HELP BUILD
THE INDEX.
Every TD measurement you submit makes the Filament Index better for every other maker. Here's how it works.
WHY CONTRIBUTE?
The Filament Index is community-built. TD (Transmission Distance) measurements are the most valuable data because they're what HueForge users actually need to get accurate prints. Every verified filament saves every other user hours of calibration work. Your measurements build a statistical consensus — the more samples we have, the more reliable the data becomes. When you contribute, you're making 3D printing better for everyone.
HOW SUBMISSIONS GET APPROVED
TD corrections can be approved in different ways depending on who submits them and how they compare to existing data:
- →
Certified Contributors:
Every active member gets Certified Contributor status automatically — it's a member perk, not a Pro-only one. Contributors with 15 accepted TD corrections earn it too. Certified Contributors have no daily submission cap, and their new filaments publish straight to the Index instead of waiting in the queue.
- →
Community measurements (all users):
TD corrections get added to the community data for a filament. The first few measurements on any filament are accepted automatically so we can start building a baseline. Once three measurements exist, new values within 20% of the community average are accepted right away. Anything further out gets held for Vic to review.
- →
New filaments:
There's no community voting on new entries — either they publish straight away or Vic reviews them. A Certified Contributor's new filament goes live immediately unless it's a new brand request or the duplicate checker flags a likely match. Everyone else's goes to Vic's review queue, typically cleared within 2–3 days.
- →
Outlier detection:
Any submission more than 20% from the community average is flagged for Vic's review. This protects the Index from measurement errors and one-off bad data.
HOW COMMUNITY DATA IS USED
The Index builds statistical confidence through multiple community measurements. Here's how the data evolves:
1 measurement
Community value is shown, but we flag that more samples are needed for statistical confidence.
2 measurements
Still building consensus. We show both values but recommend additional measurements before relying on the average.
3+ measurements
The Index displays an average ± standard deviation, giving users a data-driven estimate of the true TD — and from here on, new values more than 20% off that average get held for review. (The Community Verified badge itself isn't being awarded yet.)
HueForge's original TD value and the community average are shown side-by-side, so users can see how real-world measurements compare to the vendor spec. This transparency helps the community make informed decisions.
TWO WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
Submit a TD correction
For:
Filaments that exist in the Index but have missing, wrong, or outdated TD values.
How:
Click "Suggest TD correction" on any filament detail page, fill in your measurement, and submit.
What happens:
Your measurement gets added to the community data for this filament. If it's within range of the existing community average, it's applied right away. Otherwise Vic reviews it before it goes live. Either way it's credited to you on your contributor profile — filament pages don't show contributor names yet.
Submit a new filament
For:
Filaments not yet in the Index.
How:
Click "Submit a new filament" and fill in brand, product line, color, hex, TD (if you have it).
What happens:
System checks for duplicates live. If you're a member or a Certified Contributor and it's genuinely new, it publishes immediately; otherwise Vic reviews it (typically 2-3 days). New brand requests are always reviewed by hand. Once it's live, the entry is credited to you on your contributor profile.
EARNING CERTIFIED CONTRIBUTOR STATUS
Anyone can submit. But the most active contributors earn Certified Contributor status after 15 accepted TD corrections. Certified Contributors get:
- No daily submission cap — everyone else is limited to 10 submissions a day
- A Certified badge on your public contributor profile
- New filaments you add publish straight to the Index instead of waiting in the review queue
Important: Certified status does not skip the TD data checks. Every measurement is still checked against the community average — values within 20% are added immediately, outliers are held for review. That keeps the Index accurate without slowing down trusted contributors.
Every active member gets Certified Contributor status automatically
Skip the 15-correction grind — no daily cap, and your new filaments publish straight to the Index. Support 3D Prints by Vic on Patreon →
THE VERIFICATION TIER SYSTEM
Every filament has a trust tier that tells you how verified that data is. Here's what each tier means — two of them are built but nobody has earned them yet, and they're marked so you know what you're actually looking at in the Index.
Brand Verified
Not issued yetData supplied and signed off by the manufacturer through the brand submission pipeline. The pipeline is open, but no brand has come through it yet.
From HueForge
Sourced from the HueForge filament library — a useful starting point. Community submissions can refine these values over time.
Community Verified
Not issued yetReserved for filaments where several independent community measurements agree closely. The Index already shows the community average and its standard deviation once three measurements exist, but the badge itself is not being awarded yet.
Admin Verified
Admin reviewed and approved a single community measurement.
Community Submitted
One community member's measurement, awaiting additional verification.
Unverified
No TD measurement yet. Help verify this filament by submitting one.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Measure real filament. Don't guess or use vendor specs unless clearly labeled as such.
Use consistent methods. Note which tool you used (TD-1, TD-1s, TDFree, etc.) in your submission notes.
Record your measurement conditions. Nozzle temperature, print speed, lighting — all of these can affect what you measure.
Be specific with color names. Match the manufacturer's naming exactly if you can.
Skip duplicates. If a filament is already in the Index, submit a TD correction instead of creating a new entry.
Photos help. Upload a swatch photo or photo of the filament spool if relevant.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Good-faith submissions are welcome and appreciated. Spam, bad-faith submissions, or deliberate misinformation will result in submission access being revoked. The Index is only as trustworthy as the data we all contribute — every submission is a small act of service to the community.
Questions? Reach out via the community Discord.
Ready to contribute?
Start with a filament you already know well. Every measurement helps someone else get a better print.