Joseph Robertson
b22384a559
# Belt Printing Bug Fixes & Feature Updates This should be the majority of substantive work keeping ``belt-printer`` from being ready to merge into ``main``. It includes Hanif Koh's review fixes from #15685 and the answers to his review on #14394, findings from running the branch on a BabyBelt Pro and an IR3 V2, crash fixes contributed by Unlayered3D, and arrange and purge-tower changes for multi-colour belt prints. The merge of current `main` into this branch is prepared and tested locally. The conflicts are in the acceleration refactor of `GCode::_extrude`, the ClipperLib namespace clean-up and a few test files. Tested with `libslic3r_tests`, `fff_print_tests` and `libnest2d_tests` on Linux, validated on a stock Klipper BabyBelt Pro. ## New features **Belt arrangement.** Parts of the same colour are grouped along the belt into a single print run. Packing starts at the end that prints first, following the slicing rotation and the sign of the angle. Arrange reserves the purge prism's strip and the brim width along the bed edges, then regenerates the prism from the result instead of moving it as a part. Piles aimed at an off-centre `best_object_pos` are clamped to the bed. Grouping uses a soft cost: if the belt is too short for separate runs, colours overlap rather than move to another plate. **Purge tower sizing.** The prism stops at the plate end. The purge planner's existing warning reports what a shortened bar can't absorb. A brim is accepted next to the purge tower again because the purge plan's layer-grid shift now also moves the brim's apron bands. **First-layer fan band.** On a belt, "the first layers" are a band along the belt rather than the first slicing layers. The generator marks where each extrusion enters and leaves the band. The cooling buffer keeps the fan off inside it on every layer, taking precedence over overhang and bridge fan requests. Thanks to: @Unlayered3D, @shubhracc, @dlc60, @Rexit **Profiles.** Z-hop defaults to 0 on belt printer bases and belt filaments; it can be turned back on. Axis remap options are shown only in Develop mode. IdeaFormer, Printcepts and Custom bundle versions are bumped. Thanks to: @RobMink, @Rexit ## Bug fixes - Scarf joint seams no longer start below the layer on a belt. Previously, each seam caused a 0.28 mm belt back-step into the previous layer ("the belt jumped backwards and the head hit the part"). — credit: @dlc60 - The CLI no longer rejects every belt print with -102. The printable-height check compared machine Z, which is belt travel on a belt printer. - The belt header is written outside the optional file header block, so printers with a BTT TFT thumbnail still get belt view in the preview. — credit: BabyBelt Discord - The dormant tilted-bed rendering is removed from Prepare view; the bed is shown as the slicing pipeline treats it. — credit: HanifKoh - Plate icons, number and name no longer run across the neighbouring plate on a long, narrow bed; their scale is bounded by the gap between plates. - Modifiers and support blockers no longer extend a belt object's sliced range. The `is_model_part` filter had gone missing with some debug logging. — credit: HanifKoh - Crossing-perimeter avoidance no longer dereferences a null layer in either pass while travelling on a brim apron layer. — credit: Unlayered3D - 3MF files with non-finite vertex coordinates are rejected instead of crashing qhull during load. — credit: Unlayered3D - The CLI no longer crashes on a project without `printable_height` or with fewer filaments than were loaded. — credit: Unlayered3D - The island tour cache is keyed on the island layout, preventing out-of-bounds reads on later layers with fewer islands. — credit: Unlayered3D - The top/bottom painting projection no longer erases from an empty vector when no shell layers are requested. — credit: Unlayered3D - Belt purge planning detects filament changes by scanning the tool ordering instead of checking the first layer's flag, which a brim apron layer never carries. — credit: Unlayered3D - The purge prism never gets a brim, regardless of its config. — credit: Unlayered3D - Containment tests treat the plate as open along Y on an infinite-Y belt printer. — credit: Unlayered3D - Belt brim lattice lines close to the belt move uphill; narrow bands no longer get near-duplicate lines. - Organic supports that reach the belt slice without negative flow. - Hanif Koh's review items: restored the gantry clearance check in `Print::validate`, read the pre-slice remap header at its real length, removed unused `clip_support_fills()` and the two unimplemented support floor modes (legacy values map to `none`), dropped the per-extrusion transform determinant, indexed apron layers into the first layer's nozzle map, read the brim axis from the config, removed tagged diagnostic logging and planning-doc references, and documented the exclude-object frame. — credit: Hanif Koh - Hanif Koh's fixes from #15685 include the plate offset in the belt writer, painted supports and seams under the belt transform, shared build-plate tilt helpers, the belt header as the source of the tilt, brim band loop and filament, and G-code export invalidation. — credit: hanifkoh At this time there are no known issues with belt printing nor any known regressions in non-belt-printing execution paths. I have been using these builds for all of my printing for several months now and have had no issues.
OrcaSlicer: an open source Next-Gen Slicing Software for Precision 3D Prints.
Optimize your prints with ultra-fast slicing, intelligent support generation, and seamless printer compatibility—engineered for perfection.
Official links and community
Official Website:
Github Repository:
Follow us:
Join our Discord community:
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Main features
- Advanced Calibration Tools
Comprehensive suite: temperature towers, flow rate, retraction & more for optimal performance. - Precise Wall and Seam Control
Adjust outer wall spacing and apply scarf seams to enhance print accuracy. - Sandwich Mode and Polyholes Support
Use varied infill patterns and accurate hole shapes for improved clarity. - Overhang and Support Optimization
Modify geometry for printable overhangs with precise support placement. - Granular Controls and Customization
Fine-tune print speed, layer height, pressure, and temperature with precision. - Network Printer Support
Seamless integration with Klipper, PrusaLink, and OctoPrint for remote control. - Mouse Ear Brims & Adaptive Bed Mesh
Automatic brims and adaptive mesh calibration ensure consistent adhesion. - User-Friendly Interface
Intuitive drag-and-drop design with pre-made profiles for popular printers. - Open-Source & Community Driven
Regular updates fueled by continuous community contributions. - Wide Printer Compatibility
Supports a broad range of printers: Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Voron, and more. - Additional features can be found in the change notes.
Wiki
The wiki aims to provide a detailed explanation of the slicer settings, including how to maximize their use and how to calibrate and set up your printer.
Download
Stable Release
📥 Download the Latest Stable Release
Visit our GitHub Releases page for the latest stable version of OrcaSlicer, recommended for most users.
Nightly Builds
🌙 Download the Latest Nightly Build
Explore the latest developments in OrcaSlicer with our nightly builds. Feedback on these versions is highly appreciated.
Belt Printer Builds
The nightly release ships two parallel builds: the standard build and a belt-printer build. Both are attached to the same release — tell them apart by the filename suffix:
- Standard — no suffix (e.g.
OrcaSlicer_Windows_Installer_x64_nightly.exe) - Belt —
_beltsuffix (e.g.OrcaSlicer_Windows_Installer_x64_nightly_belt.exe)
The _belt builds add experimental support for belt / conveyor (infinite-Z) printers, where the model is sliced against a tilted belt surface instead of a flat horizontal bed. They include ready-to-use belt printer profiles, the full belt slicing pipeline (mesh rotation and G-code transforms), belt-aware support generation, and a tilted-bed preview.
⚠️ Belt printer support is under active development and is not yet merged into
main— it currently ships only in these parallel_beltbuilds, produced from thebelt-printerbranch. See tracking PR #14394 and the original documentation in #12998.
How to install
Windows
Download the Windows Installer exe for your preferred version from the releases page. Both x64 and arm64 installers are published — pick the one matching your CPU.
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For convenience there is also a portable build available.
Troubleshooting
- If you have troubles to run the build, you might need to install following runtimes:
- MicrosoftEdgeWebView2RuntimeInstallerX64
- vcredist2019_x64
- Alternative Download Link Hosted by Microsoft
- This file may already be available on your computer if you've installed visual studio. Check the following location:
%VCINSTALLDIR%Redist\MSVC\v142
Microsoft Store
Install from the Microsoft Store when you prefer a Store-signed package (helps on Windows 11 Smart App Control).
Windows Package Manager
winget install --id=SoftFever.OrcaSlicer -e
Mac
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Download the universal DMG, which runs on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
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Drag OrcaSlicer.app to Application folder.
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If you want to run a build from a PR, you also need to follow the instructions below:
Quarantine
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Option 1 (You only need to do this once. After that the app can be opened normally.):
- Step 1: Hold cmd and right click the app, from the context menu choose Open.
- Step 2: A warning window will pop up, click Open
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Option 2: Execute this command in terminal:
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/OrcaSlicer.app -
Option 3:
- Step 1: open the app, a warning window will pop up
- Step 2: in
System Settings->Privacy & Security, clickOpen Anyway:
- Step 1: open the app, a warning window will pop up
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Homebrew Cask
brew install --cask orcaslicer
The Homebrew cask installs the official macOS DMG from GitHub Releases.
Linux
Flathub (Recommended)
OrcaSlicer is available through FlatHub:
Install from the command line:
flatpak install flathub com.orcaslicer.OrcaSlicer
flatpak run com.orcaslicer.OrcaSlicer
It can also be installed through graphical software managers (KDE Discover, GNOME Software, etc.) when Flathub is enabled. Search for OrcaSlicer in your software center.
AppImage
AppImages are published for both x86_64 and aarch64 (ARM64). Pick the file matching your CPU — the ARM64 build has aarch64 in its name (e.g. OrcaSlicer_Linux_AppImage_Ubuntu2404_aarch64_*.AppImage).
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Download App image from the releases page.
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Double click the downloaded file to run it.
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If you run into trouble executing it, try this command in the terminal:
chmod +x /path_to_appimage/OrcaSlicer_Linux.AppImage
How to Compile
All updated build instructions for Windows, macOS, and Linux are now available on the official OrcaSlicer Wiki - How to build page.
Please refer to the wiki to ensure you're following the latest and most accurate steps for your platform.
Klipper Note
If you're running Klipper, it's recommended to add the following configuration to your printer.cfg file.
# Enable object exclusion
[exclude_object]
# Enable arcs support
[gcode_arcs]
resolution: 0.1
Supports
OrcaSlicer is an open-source project, and we're deeply grateful to all our sponsors and backers.
Their generous support helps fund filaments and other essential 3D printing materials for the project.
Thank you! :)
Sponsors
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Backers:
Ko-fi supporters ☕: Backers list
Support the project
Some Background
Open-source slicing has always been built on a tradition of collaboration and attribution. Slic3r, created by Alessandro Ranellucci and the RepRap community, laid the foundation. PrusaSlicer by Prusa Research built on Slic3r and acknowledged that heritage. Bambu Studio in turn forked from PrusaSlicer, and SuperSlicer by @supermerill extended PrusaSlicer with community-driven enhancements. Each project carried the work of its predecessors forward, crediting those who came before.
OrcaSlicer began in that same spirit, drawing from BambuStudio, PrusaSlicer, and ideas inspired by CuraSlicer and SuperSlicer. But it has since grown far beyond its origins. Through relentless innovation — introducing advanced calibration tools, precise wall and seam control, tree supports, adaptive slicing, and hundreds of other features — OrcaSlicer has become the most widely used and actively developed open-source slicer in the 3D printing community. Many of its innovations have been adopted by other slicers, making it a driving force for the entire industry.
The OrcaSlicer logo was designed by community member Justin Levine.
License
- OrcaSlicer is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3.
- The GNU Affero General Public License, version 3 ensures that if you use any part of this software in any way (even behind a web server), your software must be released under the same license.
- OrcaSlicer includes a pressure advance calibration pattern test adapted from Andrew Ellis' generator, which is licensed under GNU General Public License, version 3. Ellis' generator is itself adapted from a generator developed by Sineos for Marlin, which is licensed under GNU General Public License, version 3.
- The Bambu networking plugin is based on non-free libraries from BambuLab. It is optional to the OrcaSlicer and provides extended functionalities for Bambulab printer users.