Imagine you have downloaded or created a 3D model - great! But your printer doesn’t understand a 3D shape like a human does. It needs very specific instructions. Slicing is the process of turning your 3D model into layers and generating a step-by-step set of instructions your printer can follow.

Imagine you have baked a cake - a tall and beautiful one. Now, you want to recreate that cake, one slice at a time. But here is the catch: Your 3D printer cannot look at the whole cake and understand how to build it all at once. It needs instructions that say: Here is what the bottom layer looks like. Now here is the next one. Now the one above that.

The Step-by-Step Cake Analogy

1. The 3D Model = The Whole Cake
   A complete object but too complex for the printer to handle directly.
2. Slicing = Cutting the Cake into Thin Layers
   You take that full cake and slice it horizontally into super-thin layers – say 0.2 millimeters thick. Each slice is flat and simple, and the stack of slices recreates the full shape.
3. G-code = The Recipe for Rebuilding the Cake
   The slicer software then creates a file (G-code) that tells the printer:
   • How to draw each layer
   • Where to move
   • How fast to go
   • When to heat up the filament
   • How much filament to push out
4. The 3D Printer = Cake Builder
   Your printer follows these instructions layer by layer – from the bottom up – to rebuild the full object, just like restacking all those cake slices.

Bambu Studio is a free slicer software designed to work perfectly with Bambu Lab printers. Even if you’re using another printer, the layout and features are very similar to other slicers like Cura or PrusaSlicer.

Why choose it?

• User-friendly interface with project workflows.
• Automatically optimized settings for quality and speed.
• Supports multicolor printing, advanced cooling, and remote print control.

Quick start steps

1. Install from Bambu Lab (Windows, Mac, Linux).
2. On first launch:
   • Select region, printer, nozzle, and filament presets.
   • Optional network login for remote features.
3. Create a project → Add your model (supported: STL, OBJ, 3MF, AMF).
4. Choose printer, filament, and process settings (like layer height).
5. Click Slice → preview → Print or export G-code

TIP: Bambu Studio usually chooses great defaults. You don’t have to touch every setting at first!

Term	What it Means	What to Pick
Layer Height	How thick each printed layer is	0.2 mm for beginners (balance between quality & speed)
Infill	How solid the inside of your print is	15–20% is fine for most objects
Support	Extra material added underneath overhangs	Off (if your model doesn’t need it); On if your model has floating parts
Brim	A flat “skirt” around your print to help it stick	On (helps avoid first layer failures)

What is infill?

Think of infill as the “inside” of your printed object. Imagine you’re building a wall:

• If it’s made of solid bricks = heavy, strong, and uses a lot of material.
• If it's hollow = light, faster to build, but maybe weaker.

Infill does the same for your 3D print. Most objects don’t need to be 100% solid, so we only print a solid outer shell and fill the inside with a pattern.

Why use infill?

• To save filament and speed up printing.
• To give enough strength without wasting material.
• To reduce weight (e.g., for flying drones or cosplay props).

How does it work in slicing software?

In Bambu Studio, you can choose:

• Infill percentage → How “solid” the inside should be.
• 0% = completely hollow
• 20% = light object, basic strength (good for display items)
• 50%+ = heavy-duty strength (e.g., tool handles)
• Infill pattern → The shape of the structure inside.

What Are Support Structures?

Imagine trying to print the letter T: the horizontal line at the top doesn’t have anything underneath it. If you just let the printer go, it would try to print “in the air”— which won’t work! Support structures are temporary “scaffolding” that hold up parts of your model that would otherwise sag or fall during printing.

When do you need support

Here is one simple rule: If a part of your model overhangs more than 45° from vertical, it probably needs support.

Types of Support in Bambu Studio

1. Everywhere
• Supports are added under any overhang, even if it’s floating in mid-air.
• Great for complex models but uses more filament.
• Can be harder to remove.
2. Touching Build Plate Only
• Supports are only added if they can stand on the print bed.
• Easier to remove and uses less material.
• May not help for supports high up inside a model.
3. Tree Supports
• Branch-like supports that grow under overhangs.
• Use less material and are easier to break off.
• Great for figurines and organic shapes.

Slicer: The software that prepares your model for the printer

G-Code: The instructions your printer follows to build your model

Layer Height: The thickness of each layer—smaller = finer detail.

Infill: Interior structure density (0–100%).

Support: Temporary scaffolding under overhangs.