Mastering 3D Printing

Chapter 5

Slicing a 3D Model

This chapter and the next are the core of this book’s explanation of the 3D printing process. 3D printers cannot use a computer model until that model is changed into commands to move around an extruder and control when that extruder is and isn’t putting down material. Because most 3D printers lay up a layer at a time in some material, the first part of this process (described in this chapter) cuts the model into layers, normally referred to as slicing.  

The first part of this chapter teaches you a little about the similarities between 3D printing and cooking and explains what a 3D printing “recipe” assumes you know. ...