# Quality Certificates for Metal Parts

> Every metal part ships with a quality certificate covering composition, defects, CAD deviation, properties, traceability, and conformance.

Canonical: https://mesh2metal.com/quality

__Specifications__
| Certificate        | Included with every part |
| ------------------ | ------------------------ |
| Geometry reference | Customer CAD             |
| Acceptance basis   | Drawing criteria         |

Every Mesh2Metal part ships with a quality certificate. The record covers chemical composition, porosity and defect map, 3D deviation from your CAD, mechanical properties, thermal properties, traceability, and a certificate of conformance. Use it for engineering sign-off, qualification review, and comparison across design iterations.

## What does every quality certificate include?

The quality certificate organizes the evidence needed to review a part against its drawing and agreed requirements. Each section has a distinct job:

| Certificate section        | What it tells your team                                                                                                         |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Chemical composition       | The reported composition for the selected alloy, so the material callout can be checked against the drawing or specification.   |
| Porosity and defect map    | The location, size, and volume fraction of reported porosity or other recorded defects.                                         |
| 3D deviation from your CAD | Where the supplied geometry differs from the reference CAD, with a legend that relates color bands to numeric deviation ranges. |
| Mechanical properties      | The agreed mechanical-property values and the material basis used for review.                                                   |
| Thermal properties         | The agreed thermal-property values for the selected material and certificate scope.                                             |
| Traceability               | The identifiers that connect the part, material, order, revision, and certificate record.                                       |
| Certificate of conformance | A formal statement that the supplied part conforms to the agreed requirements, with any stated exceptions identified.           |

Certificate scope follows the order and its acceptance criteria. Identify any drawing, specification, or customer quality-plan requirement early so the review uses the right basis.

## Why does a certificate matter for engineering sign-off?

Engineering sign-off needs more than a part that looks right. Reviewers need a record tying material, geometry, properties, and requirements to one part and revision. The certificate keeps those records together, making drawing callouts easier to verify and the release decision easier to document.

A defined certificate supports faster qualification. Your team can use consistent sections for design review, supplier review, and internal quality records instead of rebuilding an evidence package for each reviewer. That can shorten the path from first article to approved design while keeping the decision tied to stated requirements.

For a new design, keep the certificate with the relevant CAD revision and drawing. For an iteration, compare current and prior records: review the deviation map, porosity summary, material data, and property values together. A side-by-side record helps your team judge whether a geometry change improved the design, introduced a concern, or moved a feature within the allowed range.

## How do I read a 3D deviation map?

A 3D deviation map shows the difference between supplied geometry and reference CAD as color bands. The legend is key: each band represents a numeric range, and the sign indicates whether geometry is above or below reference. Read each color against the legend and units; color alone is not a tolerance decision.

Tolerance is the requirement stated by the drawing. Deviation is the reported difference from CAD. A region inside drawing tolerance can be acceptable even when it differs in color from another region. A region outside the allowed limit needs review, even when the visual difference appears small. Start with critical features, datums, interfaces, and tighter callouts, then compare each reported range with the applicable requirement.

For a bilateral limit, compare positive and negative deviation to both sides. For a unilateral or geometric requirement, use that requirement rather than a general visual rule. If no feature-specific criterion exists, ask for an acceptance basis before sign-off. The [GD&T reference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric%5Fdimensioning%5Fand%5Ftolerancing) explains common drawing notation.

## How is porosity reported?

Porosity reporting has three useful coordinates: location, size, and volume fraction. Location identifies the region, feature, or reference position associated with the reported condition. Size describes the individual indication or stated size range. Volume fraction expresses the portion of the stated part or review scope represented by reported voids.

Read those fields together. A small volume fraction can matter when the location is a sealing face, thin wall, load path, or other critical feature. A larger size away from a functional feature may have a different engineering effect. Acceptance criteria should state limits and locations, not rely on a single percentage.

The certificate distinguishes reported porosity from other recorded defects. If your drawing limits a region, maximum size, or total volume fraction, include that language in the order requirements. The [porosity reference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porosity) provides general terminology. That shared format gives design and quality owners a common basis for discussing risk and disposition.

## What acceptance criteria can I request per drawing?

Acceptance criteria per drawing can be requested before the quote is finalized. Useful criteria include the alloy and grade, feature tolerances, surface condition, mechanical-property limits, thermal-property limits, maximum porosity size, permitted locations, volume-fraction limit, traceability fields, and the required certificate of conformance wording.

Call out critical-to-function features and interfaces on the drawing or in quality notes. State which requirements apply to the whole part and which apply only to a region. That distinction gives reviewers a defensible basis for sign-off and gives later iterations the same comparison frame. Include the revision level and any customer or internal standard that governs the callout.

Drop your STL, STEP, 3MF, or OBJ into the browser for local CAD analysis, then use the [manufacturability check](https://mesh2metal.com/manufacturability) for design questions. The file stays on your device. When ready, [request a quote](https://mesh2metal.com/quote) with the drawing, revision, and acceptance criteria. See [how it works](https://mesh2metal.com/how-it-works); for certificate questions, [contact the team](https://mesh2metal.com/contact).

## Questions

Can the certificate support engineering sign-off?

Yes. The certificate gathers the agreed material, geometry, property, traceability, and conformance records in one reviewable document.

Can I request certificate criteria from a drawing?

Yes. Share the drawing requirements when you request a quote so the acceptance scope can be confirmed before the order.

Does the certificate cover thermal properties?

Yes. Thermal properties are included for the selected material and the agreed certificate scope.

How should I handle export-controlled data?

Please don't send us export-controlled (ITAR/EAR) technical data until we have set up a compliant path with you — contact us first.

Sources (4)

1. \[1\] [ ISO 2768 ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO%5F2768) , Wikipedia
2. \[2\] [ Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric%5Fdimensioning%5Fand%5Ftolerancing) , Wikipedia
3. \[3\] [ Porosity ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porosity) , Wikipedia
4. \[4\] [ Certificate of conformance ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate%5Fof%5Fconformity) , Wikipedia

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