Meshy 3D Printing

Prepare and send Meshy-generated 3D models to a slicer for 3D printing. Supports white model (single-color) and multicolor printing workflows with automatic slicer detection.

Prerequisite: This skill bundles the same scripts/meshytask.py CLI as meshy-3d-generation and shares its environment setup (API key detection, .env, Python requests). However, when the user wants to 3D print, this skill controls the entire workflow — including generation, format selection, downloading, and slicer integration. Do NOT run meshy-3d-generation's workflow first and then hand off here — this skill must control parameters from the start (e.g. targetformats with "3mf" for multicolor).

All paths below are relative to this skill's own directory (the directory containing this SKILL.md). Resolve them before running.

Environment check (same as the generation skill): python3 scripts/meshy_task.py check-env. If no key is found, follow the generation skill's references/setup.md (in the sibling meshy-3d-generation skill directory).

Security & Data Handling

• API key (MESHYAPIKEY) — sent only in the HTTP Authorization: Bearer header to https://api.meshy.ai. Never logged in full (only a key[:8]... prefix is ever printed). The bundled script never persists it; it is written to .env in the current working directory only when the user explicitly asks, and never to shell profiles, Windows user variables, or any path outside the working directory.
• Key sources read — the current session environment, then .env / .env.local in the current working directory. Home directories and shell profiles are never scanned.
• Network — the only external endpoint is https://api.meshy.ai. System proxies are bypassed (trust_env = False).
• Filesystem writes — .env in the working directory (on explicit request only) and ./meshy_output/ for downloaded models, print-ready OBJ/3MF files, thumbnails, and metadata.
• Local slicer launch — scripts/slicers.py detects already-installed slicers (known install paths + PATH lookup) and opens the generated model file in the slicer the user chooses. It launches only pre-existing local applications; it never downloads or installs software.
• Data leaving the machine — the API key, user-provided text prompts, and image URLs/data go to api.meshy.ai only. No other local data is transmitted; downloaded assets are saved locally.

IMPORTANT: Never Rebuild Bundled Scripts

scripts/meshytask.py, scripts/slicers.py, and scripts/fixobj.py are the single source of truth for their respective helpers (createtask / polltask / download / getprojectdir / recordtask / savethumbnail / detectslicers / openinslicer / fixobjforprinting). Never retype, paraphrase, or "reconstruct" these helpers from memory — not even partially. Compose CLI calls in bash, or import them from a small Python script.

Intent Detection

Proactively suggest 3D printing when these keywords appear in the user's request:

• Direct: print, 3d print, slicer, slice, bambu, orca, prusa, cura, multicolor, multi-color, 3mf
• Implied: figurine, miniature, statue, physical model, desk toy, phone stand

When detected, guide the user through the appropriate print pipeline below.

Decision Tree: White Model vs Multicolor

IMPORTANT: When the user wants to 3D print, follow this flow:

1. Detect installed slicers first: python3 scripts/slicers.py detect (see [references/printing.md](references/printing.md))
2. Ask the user: "Do you want a single-color (white) print or multicolor?"
3. If white model → follow the White Model Pipeline
4. If multicolor:

a. Check if a multicolor-capable slicer is installed b. Supported multicolor slicers: OrcaSlicer, Bambu Studio, Creality Print, Elegoo Slicer, Anycubic Slicer Next c. If no multicolor slicer detected, warn the user and suggest installing one d. Ask: "How many colors? (default: 4, max: 16)" and "Segmentation depth? (3=coarse, 6=fine, default: 4)" e. Confirm cost: generation (20) + texture (10) + multicolor (10) = 40 credits total (+10 if repair is needed) f. Follow the Multicolor Pipeline

1. (Recommended) Insert a printability analysis step (POST /openapi/v1/print/analyze, FREE) after generation in either pipeline. Run POST /openapi/v1/print/repair (10 credits) only if analyze flags errors.

Print Pipelines

Full, copy-ready walkthroughs live in [references/printing.md](references/printing.md). Overview:

White Model Print Pipeline

Multicolor Print Pipeline

Creative Lab Consumer Products

Ready-to-print styled products from a single photo: figure, lamp, keychain, fridge-magnet. Two stages: prototype (6 credits) → build (30 credits). See [references/printing.md](references/printing.md) for the full flow, including how to multicolor a Creative Lab result.

Mesh Utilities for Printing

• Convert (POST /openapi/v1/convert, 1 credit): get a printable STL or 3MF from an existing GLB/OBJ result without remeshing — cheaper and faster than re-running generation with target_formats.
• Resize (POST /openapi/v1/resize, 1 credit): set a real-world size before slicing (exactly one of resizeheight / resizelongestside / autosize). An alternative to fix_obj.py's scaling when you want the API to handle it.
• UV Unwrap (POST /openapi/v1/uv-unwrap, 5 credits): clean GLB "UV white model" before externally painting for a multicolor print. GLB only, ≤ 40,000 faces — remesh down first if larger.

Key Rules for Print Workflow

• Always detect slicer first and report results to the user before proceeding
• Always run analyze (FREE) for production / functional prints, miniatures with thin features, mechanical parts
• Repair is conditional: only when analyze status = error, or warning if the user cares about quality
• White model: Download OBJ format, apply scripts/fix_obj.py for coordinate conversion
• Multicolor: The multi-color API outputs 3MF directly — no coordinate conversion needed (3MF uses Z-up natively)
• 3MF for multicolor: The Multi-Color Print API outputs 3MF directly — no need to request 3MF from generate/refine via targetformats. For non-print use cases that need 3MF, pass "3mf" in targetformats at generation time.
• For multicolor, verify slicer supports it before proceeding with the (costly) pipeline
• After opening in slicer, remind user to check print settings (layer height, infill, supports)
• If OBJ is not available: Download GLB and guide user to import manually
• Repair caveat: textures are NOT preserved. For a multicolor print on a model that needs repair, run repair first, then re-texture, then multicolor.

Additional Resources

For the complete API endpoint reference, read [reference.md](reference.md). For pipeline walkthroughs and the manual print-quality checklist, read [references/printing.md](references/printing.md). For API errors, see the generation skill's references/troubleshooting.md.