Overview
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Zoo Design Studio
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Features
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Data Management
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Export
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Export to Slicer

Export to Slicer

Export to Slicer sends the current model from Zoo Design Studio directly to a desktop slicing application. Zoo Design Studio creates an STL file, saves it in its application data, and opens the file in the slicer you select.

This workflow is available in the Zoo Design Studio desktop app on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It is not available in the browser version.

Before you begin

Install one of the supported slicers in its usual application location or make its executable available on your system PATH:

Open a project with a valid, non-empty model and make sure Zoo Design Studio is connected to the modeling engine.

Enable slicer export

Slicer export is an optional plugin and is turned off by default.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select the Plugins tab.
  3. Turn on Slicer export.

The Export to Slicer action, shown with a 3D-printer icon, appears at the end of the left Toolbar. The command also becomes available from the Command Bar.

Export a model to a slicer

  1. Click Export to Slicer in the left Toolbar, or open the Command Bar and search for Export to Slicer.
  2. Select PrusaSlicer or UltiMaker Cura.
  3. Confirm the command.

Zoo Design Studio exports the current model as an ASCII STL with millimeter coordinates, then launches the selected slicer and opens the exported file. STL does not store unit metadata, so confirm that the slicer interprets the model dimensions as millimeters.

Export to Slicer transfers the model geometry but does not choose printer, material, support, or other slicing settings and does not generate G-code. Configure those options in the slicer before printing.

Troubleshooting

The command or Toolbar action is missing

Use the desktop app and confirm that Slicer export is turned on under Settings → Plugins. The feature is not shown in the browser version.

The Toolbar action is disabled

Wait for the model to finish executing and check the modeling-engine connection. Export requires an active engine connection.

The model does not export

Resolve any KCL errors and confirm that the scene contains geometry. Zoo Design Studio does not export an empty scene or a model with KCL errors.

The slicer is not found

Confirm that the selected slicer is installed in a standard application location or available on your system PATH. When Zoo Design Studio cannot find the slicer, the error message includes the path to the exported STL so you can open it manually.

For a regular file export that does not launch a slicer, use Export Mesh.

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