Managing slices

Applies to 2023.1 Update and later

Loading and exporting slice stacks, grouping and merging, and determining their draw order

Note: Most, if not all tasks here require that a Slices section in the project tree, or any of the slice stacks within, is selected to have access to the necessary menu options.

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To load a part into slicing

This assumes that you have loaded a part into Netfabb, usually into the default buildspace named Parts. Slicing a part maintains its Z position.

  1. In the project tree, select the part or parts to be sliced.
  2. From the menu, click Home > Slice selected parts.
    Tip: Drag & drop the part in the project tree from the platform to the Slices section of the respective platform.
  3. In the appearing dialog, specify the layer size, start height, stop height, and whether to put the stacks for parts and supports into subgroups, and if so, how to name the groups.
    Note: Netfabb projects slice volume downwards. This causes the first, or bottom-most layer, to always be always empty, and the contour of the first actual slice is provided by the second slice. If you need the first layer to be not empty, increase the slicing start height by 1x the layer size.
Tip: You may open existing slice-type files directly to add them to your project:
  1. From the main menu, choose Open Slice File.
  2. Use the appearing Select Slice File(s) dialog to browse and open the desired file or files.
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To select a slice stack

Click on a slice stack entry in the Slices section of the project tree, or its contour or hatch line in the display.

Tip: Use the menu options in the main menu to help with selecting multiple slice stacks. These options are Select all Slices, Deselect All, and Invert Selection.
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To delete a slice stack

  1. Select the slice stack in the project tree.
  2. From the main menu, choose Edit > Remove.
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To change the order of slice stacks

The slice drawing order is determined by the order of entries in the Slices section, top first, bottom last. For example, you may choose to have filling of multiple parts hatched first, then follow up with contour passes. Arrange the entries by dragging and dropping the project tree entries into the desired order.

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To group slice stacks

Grouping slices associates them with each other which can make handling them easier.

  1. Right-click the Slices section of the project tree and choose Create new group from the context menu.
  2. In the project tree, move the slices into the newly created group by drag & drop.
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To merge slices

Merging slices puts them together to be handled and processed as one single slice. This is reversible.

  1. Select the slices to merge.
  2. From the main menu, choose Merge Slices.

To split the merger,

  1. Select the merger.
  2. From the menu, choose Restore Originals.

A split merger's components are placed into a group.

Note: A merge of slices is not marked in a special way other than the name it is given upon creation. Once renamed, the only way to tell that you have selected a merge of multiple slices is by verifying that Clear Grouping is not greyed out.
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To export slice information

Save slice statistics for each layer, including z-height, area, contour length, and hatch length, to a CSV file.

  1. From the main menu, choose Export Slice Information.
  2. Use the appearing dialog to specify saving location and filename, if necessary.
Note: The export includes properties summed from selected slices only. To include properties of all slices make sure that no slices are selected before using this function.
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Parent topic: About slicing