Most bad first orders were visible before the deposit. The signals are usually documentation, inconsistency or communication — not price. This checklist is designed to be run in a single supplier call plus a document review.

A. Factory reality (1–5)

  • 1. Do they show production video or live walk-throughs of the line that will run your order?
  • 2. Can they name their extrusion equipment and gauging method?
  • 3. Do spools carry batch codes that tie back to a lot record?
  • 4. Is there an in-house lab, and what does it actually measure?
  • 5. Are the product photos real, or the same renders every trading company uses?

B. Quality evidence (6–10)

  • 6. Is diameter control inline and continuous, or sample-only?
  • 7. Can they provide a measured distribution rather than a single tolerance figure?
  • 8. What is their batch color deviation limit (ΔE), and how is it verified?
  • 9. Do they retain samples per lot?
  • 10. What happens when a batch misses spec — in writing?

C. Documentation (11–15)

  • 11. TDS and SDS for the exact grade, not a brochure.
  • 12. RoHS/REACH declarations with an SVHC screening version.
  • 13. Declarations relevant to your market (EU/US conformity, CPSIA/CA65 for consumer SKUs).
  • 14. Lot-level batch reports issued with shipments.
  • 15. Packaging data: carton dimensions, net/gross weight, pallet pattern.

D. Commercial behavior (16–20)

  • 16. Do they answer technical questions in writing, or only in chat?
  • 17. Is the lead time defined by a starting event (deposit, approved sample)?
  • 18. Can they quote FOB, CIF and DDP on the same basket?
  • 19. Are MOQ and its drivers explained per configuration?
  • 20. Do they volunteer limitations? A supplier that never says "that grade is wrong for your application" is selling, not advising.

Red flags that predict trouble

  • Documents that describe a different grade than the one quoted
  • A price far below the market with no explanation of what was removed
  • Inability to describe the packing configuration in numbers
  • Vague answers on traceability — "all our filament is high quality" is not a system
  • Reluctance to share a production video, when video costs nothing

Run it as a scorecard

Score each item 0–2, total out of 40. Below 24, place a small trial order only. Above 32 with a live video walk-through, a container program is a reasonable next step.

VOXFIL publishes real production photography and video, issues per-grade documents with batch reports, and quotes FOB/CIF/DDP on request — the checks above can be run against us the same way.

Frequently asked questions

What is the single strongest signal of a real filament factory?

Batch traceability combined with a live production walk-through. A factory can show you the line and tie a specific spool back to a lot record; a trading company can usually do neither.

How do I verify filament diameter claims?

Ask for the measurement method and sampling rate, then request a measured distribution rather than a single tolerance figure. Inline laser gauging with continuous logging is the standard to look for.

Should I visit a filament factory before ordering?

For a container program, a visit or at least a live video walk-through is worth the time. If travel is impractical, request unedited production video and a batch record for a recent lot.