Cura: How to split objects?

Hey gang,

Was wondering if anyone knew how to use the “split object into parts” right click function in Cura. When I select it nothing happens. How do you use this feature, and/or how can I split an object that is too big to print?

Thanks!

This function only works if your STL file contains multiple objects. It will not split a solid object into smaller portions. To do that, you will need to use the “Cut off object bottom” function from the “Advanced” tab in the full settings.

Thanks Geburges, but I need to be able to split a model into two separate pieces or multiple pieces to fit my print bed. I use the cutoff feature quite a bit, but I need to be able to cutoff the sides, not the bottom. And rotating in this case doesn’t help because I’m trying to avoid overhang issues.

OK, so after downloading and trying many 3D programs (FreeCAD, Blender, GoogleSketch, TinkerCAD. Autodesk 123D, etc) Netfabb (free version) offered the only solution that I could find, and it does it quiet easily.

Here’s a link to a video that shows you how.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rostD8O5sg

You can try mesh mixer too. Also an Autodesk product and free.

Oh good to know, thanks Peter.

To do this in FreeCAD you need to use the Boolean Operation “Difference”
It’s on the “Part” workbench. Icon = The first 2 offset blue circles dark and light shading.

First add an object (like a solid cube), move/overlap the pieces together as if you were going to fuse them together and make one piece, the exposed section will be the solid you’re wanting to print, use the edge of the cube as your cutting line.

1.) Select the object you want to cut in half
2.) Select the other object you’re going to use to make the cut and apply the difference
3.) Click on the Boolean Operation icon
4.) First shape = object selected in step 1. Second shape = object selected in step 2. Select “Difference” then click Apply

Export your part for printing
Apply same logic go get your other pieces parts

Enjoy!

Split objects by creating a Mesh on Cura and highlighting the area that you want to remove. Then select “Modify Settings For Overlapy With Other Models”. “Select Settings” and add, Wall Thickness, Wall Line Count, Top Thickness, Infill Density, and Generate Suppor (If your model requires support). Change all of the values to 0, and uncheck the “Generate Support” toggle. Slice, then Preview, and it should be gone! You’re welcome! Do this for the part you want to print first, then repeat for the second part.

Thanks rudemmon! I came across this because I was actually just trying to NOT print parts of my model – i.e., I wanted to “hide” parts of it from the slicer.

For anyone else finding this thread, here’s the steps I did using Cura 4.8.0 for this to work. Rudemmon’s post got me about 80% there but didn’t work completely.

  1. Click on the model
  2. Click on the icon in the left to add a cube (not sure what the icon is, but the one with the model icon in zebra stripe and a small dotted line cube on the lower-right
  3. Click somewhere on your model to place the cube
  4. Move and/or scale the cube to cover the part you DON’T want to print
  5. With the cube selected, click on the “mesh options” icon (the one with the 4 small icons)
  6. Click on the 3rd option at the top (Mesh Type: Modify settings for overlaps)
  7. Select “Cutting Mesh” from the dropdown
  8. Click the “Select Settings” button
  9. Select the following, then click “Close”:
  • Wall Thickness
  • Top/Bottom Thickness
  • Infill Density
  1. Set all values to 0

Slice and then Preview, and you should see the bit covered with your cube missing (as desired)!

The only part I could not “override” with this cube is the build plate adhesion. For example, my main setting has a Brim with 2mm width… although the main part of the model is skipped during slicing, the entire brim still appeared. Good enough for me!