Slicer for 32 Bit Operating systems?

  • I currently only have access to an old, 32 bit OS and need to slice a couple things. While there are a lot of slicers around, most popular ones, for example Ultimaker Cura 4, need to run on a 64 bit operation system.



    What somewhat recent (late 2018, 2019) options offering common abilities are there that run on older computers?


    While Cura might only be shipping 64-bit binaries for Windows, you can certainly build it yourself for a 32-bit system.

    @R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE Doing so needs extensive programming knowledge.

  • Trish

    Trish Correct answer

    3 years ago

    The last version of Ultimaker Cura that supported 32-bit Operation Systems was Cura 2.3.1 of 2016, which of course has a lot of items not yet in it and doesn't fit the demand of offering some update at worst from 2018.


    32-bit support is starting to fade from the support of projects, as 64-bit makes a lot of things much easier and faster and 32 Bit Windows likewise is pretty much a dead-end branch with Windows 7 Support being discontinued on January 14th, 2020. For example, the Slicer project says on their documentation of the May 2019 4.10 version: "We do not make 32 bit builds available."


    Yet there is rescue with the Slic3r-Family!


    Slic3r 1.3.0 is open source, available as 32 and 64-bit versions, and was released in November 2018, making it somewhat up to date. You need to customize a lot of settings in it, but it is after all quite a powerful slicer - for which you have to write your own Start Code, define your filament settings and machine.


    Repetier Host 2.1.6 is likewise a 32-bit application. It's technically a console with slicing features and uses one of several engines to slice - including the Slic3r and Slic3r Prusa Edition engines, which run on 32-bit. In comparison to Slic3r, I find its UI for placing items a little more user-friendly. It does pull the settings from Slic3r, if you have that installed.


    Slic3r Prusa Edition/PrusaSlicer is a derivate of the Slic3r project. 2.2.9 was released in December 2019. It too runs on 32 bit systems. It is, UI-wise, even more comfortable than Repetier Host and is somewhat similar to Ultimaker Cura 4.


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Content dated before 7/24/2021 11:53 AM

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