where I have lasercutters, 3d-printers, Arduino's, Mindstorms and ot…

So I have a dog now. It would be great if he could run around without a leash. But… what if…? I need a dog tag, but I don't want to put all my info on it for all to see. Wouldn't a QR-code dog tag be cool?

That can't be to hard.

  • I will need a web-adress where the code can sent the person who scanned the tag.
  • I will need a QR-code.
  • I will need a tag that holds the code.

I can do that!

Step 1: You Will Need

Hardware

  • Printer to print your QR-code (or copy shop)
  • 3d-printer to print the tag
  • Computer
  • Laminator (or copy shop)

Software

  • Browser
  • Webdesign software
  • 3D-print software
  • Text-editer

Tools

  • Scissors (cutter)

Oh and a dog!

Step 2: Create Your Web-page

(you can skip this and just put your phone number in the QR-code)

You can make a web-page where the QR-code will direct you.

I used the open source, Seamonkey program to create the page and upload it. This program is very easy to use and install.

You can find Seamonkey here: http://www.seamonkey-project.org

Instructions on how to use Seamonkey is also on that page.

I put some text on the page for the person who would find my dog. The phone number is the most important part:

Hi I'm Duko!
You scanned this tag, so you probably found me somewhere where I shouldn't have been. I hope I didn't do to much damage. If I did, my master will probably pay for it. (He is really rich, you know. He has lots of kible)
Would you please get into contact with my master? I miss him already.
My master is:
Peter Tas
++31 (0) 6 3555 2026
The Netherlands

Now you will need a place to put your page. There are several places where you can get your own webspace. (sometimes for free) I have my own account, so I just made a sub-page: www.myaccount.nl/nameofmydog

You can use Seamonkey to upload the page you created to the webspace through FTP.

Step 3: Create the QR-code

There are lots of websites and apps to create a QR-code. Usually you simply type a text and it will create the QR-code.

In this case the text was the link to the web-page I created before. (or your phone number if you took the easy route)

I used the free QR-code creator: http://www.qr-genereren.nl/url.php

I made more than one code, for the dogs of friends as well.

To scale the codes and combine them on one page, I used a text-editor, but a graphical program would also work. I also used this program to add the name of the dog.

Step 4: Print the Tag

123D-design is a great program to design the 3D-drawing for the dog tag in. (and it is free) It can directly export to STL for your 3D-printer.

Added are my designs for the tag.

Cura is my preferred free software to 3D-print.

This tag prints fast and doesn't use much filament.

Attachments

Step 5: Print the QR-code

  • Print the QR-code(s) on a printer.
  • Check the size with the tag you 3D-printed.
  • Check with your smartphone of the QR-code works.
  • Cut the code to size. (scissors will work)
  • Check again if the code fits in the tag. (it should be just smaller than the square in the tag)

Step 6: Laminate the QR-code

To waterproof the QR-code, I had them laminated at my local copy-shop. They had some scrap-laminate that was more than large enough for my codes, so it didn't cost me much.

Now I cut them out just larger than the square in the tag. There is a ridge that is just larger so it will stay in place.

It is a bit fiddly to get the laminated QR-code in the tag and you might want to add a drop of glue to keep it in.

Now just add a dog.

Step 7: Add Dog

Put the tag on the collar of your dog and he wears it proudly!

I hope that the tag never needs to be used, but if it does, I will let you know.