Add multiple build plates

[chuckackerman]

It would be great to have the ability to store all components in a single file aka multiple build plates found in browsers. I would like to be able to export a single build plate or multiple plates to a 3MF file to be imported by my slicer.

[henmedia]

@chuckackerman thanks for the idea, but this is something I will not add. Splitting a job over several build plates is what a slicer does, and layerling does not try to do it: it has one build plate per design.

What does work today is exporting only what you select: set the parts of one print apart on the plate, select them, and export only the selection as a 3MF for your slicer. Then do the same for the next group.

[prmod3d]

Another way to do this would be to use the Custom Workplane size (under Settings > Workplane) and make it really large. I went up to 1000mm x 1000mm as a test (I don't know what the upper limit is) and that gives you four quadrants that are 500mm x 500mm each, which could be used to replicate the layout size of your desired build plates.

Only selected objects are exported, so you could easily sort, group and export build plate-sized volumes of parts that way. You wouldn't be able to get multiple plates in one 3mf file, but it makes it a lot easier to pre-group for multiple batches of 3mf files.

[henmedia]

@prmod3d thanks, that is a good way to pre-sort the batches.

[henmedia]

@chuckackerman I said back in October that this belongs to the slicer, but more people asked for it, so layerling 1.142.0 has several build plates in one design. Click "Build plates" in the Arrange group, or right-click a part and choose "Onto plate…": the plates lie side by side, each as large as your printer's plate, and a part belongs to the plate it stands on. "Arrange on plates" lays the parts out row by row and adds plates as needed, and each plate is checked against your printer on its own.

In the export window you then choose all plates in one file, one plate, or one file per plate in a ZIP (STL, 3MF and OBJ). A slicer still opens each file as one plate, so for several print jobs the files per plate are the way to go. More in the guide.

@prmod3d thank you again for the large-workplane idea, it shaped how the plates now lie side by side.

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