Updated 10/31/25
White Label Production - Polar Filament provides all or most of the materials required for filament manufacturing, with the final product branded under the customer's label.
Toll Production - The customer provides all materials, including resin pellets, colorants, spools, boxes, and packaging. Polar Filament provides extrusion and processing services only.
Most production orders fall between these two categories.
Polar Filament's standard process involves renting out production capabilities for filament extrusion. Any deviation from this standard process, including additional labor, material handling, or equipment adjustments, may incur additional costs.
Unless otherwise specified in a written Purchase Order (PO), all orders will follow Polar Filament's standard manufacturing and packaging processes as outlined below.
Important: PO notes are sent directly to the filament line operators.
Please specify all deviations on every PO.
Even if an order is a repeat, we cannot assume "same as last time," as production may be handled by a different operator who did not work on the previous batch.
Purchase Order Requirements:
All Purchase Orders must reference a valid Polar Filament quote number. The referenced quote must incorporate Polar Filament’s terms and conditions as published at https://pfil.us/terms.
Default Specifications:
Transition spools are created during color changes while the new color stabilizes within the extrusion line. Most color changes produce 2-4 transition spools, though this number can vary depending on the colors involved.
Transition spools are labeled "Transition" instead of a color name.
By default, transition spools are produced in addition to the ordered quantity. Alternatively, customers may request that transition spools be deducted from the ordered quantity. This preference must be stated clearly on the Purchase Order.
Example:
If you order 50 kg White and 50 kg Black, you will typically receive:
If you request that transitions be deducted from quantities, the order may instead total approximately:
Typical scrap rate is 4-7%. Polar Filament does not guarantee a specific scrap rate. Scrap spools are not billed, but customer-supplied material is not reimbursed. Regrind or scrap reintroduction is not standard but can be added upon request at additional cost. Mixing regrind and virgin material may incur further surcharges.
Partials and Factory Seconds are available for purchase upon request. Both are generally considered scrap, but may be shipped if specifically requested. Pricing is negotiated on a per-kilogram basis, typically calculated as the cost of the empty spool, shipping fees, and 50% of other production costs.
Partials
Partials are underweight spools, usually resulting from startup, shutdown, or an unexpected spooler stop. They may also occur when a spool is intentionally ended early to prevent a large tolerance spike from being wound onto the spool.
Factory Seconds
Factory Seconds are spools with minor imperfections such as poor winding, slightly inconsistent tolerance (but not severe enough to impact print quality), or other small defects. These are considered sub-par but fully usable spools of filament.
You may request to have Partials, **Factory Seconds, or both included with your order.
Customers providing materials must send a 15% buffer, but not more than 50% extra beyond the estimated requirement.
Production scheduling begins only after all materials, documentation (PO, SDS, TDS), and digital assets (e.g., label files) are received. Completion and delivery estimates will not be provided until an order is scheduled.
For customer-supplied materials, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and Technical Data Sheets (TDS) must be provided. Missing documentation may result in additional testing fees.
All new materials require an R&D batch before full production.
Invoices are issued after the order has been boxed, labeled, and is ready to ship. Invoice totals may differ from POs due to transition spools, overages, or added services.
Overdue invoices beyond agreed payment terms (default Payment Upon Receipt) may delay or suspend future or in-progress orders. Paused or canceled batches may incur additional costs.
If an order cancellation is requested, Polar Filament will do its best to accommodate. Any sunk costs incurred up to the point of cancellation-including setup, teardown, materials, and partial production-will be billed accordingly.
Materials requiring over 4 hours drying time or temperatures above 110 C may incur additional charges. If the customer supplies drying specifications, Polar Filament is not liable for defects (e.g., bubbles, brittleness) caused by inadequate drying.
Customers supplying materials are responsible for ensuring sufficient quantities to complete the order. Example: If 100 kg of green filament is ordered, adequate green colorant must be supplied. Polar Filament can verify inventory upon request.
Polar Filament weighs and serializes incoming resin and colorant. Count-based materials (spools, boxes) are not verified by default. One free inventory check per order is included. Additional inventory checks are billed at a $150 flat rate per check.
Re-labeling occurs when the label on a spool must be changed-such as branding updates, label redesigns, or color name changes. Re-labeling involves breaking the vacuum seal, removing the existing label, and replacing it with a new one.
Default carton configurations:
If specific carton dimensions are required, the customer must either supply the cartons or pay for Polar Filament to procure them.
Pallet layout is determined by Polar Filament.
Polar Filament does not disclose or promote customer identities. However, as our facility accepts public deliveries, complete anonymity cannot be guaranteed. For customers requiring additional privacy (e.g., hidden packaging or isolated storage), Polar Filament will accommodate when feasible; additional fees may apply.
End of Terms and Conditions