How to cut a model in QIDI Studio?

To cut a model in QIDI Studio, select the model and click Cut in the left toolbar. Set the cutting plane's angle and position, choose Planar or Dovetail mode, decide which halves to keep, then click Perform Cut. The pieces stay in the same project, so you can arrange them on the plate and slice them in one job.

Cutting is the tool I reach for most often, and almost never for the reason people expect. Splitting an oversized model is only one use. Cutting also gives a rounded part a flat face to sit on, removes supports from the equation entirely, and lets you print one section of a large model to test fit before committing thirty hours of filament to the whole thing.

Why cut a model before printing

1. Split oversized models. When a model is bigger than the build volume, cut it into parts, print them separately and join them afterwards.
2. Print only part of a model. Cut away everything you do not need instead of printing the whole object to get one bracket.
3. Create a flat bottom face. A flat cut face sits directly on the plate, which improves adhesion, removes support from the first layers and raises the odds of the print finishing.
4. Change how the layers run. FDM parts are weakest between layers. Cutting a part so each piece prints in its strongest orientation, then bonding the pieces, is often stronger than printing the whole thing in one bad orientation.

QIDI Studio provides a cutting tool that gives precise control over the cut plane's angle and position. This tutorial walks through both of its modes.

What the Cut tool does

The Cut tool slices a mesh with a single flat plane and rebuilds both halves as watertight solids. It is not a boolean operation and it does not need a second body — you position one plane, and everything on one side of it becomes a separate piece. Two modes decide what the cut face looks like.

Schematic diagram

Before cutting the model:

After cutting the model:

The result above was produced by cutting the model. Follow the steps below to do the same.

Planar cut: splitting a model into four equal parts

1. Enter cut mode

Import your model into QIDI Studio, select it, and click the Cut button in the toolbar to enter cutting mode.

2. Set the plane angle

By default the cut plane is horizontal, which is rarely what you want. To cut the model vertically, rotate the plane: entering 90° in the first rotation box turns the plane 90 degrees about the Y axis, so the cut runs down through the model rather than across it.

3. Move the plane into position

The Move field is a relative offset from the plane's current position, not an absolute coordinate. It resets to 0 after every entry, so typing 10 twice moves the plane 20 mm in total. This trips up almost everyone the first time.

The goal here is four equal parts along the X axis. Start by halving the model: after the 90° flip the plane already sits at the model's X midpoint, so no move is needed for the first cut.

4. Perform the cut, then repeat

Click to perform the cut. You now have two halves; select each one in turn and repeat steps 1–3 to split it into two again.

5. Check the result

After running steps 1–3 on both halves you get four pieces.

6. Arrange and slice

Arrange the pieces on the plate and you have the final layout. Give each piece a cut face on the plate where you can — that is half the point of cutting in the first place.

Dovetail mode

The picture above was produced with dovetail cutting. A dovetail is a joint whose interlocking shape resists being pulled apart, and cutting one into the joint face has two effects:

1. It improves alignment and stops the joint from sliding or twisting out of registration.
2. With a well-chosen tolerance the pieces can push together and hold on friction alone, with no adhesive needed for light-duty parts.

Steps

1. Once in Cut mode, select Dovetail from Mode.

2. Set the angle of the cut face — enter 90° in the first box to rotate the plane 90 degrees about the Y axis — then choose a tolerance in the second box. Leave a gap of 0.1–0.2 mm so the joint is not so tight that the pieces refuse to go together.

3. Click Perform Cut to get the model below.

Which tolerance to use depends on your machine and material as much as on the model. If a 0.15 mm joint comes out too tight, the fix is usually calibration rather than a bigger number — our guide to 3D printing tolerances covers how to measure what your printer actually produces.

How big can you print before you have to cut?

Cutting is only necessary once a model exceeds the build volume — and it exceeds it later than most people assume, because a long part can be rotated to run along the plate's diagonal.

The diagonal figures are pure geometry (the square root of X² + Y²). In practice you get slightly less, because a diagonal part still needs brim clearance and has to stay clear of the toolhead's exclusion zones. Treat the number as "try rotating it 45° before you cut it", not as a guarantee.

Settings in the Cut tool and what they change

Joining the pieces afterwards

A dovetail holds the alignment; adhesive holds the load. For PLA and PETG, a thin cyanoacrylate glue on a dry, dust-free cut face is the simplest option — our notes on the best glue for PLA go through the alternatives. For ABS and ASA, solvent welding with acetone fuses the two faces into one piece of plastic rather than bonding a film between them; work in a well-ventilated space and follow the solvent's safety instructions.

Whichever you use, dry-fit first. Once the adhesive is on the face you have a few seconds to get the alignment right, and a dovetail that needed a file will not wait for you.

FAQ

How do I cut a model in QIDI Studio?

Select the model, click Cut in the toolbar, rotate the cutting plane to the angle you need, use the Move field to position it, pick Planar or Dovetail mode, and click Perform Cut. The resulting pieces stay in the same project and can be arranged and sliced together.

Why does my cut plane not go where I type?

The Move value is a relative offset from the plane's current position and resets to 0 after each entry. To move the plane 30 mm from the origin, type 30 once — typing 30 three times moves it 90 mm.

What tolerance should a dovetail joint use?

Start at 0.1–0.2 mm. Below that the joint usually needs filing; above it the pieces rattle. If parts consistently print tight or loose at that setting, calibrate flow and dimensional accuracy before changing the tolerance.

Is it stronger to cut and glue a model, or print it whole?

It depends on orientation. FDM parts are weakest along the layer boundaries, so a tall thin part printed upright can be weaker than the same part cut, printed flat in two pieces, and bonded. Our model placement guide covers how orientation drives strength.

Can cutting replace supports?

Often, yes. Cutting a model so each overhang becomes a flat face on the plate removes the need for support in that area — no scarring, no cleanup, no wasted filament. Where geometry still needs it, our tutorial on adding supports covers the settings.

Summary

You now have both cutting modes in QIDI Studio: planar cuts for splitting, trimming and creating flat bases, and dovetail cuts for parts that have to go back together accurately. Used well, the cut tool solves build-volume limits, support problems and part strength at the same time. Every current machine in the QIDI printer lineup uses the same workflow. Join the QIDI community to share your results and compare notes with other users.