Overview
Standard vase mode prints a lightweight, hollow shell with a continuous outer wall instead of conventional infill. It omits enclosed features such as internal webs and spar sockets. Conventional slicing supports internal geometry, but can use considerably more material.
This Python plugin for OrcaSlicer modifies wing cross-sections during slicing to generate internal reinforcement within the continuous perimeter path, without modeling each feature in CAD.
Slicing comparison
The same wing model was sliced three ways. Compare the OrcaSlicer previews or explore the extrusion paths at a selected height.
Conventional and vase toolpaths use earlier G-code exports. The table reflects the updated screenshots.
| Method | Filament estimate | Print time |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 175.79 g | 5h 11m |
| Vase mode | 43.52 g | 2h 46m |
| Custom plugin | 62.15 g | 5h 08m |
For this wing, the plugin uses 62 g of filament compared with 176 g for conventional slicing, with both taking approximately five hours. Standard vase mode uses 44 g and takes under three hours, but omits the internal reinforcement and spar socket.
From slicer to printed wing
The finished wing shows the printed surface pattern, a spar path, and a servo installation. The black section is an earlier test of the structure.
How it works
Starting with a solid wing model, the plugin cuts narrow, boundary-connected slots into each sliced cross-section. These redirect the continuous perimeter inward to form webs alongside the outer skin. The geometry can also include a carbon-rod socket and adapt to changes in the wing shape along its span.
The underlying vase-mode technique builds on approaches demonstrated by Tom Stanton, who used narrow cuts in CAD geometry to generate internal wing ribs. This plugin automates the geometry modification during slicing.