User Manual – Gradient Stiffness


  • We strongly recommend you to make a first test of the Gradient Stiffness on a small, simple cylindrical shape having a bounding box of 8 x 8 x 0.5 cm!  Please carefully monitor the printing process for this sample. If you encounter any issues, contact us on the Forum or via the contact page.
  • Design your foot orthosis so that it has the largest possible gyroid infill volume!

The Gradient Stiffness tool was developed based on Prusa Slicer, Bambu Studio, and ideaMaker for belt printers and successfully tested on Prusa MK3s, Prusa Core One, Bambu Lab P1, Bambu Lab X1, and ideaFormer IR3 V2 printers.  

  1. Bambu Studio
  2. prepare the file according to your needs, BUT USE JUST GYROID AS SPARSE INFILL PATTERN – THIS IS ESSENTIAL!
  3. export project as Generic .3mf file! Important! Don’t use File-Save Project for the purposes of Gradient Stiffness tool!
  4. slice plate and export G-code,
  5. open the Gradient Stiffness tool from https://pedorthicart.com/colibri-wp/servicii/gradient-stiffness/
  6. if these instructions are fully understood, check “I have read and understood this message” on the ‘Before you begin’ initial window
  7. if there are questions, use the Forum or the website Contact Form
  8. select the slicer: Bambu Studio
  9. upload .3mf file,
  10. upload .gcode file,
  11. optional upload an image (footprint, pressure map, foot contour, etc) with a size smaller than 50 kb, useful for placing the Gradient Stiffness areas in the desired positions relative to the foot orthosis
  12. set Gradient Stiffness areas and corresponding Stiffness (values between -10 to 100%)
  13. set Transition distance, mm,
  14. set Minimal Feed Rate,
  15. export the modified .gcode,
  16. import the modified .gcode into Bambu Studio and visually check the file using Color Scheme – Speed. The Gradient Stiffness areas should be visible
  17. print the modified .gcode file on the same printer for which you’ve made the project and the slicing
  18. Troubleshooting
  19. an .gcode file was uploaded instead of the .3mf one, or vice versa – an error message will be displayed.


  1.   Prusa Slicer
  2. prepare the file according to your needs,  BUT USE JUST GYROID AS INFILL PATTERN – THIS IS ESSENTIAL!
  3. export project as .3mf file! 
  4. uncheck “Supports binary G-code” from Printers-General
  5. slice and export G-code,
  6. open Gradient Stiffness tool from https://pedorthicart.com/colibri-wp/servicii/gradient-stiffness/
  7. if these instructions are fully understood check “I have read and understood this message ” on the ‘Before you begin’ initial window
  8. if there are questions use the Forum or the website Contact Form
  9. select the Slicer: Prusa Slicer
  10. upload .3mf file,
  11. upload .gcode file,
  12. optional upload an image (footprint, pressure map, foot contour, etc) with a size smaller than 50 kb,useful for placing the Gradient Stiffness areas in the desired positions relative to the foot orthosis
  13. set Gradient Stiffness areas and corresponding Stiffness (values between -10 to 100%)
  14. set Transition distance, mm,
  15. set Minimal Feed Rate,
  16. export the modified .gcode
  17. import the modified .gcode in Prusa G-Code Viewer and visually check the file using Legend – Speed. The Gradient Stiffness areas should be visible
  18. print the modified .gcode file on the same printer for which you’ve made the project and the slicing
  19. Troubleshooting
  20. an .gcode file was uploaded instead of the .3mf one, or vice versa – an error message will be displayed.




  1.  ideaMaker for belt printers
  2. prepare the file according to your needs,  BUT USE JUST GYROID AS INFILL PATTERN – THIS IS ESSENTIAL!
  3. export project as .3mf file!
  4. slice and export G-code,
  5. open Gradient Stiffness tool from https://pedorthicart.com/colibri-wp/servicii/gradient-stiffness/
  6. if these instructions are fully understood, check “I have read and understood this message” on the ‘Before you begin’ initial window
  7. if there are questions, use the Forum or the website Contact Form
  8. select the Slicer: ideaMaker for Belt
  9. upload .3mf file,
  10. upload .gcode file,
  11. optional upload an image (footprint, pressure map, foot contour, etc) with a size smaller than 50 kb,useful for placing the Gradient Stiffness areas in the desired positions relative to the foot orthosis
  12. set Gradient Stiffness areas and corresponding Stiffness (values between -10 to 100%)
  13. set Transition distance, mm,
  14. set Minimal Feed Rate,
  15. export the modified .gcode
  16. import the modified .gcode in the ideaMaker and check visually the file using Legend – Speed. The Gradient Stiffness areas should be visible
  17. print the modified .gcode file on the same printer for which you’ve made the project and the slicing
  18. Troubleshooting
  19. an .gcode file was uploaded instead of the .3mf one, or vice versa – an error message will be displayed.





Troubleshooting:  If the points that define the gradient stiffness zone aren’t landing exactly where expected (e.g. zone points or the pressure-map gumball appearing offset from where you clicked), this is almost always a local browser issue, not the configurator itself:

  1. Try a different browser first — open the same page in Edge (or Firefox). If it works correctly there, the problem is specific to your Chrome installation, not the tool.
  2. Check your zoom level — make sure the browser’s zoom (top-right corner, next to the address bar) is set to 100% on this page specifically. Browsers remember zoom per website, so it may differ from other sites you visit.
  3. Try an Incognito/InPrivate window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome) — this disables extensions, which occasionally interfere with page content.
  4. If none of the above helps, a full reinstall of the browser typically resolves it — this points to a corrupted local browser profile rather than anything wrong with the configurator itself.