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/meshy_task.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. target_formats 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.

Resource	When to use
scripts/meshy_task.py	Bundled CLI for every Meshy API call (create / poll / download / record / …)
scripts/slicers.py	Detect installed slicers; open a model file in a slicer
scripts/fix_obj.py	Fix OBJ coordinate system, scale, and origin for slicers (white model pipeline)
reference.md	Full API reference (incl. print/analyze, print/repair, multi-color, Creative Lab)
references/printing.md	Full pipeline walkthroughs: slicer detection, analyze/repair, white model, multicolor, Creative Lab

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).

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Security & Data Handling

• API key (MESHY_API_KEY) — 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.

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IMPORTANT: Never Rebuild Bundled Scripts

scripts/meshy_task.py, scripts/slicers.py, and scripts/fix_obj.py are the single source of truth for their respective helpers (create_task / poll_task / download / get_project_dir / record_task / save_thumbnail / detect_slicers / open_in_slicer / fix_obj_for_printing). 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.

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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.

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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)
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
5. (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.

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Print Pipelines

Full, copy-ready walkthroughs live in references/printing.md. Overview:

White Model Print Pipeline

Step	Action	Credits	Notes
1	Detect installed slicers	0	scripts/slicers.py detect
2	Generate untextured model	5–20	Text to 3D or Image to 3D (should_texture: false)
3	Download OBJ	0	OBJ format for slicer compatibility
4	Fix OBJ for printing	0	scripts/fix_obj.py coordinate conversion
5	Open in slicer	0	scripts/slicers.py open

Multicolor Print Pipeline

Step	Action	Credits	Notes
1	Detect slicers + check multicolor	0	Warn if no multicolor slicer
2	Generate 3D model	20	Text to 3D or Image to 3D
3	Add textures	10	Refine or Retexture (REQUIRED)
4	Multi-color processing	10	POST /openapi/v1/print/multi-color
5	Poll until SUCCEEDED	0	meshy_task.py poll
6	Download 3MF	0	From model_urls["3mf"]
7	Open in multicolor slicer	0	scripts/slicers.py open
Total		40

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 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 resize_height / resize_longest_side / auto_size). 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.

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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 target_formats. For non-print use cases that need 3MF, pass "3mf" in target_formats 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.

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Additional Resources

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