• NEW! freesteelpy is a binary python package that can be used in your own applications for slicing triangulated surfaces. Included is python source code that slices STL files, the same code that is compiled into the windows command line application.
• Slice is free to use and distribute in its binary form as a command-line utility. It can be aggregated with Free Software.
• Slice accepts any STL file of a triangulated 3D model, and outputs in a variety of formats. Unlike other implementations that cut the triangles directly, the input model does not need to be water-tight, because we use a toolpath generating CAM algorithm which samples the contour using a small defined toolshape.
• Slice is the fundamental function of all layer-based rapid prototyping, but our implementation can also be used to generate contours in a volumetric offset or a silhouette shadow of a 3D model.

(c) 2010 - 2012 Freesteel, Slice v1.5, (http://www.freesteel.co.uk).

    Slice is distributed freeware and without warranty of any kind.
    May contain bugs. Use entirely at your own risk.
Usage: slice [options] 

Options:
  --version             show program's version number and exit
  --help                show this help message and exit
  -o OUTFILE, --output=OUTFILE
                         output file (*.xhtml , *.html , *.svg,
                        *.cli, *.txt, *.hpgl, *.plt, *.bmp, *.jpg, *.png,
                        *.tiff, *.gif). The HTML output uses an embedded SVG
                        file and can be viewed in a compatible browser. Some
                        browsers might require you to install a plugin for
                        viewing SVG files. If an output file is omitted,
                        results are printed to the console window.
  -m, --multiple        in connection with output to an image format, write
                        one file per z level
  -z Z, --zheights=Z     slice at these z heights (comma separated
                        list of values, can be of form 'lo, hi, step')
  -d WDIFF, --difference=WDIFF
                        if set, adaptive steps so that slices don't differ by
                        more than this
  -t TOOLTYPE, --type=TOOLTYPE
                        type of slicing tool (disk or sphere; default is disk)
  -r RADIUS, --radius=RADIUS
                         tool radius
  -f OFFSET, --offset=OFFSET
                        offset contours (<0 to offset inwards, defaults to
                        -radius for default tool)
  -s WRES, --resolution=WRES
                        resolution (if omitted this calculated from the STL
                        dimensions)
  -l LAYERTHICKNESS, --layer=LAYERTHICKNESS
                        layer thickness for slicing with a disk (height of
                        disk), default is 10% of the z height
  -v, --verbose         print information
  -w IMGWIDTH, --width=IMGWIDTH
                        image width (default 370) (used for output image
                        formats)
  -h IMGHEIGHT, --height=IMGHEIGHT
                        image height (default 370) (used for output image
                        formats)
  -a ASPECT, --aspect=ASPECT
                        aspect (default is xy, other values yz or xz)
  --cavity=CAVITY       color of cavity areas (default is white). Colors can
                        be given as names (white, black, ...), or hex codes
                        (#ffffff, #000000, #ff0000, ...)
  --core=CORE           color of core areas (default is black). Colors can be
                        given as names (white, black, ...), or hex codes
                        (#ffffff, #000000, #ff0000, ...)
  --background=BACKGROUND
                        background color (defaults to cavity color selection).
                        Colors can be given as names (white, black, ...), or
                        hex codes (#ffffff, #000000, #ff0000, ...)
  --noprogress          do not print progress bar
  --shell               slice STL as shell (default is solid)

Examples

solid block10
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 10 10
         vertex 0 10 0
         vertex 0 0 10
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 0 10
         vertex 0 10 0
         vertex 0 0 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 10 10
         vertex 0 10 10
         vertex 10 0 10
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 0 10
         vertex 0 10 10
         vertex 0 0 10
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 10 0
         vertex 10 10 10
         vertex 10 0 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 0 0
         vertex 10 10 10
         vertex 10 0 10
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 10 0
         vertex 10 10 0
         vertex 0 0 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 0 0
         vertex 10 10 0
         vertex 10 0 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 10 10
         vertex 10 10 0
         vertex 0 10 10
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 10 10
         vertex 10 10 0
         vertex 0 10 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 10 0 0
         vertex 10 0 10
         vertex 0 0 0
      endloop
   endfacet
   facet normal 0 0 0
      outer loop
         vertex 0 0 0
         vertex 10 0 10
         vertex 0 0 10
      endloop
   endfacet
endsolid

Using Cube10.stl, which is a 10x10x10 cube

> slice cube10.stl

prints the JSON formatted result:

{"xlo": 0.0, "yhi": 10.0, "xhi": 10.0, 
  "zhi": 10.0, "ylo": 0.0, "zlo": 0.0}
{"n_triangles": 12, "n_points": 8, 
 "n_edges": 28, "n_unmatched_edges": 0}
{"flat_area_z": [0.0, 10.0]}

To create a single slice at Z=5 with a tool radius 1mm and layer height of 0.1,

> slice -layer=0.1 -r1 -f0 cube10.stl

The response (in JSOP) is:

{"z": 5.0, "polygons": [{"points": [[-0.9078014184397163, -0.4194002678573765],
[-0.911478589796249, -0.4113475177304966], [-0.9500634676302036, -0.312056737588
6527], [-0.9771031917621306, -0.2127659574468086], [-0.9935408316398511, -0.1134
7517730496448], [-0.9998993963780151, -0.014184397163120366], [-1.0, 0.085106382
9787233], ..., [-0.792456004957226, -0.6099290780141844], [-0.
8085106382978724, -0.5884815611038012], [-0.8597956319649682, -0.510638297872340
3], [-0.9078014184397163, -0.4194002678573765]], "type": "core"}]}

The shape of this is a square of width 12mm with 1mm rounded corners, because it is sampled with a disc of radius 1. If you want the cut on the surface, the shape must be offset back to its original form using -f-1.

You cannot slice exactly on a flat area because the result is ambiguous, so slicer moves the position of Z slightly.

> slice -z10 cube10.stl

returns

{"z":10.0075, "polygons": []}

To create a silhouette, simply set the z value to below the zlo for the model and the layer thickness to greater than the height of the model.