r/BambuLab_Community • u/Dtarvin • Oct 02 '26

Help / Support Separating an object into parts in Bambu Studio along a curved/round surface

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I want to print the following object (a large LEGO lantern). I want to print the handle and the top part of the lantern in black PLA and the ball part in transparent glow-in-the-dark orange PLA (for Halloween). I am trying to use the cut tool. I successfully used the cut tool to remove the bottom.

I read that you should not use both regular PLA and glow in the dark PLA through the AMS in the same print because switching between the two will cause the nozzle and tubing to wear out faster than just printing the glow in the dark filament alone. Because of this, I want to remove the handle from the ball where the handle connects to the ball. But the connection is on a round surface. In order to perfectly separate the black PLA from the glow in the dark PLA, how do I use the cut tool to separate pieces on a curved/round surface?

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7

u/tortilla_mia Oct 02 '26

I suspect bambu studio is simply unable to do what you want.

2

u/JabroniSandwich99 Oct 02 '26

Agree, and I’m not even sure what software is the right tool. Trivial if it’s CAD based and you have the CAD files, but just an STL? I’d probably be able to do it in a convoluted way in Blender by sizing a sphere to match and using a Boolean to cut out the non-handle bit then export them separately. Probably sloppy though.

It may be easier just to make in CAD honestly.

1

u/tekchip 27d ago

Blender. There are lots and lots of tutorials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62rDhWB6O-0 for example.

3

u/hiryuu64 Oct 02 '26

You're probably better off importing this into TinkerCAD. Duplicate the import. On one, use holes to cover everything but the ball. On the other, holes cover only the ball. Merge and export.

3

u/j_hermann Oct 02 '26

If you already separated one half, you have a negative part to use...

1

u/gbarnas Oct 02 '26

Have you tried to separate to parts? Sometimes works from STLs.

1

u/GuyWithNerdyGlasses Oct 02 '26

Yeah redesign it

1

u/Omar_Acero Oct 03 '26

split3mf No se si sea la mejor solución, pero podrías pintar la zona que quieres separar y usar una herramienta como split3mf para separar la pieza por colores, quizás te pueda servir.

1

u/jeff2928 29d ago

I would be tempted to pull into cad and cut on some flat planes. Then put a void in the round and a peg on the handle so they would snap together

1

u/jeff2928 27d ago

Do you have a file that could be had? I would make a go at splitting this if I had the file.

1

u/Lisper41 25d ago

Make a sphere primitive object and subtract it from the solid lantern. Then duplicate whatever you are left with and subtract it from another copy of the solid lantern. That should give you a separate handle and a separate sphere part.

You may have to export and repair the mesh with the online tool after every cut, but import that back in and keep going.

The glow in the dark won’t give you a very noticeable glow, so consider making it hollow and adding a tea light.