How to make custom filament swatch cards

Equipment you need

• An FDM printer with a clean, level build surface
• The filament spool you want to catalogue
• A slicer profile suitable for that material and printer
• Calipers for checking the first card, if available
• A diffuse lamp for comparing transparency and colour
• A box or inventory system for the finished cards

Choose labels that remain useful

Copy the manufacturer, product or colour name, and material from the spool label. Use the same spelling across your collection. When two spools have similar names, add a short identifier in your digital inventory rather than squeezing changing details onto the card.

PLA, PETG, TPU, and PA can look similar on a shelf but behave differently. The generator adds a physical notch convention for the selected material, so the material can still be recognized when printed text is hard to read.

Generate and print a swatch step by step

1. Open the custom filament swatch STL generator.
2. Enter the brand and colour or product name exactly as you want them engraved.
3. Select the filament material and, if needed, enable the ironing test.
4. Inspect the 3D preview and correct the labels before generating the file.
5. Generate the STL and import it into your slicer without scaling it.
6. Place the card flat on its broad face and apply your normal, proven material profile.
7. Check the sliced preview for readable text and intact transparency windows.
8. Print, label the digital record with the same identifier, and store the card with the collection.

Keep print settings consistent

Use the same nozzle diameter, layer height, temperature, speed, cooling, wall count, and top-layer settings whenever you want to compare two filaments. If you change one variable, record it. The filament swatch print-settings guide explains which settings most strongly affect the result.

Check the finished card

The generated model is 85 × 54 × 4.5 mm and includes six transparency windows. After the first print, confirm that the card has not been scaled, the labels are legible, and each thin window printed continuously. Compare the card against another sample only under the same lighting.

Common printing problems

Text is filled in or rough

Confirm the slicer preserved the engraved features. A smaller layer height and slower outer walls can improve definition; excessive flow can close narrow details.

Thin windows contain gaps

Check first-layer calibration, flow, and sliced line placement. Do not judge transparency from a window with missing extrusion.

The card lifts at the corners

Clean the bed and use the bed temperature and adhesion method appropriate for the material. Avoid adding a brim over test areas.

Cards cannot be compared fairly

Reprint with a shared profile or clearly record the changed variable. For PLA-specific comparisons, follow the PLA filament swatch card guide.