Slicing Introduction
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Slicing converts a finished bulk‑void device into printer‑ready layers. It takes your rendered geometry plus print settings and produces a layer‑by‑layer representation the printer can execute.
Goal: understand what the slicer produces and how to verify the output.
What slicing is
Slicing turns 3D geometry into a stack of 2D layers. Each layer becomes a grayscale image (one per print layer), and metadata is written so the printer knows exposure, timing, and positioning.
Supported printers
Slicing is designed for custom printers that use our open‑source printing software, including our open‑source OS1. The output format is optimized for that ecosystem.
What slicing outputs
The slicer writes a print bundle that typically includes:
- An output folder named after your filename (or a ZIP archive if you choose zipped output).
- A JSON print file that describes the job, settings, and per‑layer metadata.
- A slices folder containing 8‑bit grayscale images (one image per layer unless minimized).
Each slice image encodes exposure at that layer: black = no exposure, white = full exposure. If your workflow uses multiple exposures per layer (e.g., membranes or secondary doses), you may see multiple images referenced from the JSON.
If you want a human‑readable walkthrough of the JSON fields, see the JSON Print File Reference.
Checkpoint
- You understand what files the slicer will generate.
- You know where to look for the JSON print file details.