# Global Filaments

## Area

- Route: `/filaments`
- Purpose: maintain brands, materials and shared filament master data

## When you use this area

Use this area when you:

- create or maintain the global filament catalog
- review manufacturer data
- add variants, colors or technical attributes
- prepare data for spools and downstream labels

## Important functions

- brand and material filters
- grouped manufacturer view
- detail editing
- datasheet handling
- community-share related maintenance

## Step-by-step guide

### Step 1: Find the right branch

1. Open the filament page.
2. Filter by brand, material or search term.
3. Open the matching group or detail row.

### Step 2: Maintain the master data

1. Edit the brand, material and color values.
2. Add supplier, SKU, notes or technical values.
3. Save the result.

### Step 3: Verify downstream use

1. Check whether spools and labels can use the values cleanly.
2. Review datasheets or imported metadata if the source changed.

## Typical pitfalls

- maintaining spool-specific data inside the global catalog
- forgetting to review technical values after imports
- mixing very different variants in one generic entry
