User Manual – Gradient Stiffness

  • At this moment, for a good functioning of the configurator, the gCodes should have a maximum of 260k lines or a size of around 7Mb.
  • This means the slicing is important for the optimization of the designing and printing processes
  • 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.

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’ve read and understood the User Manual”
  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. Compute Gradient Stiffness,
  16. export the modified .gcode,
  17. import the modified .gcode in Bambu Studio and check visually the file using Color Scheme – 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. Please consider the ‘reload’ option, which reinitializes the process
  21. the computational process takes more than 30 sec – an error message will be displayed. Please try to optimize your design and slicing for the .gcode to have a maximum of 260k lines or a maximum of 7Mb



  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’ve read and understood the User Manual”
  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. Compute Gradient Stiffness
  17. export the modified .gcode
  18. import the modified .gcode in Prusa G-Code Viewer and check visually the file using Legend – Speed. The Gradient Stiffness areas should be visible
  19. print the modified .gcode file on the same printer for which you’ve made the project and the slicing
  20. Troubleshooting
  21. an .gcode file was uploaded instead of the .3mf one, or vice versa – an error message will be displayed. Please consider the ‘reload’ option, which reinitializes the process
  22. the computational process takes more than 30 sec – an error message will be displayed. Please try to optimize your design and slicing for the .gcode to have a maximum of 260k lines or a maximum of 7Mb





  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’ve read and understood the User Manual”
  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. Compute Gradient Stiffness
  16. export the modified .gcode
  17. import the modified .gcode in the ideaMaker and check visually 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. Please consider the ‘reload’ option, which reinitializes the process
  21. the computational process takes more than 30 sec – an error message will be displayed. Please try to optimize your design and slicing for the .gcode to have a maximum of 260k lines or a maximum of 7Mb