Metrics & reporting
What is print failure rate?
Print failure rate is the share of started 3D print jobs that do not produce a usable part, whether through detachment, extrusion problems, mechanical fault, or operator error.
Also known as: failure rate, print success rate
Measuring it honestly
The number is useful only when failures are recorded consistently. If the process relies on an operator remembering to update the job, some failed attempts won’t appear in the rate.
Attribute failures, don’t just count them
An aggregate rate tells you there is a problem. To act, split it by:
- Machine: isolates a printer needing service or calibration
- Material: isolates a bad spool or an unsuitable profile
- Requester: identifies where training would help more than hardware
- Time: reveals failures clustering after hours or after a specific change
The cost that gets missed
The direct cost of a failure is material and machine time. A late update also delays the next attempt, so notifying the requester promptly is part of the failure process.