Open-source Simplify3D alternatives

OrcaSlicer is slicing software for 3D printing. It converts 3D models into G-code instructions for a printer, with profiles for printers from makers such as Bambu, Prusa, Voron, VzBot, RatRig and Creality. It is written in C++, released under the AGPL-3.0 license and developed with a community of makers.

Features include a suite of calibration tools such as temperature towers, flow rate and retraction tests, precise wall and seam control with scarf seams, sandwich mode and polyholes support, overhang and support optimization, and granular control over speed, layer height, pressure and temperature. Mouse ear brims and adaptive bed mesh calibration help first-layer adhesion.

Network printer support covers Klipper, PrusaLink and OctoPrint for remote control, and the interface offers drag-and-drop with pre-made printer profiles. The project warns that several look-alike websites impersonate it and names orcaslicer.com as the only official site, so downloads should come from there or the GitHub repository.

PrusaSlicer takes 3D models and generates printing instructions that it can send to a 3D printer. It supports both FDM and mSLA printers and, although developed by Prusa Research, works with machines from a wide variety of manufacturers. It is originally based on Slic3r by Alessandro Ranellucci and the RepRap community.

Users can set printing parameters from whole-print settings down to single-layer adjustments, and modify objects before printing by painting, cutting and arranging them. Multiple projects can be open at once, each with several beds that may use different settings. Multi-material printing is supported, there are several ways to send jobs to the printer, and an advanced 3D preview shows the generated instructions.

A command-line interface supports headless automation, and integration with PrusaConnect and Printables can simplify the workflow. PrusaSlicer is written in C++ and licensed under AGPL-3.0. Windows and macOS builds come from the project page or GitHub releases, while Linux is distributed through Flathub, and building from source is documented.

Ultimaker Cura is a 3D printer slicing application built on the Uranium framework. A slicer converts 3D models into G-code instructions that a printer can follow, and Cura is used to prepare models for printing on a wide range of machines.

The README highlights hundreds of settings and print profiles that are managed by the community, and the project documents how to add machine profiles, translate the interface and develop plugins. The application is written in Python with a QML and PyQt6 interface. Build instructions, a Conan-based dependency setup and a settings reference are kept in the project wiki.

Cura is released under the LGPL-3.0 licence. Releases are published on GitHub, and the project asks contributors to look at its guides before submitting printer profiles or translations. It runs as a desktop application rather than a hosted service.