Manufacturing > Additive Manufacturing > Printing a Model in 3D > To Slice a Model
To Slice a Model
The purpose of slicing a model is to create CLI files that contain all the information needed for 3D printing. A CLI file is a format that communicates directly with the 3D printer.
You can slice:
• Models
• Lattice
◦ Lattice types including beam-based, stochastic, formula-driven, user-defined, and lattice that contains transitions
◦ Lattice representations including full b-rep geometry, simplified, and voxelized representations
• Support structures
Define slicing parameters
Define the slicing parameters in one of the following ways:
• On the Creo Parametric Option dialog box:
1. Click File > Options. The Creo Parametric Option dialog box opens.
2. To define slicing parameters, in the left pane, click Additive Manufacturing, and then follow the procedures for setting up slicing parameters in To Set Additive Manufacturing Options.
3. Click OK. The Creo Parametric Option dialog box closes.
• On the 3D Print tab:
1. Click Finalize > Slicing Parameters. The Slicing Parameters dialog box opens.
2. Follow the procedures for setting up slicing parameters in To Set Additive Manufacturing Options.
3. Click OK. The Slicing Parameters dialog box closes.
Set up the lattice penetration or blending
To prevent the lattice from detaching from the solid geometry when the build process is completed, click Preparation > Lattice Printing Options to open the Lattice Printing Options dialog box, and then perform one of the following actions:
• Set the lattice penetration. Perform one of the following actions:
◦ To define the penetration depth for all lattice geometry that is adjacent to a solid wall, type a value in mm in the Penetration box.
◦ For models that contain beams lattice, to end all beams that are adjacent to a solid wall with a half sphere that penetrates into the wall, select the Cap beams with half sphere check box. This defines the penetration instead of defining a penetration value.
• Blend formula-driven lattice into the solid walls
1. To merge formula-driven lattice with the solid walls, select the Merge lattice and shell check box. You can use this option when the lattice and the solid walls are in the same body.
When this check box is selected, and the conditions apply, then the penetration options are ignored. When these conditions do not apply, the penetration value is used instead.
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Selecting this check box might result in an increase in the mass properties.
2. To specify the blending intensity between the solid walls and the formula-driven lattice, slide the Blending Intensity slider. The blending intensity varies from none, through the highest intensity of half of the lattice wall thickness value.
Click OK. The Lattice Printing Options dialog box closes. You can see the overlapping contours of the lattice and body structures in the slicing viewer.
Slice the model
Slice the model as part of the procedure for 3D printing. See To Print a Model in 3D Using a Printer.
1. On the 3D Print tab, click Slice.
◦ If more than one CLI file is generated, the Export Zip dialog box opens. All the CLI files produced by the model are saved in a single ZIP file.
◦ If one CLI file is generated, the Export CLI dialog box opens.
2. Type a name for the file next to File name, and click Save.
When the slicing succeeds:
◦ The Display Slices viewer opens.
◦ A CLI file or a ZIP file that contains the CLI files is created in your working folder:
▪ <CLI_name>_B.cli contains the data for the model geometry
▪ <CLI_name>_<feature_name>_L.cli contains the data for the lattice
▪ <CLI_name>_S.cli contains the data for the support structure
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If a lattice CLI file is not created for a model that contains beams lattice, redefine the lattice to simplified representation and slice again. See About the Lattice Representation in the links below.
3. View the slices, or close the Display Slices viewer and continue with 3D printing.
Display the slices
After you slice the model, you can display the slices. They contain data for the support material, the lattice, and the model. The displayed slice is highlighted.
The slicing viewer is the only place you can see the overlapping contours of the lattice and body structures for the lattice penetration.
1. On the 3D Print tab, click Display slices. The Display Slices viewer opens.
2. Display the slices in any of these ways:
◦ Click the arrows:
▪ —Displays the bottom slice.
▪ —Displays one slice down.
▪ —Displays the slices one after another from the bottom to the top.
▪ —Pauses the slice display.
▪ —Displays one slice up.
▪ —Displays the top slice.
◦ Spin the dial to move up or down through the slices.
◦ Type a slice number next to Slice.
3. Click Close to close the Display Slices viewer.
Load the slices
1. On the 3D Print tab, click Load Slices. The Load Slices dialog box opens.
2. In the Type box, select CLI to show the CLI files, or select ZIP to show the ZIP files.
3. Select one or more CLI files to load, or select one ZIP file to load all the CLI files for the model.
4. Click OK. The Display Slices viewer opens.
To Print a Model in 3D Using a Printer
About the Lattice Representation