A complete ecosystem for large-format additive manufacturing, featuring the LARGER Slicer - a two-stage Grasshopper algorithm for generating large-format toolpaths and G-code directly in Rhino/Grasshopper.

BY MORITZ WESSELER - FH MÜNSTER 2025
Originally inspired by Ginger.Additive; now fully reimplemented with expanded machine support.

Further Contributors: Fabio Koczula, Claudio Schröder

• Supported Machines
• Quick Start
• Installation
• Setup
• Usage Guide
• Project Structure
• Troubleshooting
• License

The LARGER Slicer ecosystem supports multiple large-format additive manufacturing platforms:

1. Toolpath Generation: Use LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh for standard toolpath generation (see folder path below)
2. Multi-Axial Printing: Use LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh for advanced multi-axial workflows
3. Machine Setup: Follow the appropriate Quick Start Guide above
4. Advanced Control: For UR5, use dedicated UR5slicer.gh for robotic workflows

• Operating System: Windows 11+ or macOS 11 Big Sur+
• Software: Rhino 8+ with Grasshopper and Python 3
• Required Grasshopper Plugins:
  • LARGERslicer (install from LARGERslicer/Plugin Installation Files/ or via PackageManager)
  • Pufferfish (included in Rhino 8+)

1. Download: Get LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh (standard) or LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh (multi-axial) from this repository
2. Download: Get LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh (standard) or LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh (multi-axial) from this repository
3. Open: Launch Rhino (set to mm), open Grasshopper, drag and drop the .gh file
4. Start: Follow the Usage Guide below

• Windows: Windows 11 or newer
• macOS: macOS 11 Big Sur or newer
• Rhino: Version 8 or newer with Grasshopper and Python 3

1. Install LARGERslicer Plugin (if using DXR/CNC components):

   Rhino Package Manager (Required)

   • In Rhino, run the command PackageManager (or PaketManager in German)
   • Search for "LARGERslicer"
   • Click "Install" (or "Anwenden" in German)
   • Restart Rhino/Grasshopper

   Option 2: Manual Installation (Deprecated - No longer supported)

   • Copy LARGERslicer.gha, LARGERslicer.pdb, and Newtonsoft.Json.dll from LARGERslicer/Plugin Installation Files/LARGERSlicer/ to your Grasshopper Libraries folder
   • Restart Rhino/Grasshopper
   • Plugin components will appear under the LARGER category
   • Note: Manual installation is no longer supported. Please use the Package Manager for automatic updates and compatibility.

   Upgrading from Manual Installation (Old Version)

   If you previously installed LARGERslicer by manually copying .gha files to the Components folder, follow these steps to upgrade to the Package Manager version:

   1. Open Grasshopper and navigate to the Components folder
   2. Delete old plugin files: Remove all LARGERslicer-related files (.gha, .pdb, Newtonsoft.Json.dll) from the Components folder
   3. Open Rhino Package Manager:
      • In Rhino, type PackageManager (or PaketManager in German) in the command line
      • Search for "LARGERslicer"
      • Click "Install" (or "Anwenden" in German)
   4. Restart your computer (not just Rhino) - this ensures all plugin references are cleared
   5. Re-slice your files: After restart, open your Grasshopper files and regenerate toolpaths with the new version

   Note: The Package Manager version enables automatic updates, so you'll always have the latest features and bug fixes without manual file management.

2. Download or clone the .gh files from this repository:

   • LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh — Standard toolpath generation
   • LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh — Multi-axial printing capabilities
   • UR5slicer.gh — Dedicated UR5 robotic workflow

3. Open Rhino and create a new file in millimeter measurement units

4. Launch Grasshopper within Rhino

5. File → Open → select your desired .gh file

6. Unlock custom clusters if needed: right-click any password-protected component and enter Supersizedprinting

Note: Pufferfish is included with Rhino 8+ and will load automatically. If you encounter missing components, install them via Rhino's PackageManager.

1. Ensure all plugins appear in the Grasshopper toolbar
2. Verify clusters appear in Input, Path Maker, and G-Code Maker stages
3. Check that custom components are unlocked and functional

The LARGER Slicer is organized into two main stages:

• Part 1: 3D Print Path Maker - Generates toolpath curves
• Part 2: G-Code Maker - Exports machine-ready G-code

Basic Setup:

1. Input Geometry: Right-click Set One Surface → pick your surface
2. Enable Features: Toggle Skirt and Brim with True/False buttons
3. Configure Parameters:
   • Corner Fillet Radius (mm): Round off corners
   • Min/Max Extrusion Width (mm): Standard and adaptive widths
   • Layer Height (mm): Control Z-step sizes
   • Point Spacing (mm): Sets point interval (default 2-5 mm)

Output: Generates Toolpath Curves along the midline of each layer

Setup Process:

1. Preview Toolpath: Use Preview Slider (0→1) to scrub through toolpath animation
2. Select Printer Profile: Choose Ginger One or Weber DXR (for UR5, use separate UR5slicer.gh in the UR5 folder)
3. Set Output Location:
   • Use integrated desktop path finder, OR
   • Add your own filepath component with desired save location
4. Configure Settings:
   • Job Name: Enter desired filename (e.g., "Testobject")
   • Feedrate/Speed: Adjust print speed as needed
   • Flow (%): Set extrusion multiplier

Generate G-Code (Important 2-Step Process):

1. Click "1. Slice Data" - This calculates weight, time, and generates coordinates
2. Click "2. Export G-Code" - This exports the final G-code file

Note: You MUST click "Slice Data" first, otherwise you'll only get standard start/end G-code without coordinates, weight, or time calculations. This two-step process keeps the script running efficiently.

Outputs:

• Weight in kg: Displays estimated material usage
• Time: Shows estimated print time
• G-Code: Generated machine-ready code with coordinates

LARGER.slicer/
├── LICENSE                                           # Licensed under [CC BY-NC 4.0]
├── README.md                                         # This documentation
├── LARGERslicer/                                     # Grasshopper plugin source code
│   ├── README.md                                     # Plugin documentation
│   ├── LARGERslicer.csproj                           # .NET project file
│   ├── Components/                                   # Plugin components
│   │   ├── CNC/                                      # CNC toolpath components
│   │   ├── Export/                                   # DXR export components
│   │   └── Utils/                                    # Utility components
│   ├── Types/                                        # Custom data types
│   ├── Utils/                                        # Helper classes
│   ├── Resources/                                    # Icons and assets
│   ├── documentations/                               # Documentation (Markdown)
│   └── Plugin Installation Files/                    # Pre-built plugin files for manual install (deprecated)
│       └── LARGERSlicer/                             # Contains .gha/.pdb + Newtonsoft.Json.dll
└── EXAMPLE FILES/                                    # Machine-specific scripts and docs
   ├── 00 - UNIVERSAL ROBOTS - UR5/
   │   ├── README UR5 00 QUICK START GUIDE.md
   │   └── UR5slicer.gh
   ├── 00 - WEBER : GINGER/
   │   ├── LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh
   │   ├── LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh
   │   ├── 00 - GINGER - ONE - README/
   │   └── 00 - WEBER - DXR25 - README/
   └── 00 - ZUENDT - 3D CNC MILLING/
      ├── README Zünd G3 L-2500 CNC MILLING QUICK START GUIDE.md
      └── ZündHGPL PLT MSA.gh

• Grasshopper Plugin: LARGERslicer.gha — Custom Grasshopper components for DXR generation, CNC toolpaths, and utilities (see LARGERslicer/ directory)
• Primary Slicer: LARGERslicer Weber Robot and Ginger.gh — Main toolpath generation algorithm (see EXAMPLE FILES/00 - WEBER : GINGER/)
• Multi-Axial Slicer: LARGERslicer Multiaxial Weber Robot.gh — Advanced multi-axial printing capabilities
• Machine Documentation: Complete setup and operation guides for each platform (German & English) under EXAMPLE FILES/
• UR5 Dedicated Script: UR5slicer.gh — Specialized control for Universal Robots UR5 (EXAMPLE FILES/00 - UNIVERSAL ROBOTS - UR5/)
• Development Area: WIP folder contains experimental features and new developments

LARGER Slicer Algorithm:

• Standard and multi-axial toolpath generation options
• Two-stage toolpath generation (Path Maker → G-Code Maker)
• Adaptive layer widths and live previews
• Support for skirts, brims with flip option
• Direct integration with multiple machine platforms

LARGERslicer Grasshopper Plugin:

• DXR Processing: DXR Generator and GCode Postprocessor for robot control systems
• CNC Toolpaths: Boustrophedon (zigzag) toolpath generation with Zünd PLT output
• Utilities: File operations, timestamps, spatial indexing, and more
• Automatic header calculation (runtime, layers, extrusion totals)
• Sequential line numbering and proper DXR file formatting
• Version 1.0.0

Machine Control Systems:

• Ginger One: Large-format pellet extruder with material database
• UR5 Robot: Complete Grasshopper workflow for Universal Robots systems
• Weber DXR: Specialized control for Weber robotic platforms with DXR file generation

Documentation & Support:

• Comprehensive setup guides for all platforms
• Troubleshooting resources and operation manuals
• Active development with regular updates

1. Check machine-specific Quick Start Guides
2. Review troubleshooting table above
3. Verify all prerequisites are installed
4. Ensure Rhino file is set to millimeter units

Note: Weber DXR25 now supports multi-axial printing through Grasshopper script with automatic G-code to DXR conversion via the LARGERslicer plugin. The plugin provides DXR Generator and DXR GCode Postprocessor components for seamless conversion. Safety fence configuration and collision object setup are currently in development.

The LARGERslicer Grasshopper plugin source code is located in the LARGERslicer/ directory. For plugin development, building, and component documentation, see:

• Plugin README — Plugin overview and development guide
• Component Overview — Complete component reference

cd LARGERslicer
dotnet build

The build generates .gha files for all target frameworks in bin/Debug/.