OpenPrintTag NFC standard in SimplyPrint

Got filament from Prusa - or want to use a truly open, future-proof NFC format for your spools? SimplyPrint fully supports OpenPrintTag - the open-source NFC standard created by Prusa Research that's set to become the industry-wide solution for filament tagging.

This article covers everything about using OpenPrintTag with SimplyPrint. For a general introduction to NFC in 3D printing, hardware options, and step-by-step guides, see our main NFC article.

NFC support in SimplyPrint

SimplyPrint has deep NFC integration across our entire platform - both the web panel and mobile apps for iOS and Android. We support reading and writing NFC tags in multiple formats, allowing you to work with filament from various brands and make your spools work with different printer ecosystems.

What you can do with NFC in SimplyPrint:

• Read NFC tags to instantly identify spools and see their details
• Write NFC tags in various formats - OpenPrintTag, OpenSpool, OpenTag, Creality, QIDI, Anycubic, and more
• Link physical spools to their "digital twin" in your filament inventory
• Quickly assign spools to printers by scanning instead of scrolling through lists

How you can read and write NFC:

• Mobile apps (iOS & Android) - most phones have built-in NFC, making this the easiest method
• Desktop USB readers - for those who prefer working from their computer

What is OpenPrintTag?

OpenPrintTag is an open-source NFC standard for filament - created by Prusa Research, the Czech company behind the popular Prusa printers and Prusament filament.

Why does this matter?

This is a big deal for the 3D printing industry. Unlike proprietary formats from other manufacturers (where tags only work with that brand's printers), OpenPrintTag is:

• Open source - anyone can implement it, no licensing fees
• Backed by Prusa - a major player pushing for open standards
• Future-proof - as more brands adopt it, your tagged spools will work everywhere
• Feature-rich - stores way more data than proprietary formats

Prusa has published the full specification and tools on GitHub under the MIT license, meaning any printer manufacturer can add support for it.

Official resources

• Website: https://openprinttag.org/
• GitHub: https://github.com/prusa3d/OpenPrintTag
• License: MIT (fully open source)

What can SimplyPrint do with OpenPrintTag?

With SimplyPrint, you can:

1. Write OpenPrintTag NFC tags for any filament - stick them on your spools and OpenPrintTag-compatible hardware will recognize them
2. Read existing Prusament tags - if you buy Prusament that already has NFC tags, SimplyPrint can read and understand them
3. Link tags to your inventory - connect physical tags to their digital twin in your filament manager
4. Quickly identify spools by scanning - no more guessing which spool is which

Which printers support OpenPrintTag?

OpenPrintTag is still relatively new, but adoption is growing:

Current support

• Prusa printers - Expected to be the first with native support
• Prusament - Already ships with OpenPrintTag NFC tags

Expected adoption

Because OpenPrintTag is open source and backed by a major manufacturer, it's likely that many other brands will adopt it. The 3D printing community has been asking for an open standard for years, and this could be it.

Important: What SimplyPrint can and can't do

Before diving deeper, here's what you need to know about the integration:

What works great

Rich data storage - OpenPrintTag stores far more information than proprietary formats. Brand, material type, exact color, temperatures, weight, manufacturing date - it's all there.

iOS and Android support - Unlike some other standards (like QIDI's MIFARE Classic), OpenPrintTag tags work with both iOS and Android devices.

Fast spool identification - Scan any tagged spool with your phone or desktop reader to instantly see which spool it is in SimplyPrint.

What doesn't work (yet)

No automatic sync from the printer - Unlike Bambu Lab AMS, printers with OpenPrintTag support don't tell SimplyPrint what filament is loaded. When you put a spool in your printer, SimplyPrint won't automatically know about it.

You'll need to manually assign spools - After loading filament, you'll still need to tell SimplyPrint which spool is on which printer. The good news? With NFC tags, this takes seconds: scan the tag, tap assign, done.

What data does an OpenPrintTag store?

OpenPrintTag is one of the most comprehensive NFC standards for filament - it can store a lot of information:

That's a lot more than the 3 fields that QIDI tags store!

Do I need to worry about all this data?

Nope! SimplyPrint handles all of this automatically. When you write an OpenPrintTag, we pull the relevant information from your spool in the filament manager and encode it properly. You don't need to fill in CBOR payloads or worry about material type enums.

What NFC tags does it use?

OpenPrintTag uses NXP ICODE SLIX2 tags (ISO 15693). This is different from the more common NTAG or MIFARE tags you might have seen elsewhere.

The good news is that these tags are well-supported by modern phones and readers. The not-so-good news is that you need to make sure you buy the right ones.

Where to buy compatible tags

• Prusa store - Blank OpenPrintTag
• ICODE SLIX2 tags on Amazon

Some links are affiliate links - we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Compatible hardware

OpenPrintTag uses ISO 15693 tags, which have broad support:

Desktop reader note: Only the ACR1552U reader supports OpenPrintTag tags. Other ACS readers (like the ACR122U) won't work with ISO 15693 tags.

Why write OpenPrintTag tags via SimplyPrint?

So why bother writing OpenPrintTag through SimplyPrint instead of other tools?

1. Future-proof your filament library

OpenPrintTag is backed by Prusa and is open source. As more printers adopt this standard, your tagged spools will work with them automatically. You're not locked into one brand's ecosystem.

2. Use any filament with OpenPrintTag hardware

Got a great deal on some eSUN PETG? Write an OpenPrintTag for it. Want to use that fancy Polymaker Silk? Write an OpenPrintTag for it. Any OpenPrintTag-compatible hardware will recognize it.

3. Keep your inventory in sync

When you write tags via SimplyPrint, the spool is already in your inventory. The tag gets linked automatically, so there's no disconnect between your physical spools and your digital inventory.

4. Track remaining filament on the tag

OpenPrintTag supports writing the current remaining weight and length. So the tag itself can store how much filament is left - useful if you ever scan the spool again or share it with someone else.

5. Rich data, automatic matching

SimplyPrint automatically maps your spool's properties to the OpenPrintTag format. We handle the CBOR encoding, material type enums, and all the technical details behind the scenes.

6. Consistent workflow

Whether you're writing tags for OpenPrintTag, Creality CFS, Anycubic ACE, or any other standard, the process in SimplyPrint is the same. Learn it once, use it everywhere.

Limitations

Even open standards have some limitations:

Advanced: Material types and tags

This section is for the curious - you don't need to know any of this to use OpenPrintTag with SimplyPrint. We handle the mapping automatically.

Material types

OpenPrintTag uses a comprehensive enum for material types. Some examples:

• 0: Generic/unspecified
• 1: PLA
• 2: PETG
• 3: ABS
• 4: ASA
• 5: PA (Nylon)
• 6: PC (Polycarbonate)
• 7: TPU/TPE
• 8: PVA
• 9: HIPS
• ...and many more

The full list is available in the OpenPrintTag specification.

Material tags (properties)

OpenPrintTag also supports "tags" - properties that describe the filament:

• Carbon fiber reinforced
• Glass fiber reinforced
• Matte finish
• Silk/shiny finish
• Glow-in-the-dark
• Wood-filled
• Metal-filled
• Recycled
• ...and more

These are automatically detected from your SimplyPrint spool data when writing tags.

Quick reference

Related articles

• NFC / RFID support in SimplyPrint - Hardware, methods, and step-by-step guides
• The Filament Manager feature - Managing your filament inventory
• QIDI Box material standard - Proprietary format for QIDI printers
• OpenSpool standard - Another community-driven open standard

Updated on: 19/12/2025