Slicing in the Cloud
Slicing – is the process needed to convert the STL model into an understandable format for your 3D printer.
Gcode is a file format usually used to save all the commands needed to print the model.
You can slice STL models using our cloud resources. That makes slicing faster than using your hardware.
Slicer apps
3DPrinterOS uses Open Source engines to slice the model:
Cura 15.04 in Cloud Slicer(discontinued) app
Cura 3.6 in Slicer 3(discontinued) app – more than 400 parameters for granular slicing.
Makerbot Slicer for all Makerbots
Slicer 5 (Recommended default slicer)
How to slice a model
You need to do the following:
Click Slice next to the STL file
Set up slicing settings. There are two options:
3DPrinterOS provides default Slicing profiles. You can use them without diving deep into each of the parameters.
You can adjust the settings, for example, to speed up or decrease the quality of the print.
Click Slice or Slice & Toolpath Preview inside of the application.
The Sliced model will appear in the correspondent project
Slice and Toolpath Preview – will open the Toolpath Viewer app.
Slicers structure
Cloud Slicer(discontinued) and Slicer for Makerbot:
Simple – 7 basic parameters
Advanced – 17 parameters
Expert – more than 25 parameters, including Start/End codes
Slicer 3(discontinued), Slicer 5:
Simple – 7 basic parameters
Expert – more than 400 parameters. Some of them have parental relations, so changing one may change the other
If you don't know what the parameter means, please feel free to hover on it.
Slicer 3(discontinued), Slicer 5, and Slicer for Makerbots support dual extrusion. Read details about dual extrusion here.