Introduction

There are many reasons you may want to slice a relief: for 3D printing, sectioning tall models, or working within CNC gantry limitations. In this guide, we'll walk through the steps to slice large reliefs into manageable sections using Carveco’s built-in Slice Relief tool.

Step 1: Open the Slice Relief Tool

From the top menu bar, go to Relief > Edit > Slice Relief… to open the slicing dialog.

 Step 2: Choose a Slicing Method

• Slice by Z (Thickness): Divide the relief vertically based on a chosen thickness. Ideal for tall models or stacked lamination.
• Slice by Vector: Slice by closed vector boundaries. Useful to isolate parts like faces, letters, or logos.
• Manual Slicing: Manually define slice dimensions or positions. Best when full control is needed.

 Step 3: Configure Slice Settings

Depending on your method, you'll see options like:

• Slice Thickness or Number of Slices
• Gap Between Slices
• Keep Original Relief (optional)
• Create As New Relief Layer (recommended)
• Export Format: Relief Layer, Relief File, SVG, PNG, DXF

 Step 4: Apply and Generate Slices

Click Apply to slice the relief. You'll see new relief layers created in your Relief Layers panel. Visibility is turned off by default, so enable each layer to preview slices individually.

 Step 5: Toolpath Each Slice

You can now apply toolpaths to each individual slice. This reduces toolpath processing time and gives you the flexibility to use different tools or strategies for different zones.