PrusaSlicer: the slicer from Prusa Research and how to send a model from it

What PrusaSlicer is

A slicer is a program that cuts a model into layers and turns it into G-code, the commands for the printer. PrusaSlicer was developed by the Czech company Prusa Research on the basis of the older Slic3r. There is a fuller description on Wikipedia and the source code is on GitHub. Unlike some other programs, it is completely free.

Other slicers are derived from it, for example Bambu Studio, and from that OrcaSlicer.

What to send us from PrusaSlicer

Do not send us G-code. It is prepared for a specific printer and specific settings, and our Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 printers could not process it anyway. Send the model as STL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP.

If you want several colours, open the model in PrusaSlicer, assign colours to the individual parts and save the project via File, Save Project As. That produces a 3MF file with the colours assigned, which is all we need.

Why the price does not depend on your settings

After upload we genuinely prepare the model for printing on our server and calculate the price per piece and the lead time from real grams and time. You choose the strength in the calculator: light has 10% infill, standard 15% and strong 40%. Supports are created automatically and are included in the price. So you do not have to worry about which parameters you set.

What to watch for

Even though we prepare the print, PrusaSlicer can be useful for checking before you order. In it you see how the model sits, where overhangs form and whether the walls are thick enough. If you find the shape hard to print, you can turn or edit it before uploading. Tips on positioning are in the entry on model orientation.

PrusaSlicer can show the time and material use, but the result for our printers will differ, because they have different speeds and a different profile. It is only a rough guide. For multicolour parts, assign colours to the objects themselves or to their parts, not just by changing filament at a certain layer.