3D Printed Proof publishes practical guidance for FDM users designing parts that must fit, move, assemble, or meet dimensions reliably. Our central editorial question is simple: did the printed part actually meet its dimensional and functional requirement? We focus on calibration, accuracy, tolerances, strength, orientation, geometry, and functional features that affect the answer.
Sources and evidence
We prioritize printer and material manufacturer documentation, slicer documentation, credible engineering references, and controlled tests supplied for an article. Sources are selected to fit the claim: official documentation is generally the starting point for specifications and software behavior, while engineering references help explain mechanisms, measurement, and material behavior.
We attribute information when the source matters to understanding or evaluating a claim. Quantitative results retain the conditions that give them meaning. When they materially affect a result, we state the nozzle, material, print orientation, layer height, machine, and measurement method. Empirical clearance, compensation, and fit values are treated as specific to the reported setup unless broader evidence supports a wider conclusion.
Testing, research, and illustration
Articles distinguish documented firsthand testing from research-based analysis. We do not present calculations, manufacturer data, community reports, or illustrative examples as physical tests. Diagrams and example dimensions may clarify a principle, but they are not measurement results unless identified as such and supported by documented test conditions.
Reasoned editorial opinion
Recommendations and judgments are based on available evidence and the practical requirements of the part. We explain what to choose, what to measure, and which condition could change the answer. Where evidence is limited or setup-dependent, the wording reflects that uncertainty rather than turning one successful fit into a universal rule.
Commercial relationships
When a documented affiliate, sponsorship, ownership, or other material commercial relationship affects particular content, it is disclosed with that content. Commercial considerations do not replace the need to explain the technical basis and relevant tradeoffs behind a recommendation.
Corrections
Readers may report a possible error by emailing contact@3dprintedproof.com. Please include the article URL, the statement in question, and supporting evidence. Substantive corrections clarify what changed when that context is useful; minor spelling, formatting, and clarity edits may be made without a correction note.