jwalter007
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 7:19 pm

Slicing model in half

Im trying to print the top have of the stay puft marshmellow man.
I have postioned him where I would like the upper part of him to print from. When I go into preview mode it shows it the way I would like it to priint, but it is apparently saving the lower portion as well.
Is there a tool to cut him at the deck level? Kind of like how a cad program you would select a plane and delete everything on side of it?
thansk
horst.w
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:00 pm

Re: Slicing model in half

You want to print the upper half?

Than double click to the model, opens a window, >>> Z - Offset.
Sink down the model to the level you wish, all parts below the digital print table will not be printed.


Regards
horst.w
GER
jwalter007
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 7:19 pm

Re: Slicing model in half

That is how I did it, but when I bring it into M3D it shows the whole model.
Actually, and maybe the problem....
If I hit print Preprep to print, with the model positioned half below the Z, It shows the paths and looks correct.
If I save that, it saves it as gcode and maybe that is just the top half, but I can not bring that into M3d.

If I use export to STL and bring that into M3d, it is the full model. Actually it shows it as just half in the M3D printer but then it says optimizing and then the whole model shows up.

I used to be able to bring the gcode files into M3d using the spooler, but that doesnt work for me anymore.
User avatar
dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: Slicing model in half

S3D cannot slice a stl into two. What you can do....as you have indicated...is only slice part of the model by moving the shape so half of it is "out of bounds" for the slicer.

As you have found out, not being able to actually split a stl file into two with S3D, it follows that you cannot save half of the model!

If you want to split a stl file, then you need to use either a CAD package, or a shape file utility that has the capability. S3D is a slicer package....not a shape file utility.
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
horst.w
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:00 pm

Re: Slicing model in half

jwalter007 wrote: ...
If I hit print Preprep to print, with the model positioned half below the Z, <<OK>>

It shows the paths and looks correct. <<OK>>

If I save that, << you can only save the GCode AND / OR a post precessing format by clicking the " 2 SD-Card symbols, OK? >>

it saves it as gcode << what I say ... >>

and maybe that is just the top half, << that's sure ! see above>>

but I can not bring that

into M3d. << Please help me, whats a M3D, what format it needs. Other formats as GCode when needed you can choose in the Tab SCRIPTS > Post Processing window >>


If I use export to STL << I don't understand what you mean! The sliced model you can never export as STL, thats the same when a bird is able to fly behind itself - worry >>

and bring that into M3d,

it is the full model.

Actually it shows it as just half in the M3D printer but then it says optimizing and then the whole model shows up.

I used to be able to bring the gcode files into M3d

using the spooler,

but that doesnt work for me anymore.
Comments are in RED above.

If "M3D" is Makerbot printer you need their own print format. That you reach by setting in Tab Scripts > Post Processing the spezial format. After slicing and storing the result to anywhere you want, there you will have TWO FILES, one is the GCode-file with the extension *.gcode and the other is the choosen format like *.x3g or what ever. AND this file is what you need.

H.

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