Slicer software fills the void between the model and the 3D printer. The 3D printer can only understand G-code commands and the modeling software can only generate models. Slicer software allows you to convert a model to G-code that will allow a 3D printer to create a print. Incorporated into the slicer software are many different print and printer settings. Print settings refer to the things such as extrusion, cooling and print temperature. Printer settings configure things such as the build volume of the printer or the starting and ending G-code for a print. This software is called a slicer as it typically converts a model into many different layers to print one at a time. The slicing software creates a file type called a .gcode file. This is a long list of commands that can be interpreted by the Duet Board. The G-code commands in this file are exactly the same as the ones you would enter in manually, such as G1
, but just in a long list.