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splitstl.com
↓ Scroll down for docs, FAQ, and comparisons ↓
splitstl is a free in-browser tool for splitting STL files into printable parts. Drop in any STL, set the maximum dimensions your printer can fit, and the tool slices the model into chunks with auto-generated peg joinery so the pieces snap together once printed. Everything runs locally in your browser — your files are never uploaded.
If your model is larger than your build plate, or you want to print a sculpture across multiple colors, or you just want a cleaner result than free-handing it in your slicer, this is the tool for you.
Most slicers can split a model along a single plane. That works for cutting something in half. It does not work when your model needs three cuts across multiple axes, or when you want the pieces to lock together.
| Feature | splitstl | Cura split | Bambu Studio split | Meshmixer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-axis cuts (X, Y, Z simultaneously) | ✓ | single plane | single plane | ✓ |
| Auto peg joinery between pieces | ✓ | none | none | none |
| Watertight output guaranteed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | manual repair |
| Assembly diagram included | ✓ | no | no | no |
| Cell-ID engraving on parts | ✓ | no | no | no |
| Runs in browser | ✓ | desktop app | desktop app | discontinued |
| Free, no signup, no upload | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | unsupported |
If you used to use Meshmixer to split models, that tool was retired by Autodesk and is no longer updated or supported on modern OS versions. splitstl reproduces its core "split + connect" workflow in a modern browser.
The single most common reason is build-volume limits. A 250mm-tall sculpture won't fit on an Ender 3 (220mm Z). Splitting it lets you print it as four 125mm chunks that you glue or peg together. There are several other reasons:
The default peg style is a square cross-section because square pegs prevent the pieces from rotating once assembled. Round pegs would allow each piece to twist. The square pegs are extruded directly into one face of each split piece and a matching socket is cut from the opposing face, with a tolerance gap (default 0.2 mm) for filament shrinkage and slicer expansion. You can tune the diameter, length, and tolerance from the sidebar before downloading.
Every split piece is verified watertight by the tool before export — pegs are joined with smooth small fillets so the resulting STL has no non-manifold edges and slices cleanly in any slicer.
Load your STL into the tool at the top of this page, set the maximum dimensions each piece may have (usually your printer's build volume minus a few millimeters of margin), and download the zip. You'll get one STL per split piece, ready to slice and print.
Yes. splitstl runs entirely in your browser. There is no signup, no upload, no account, no watermark, no AI processing, and nothing happens on a server — your STL file never leaves your computer.
Cura's "split into parts" only works if the STL already contains multiple disconnected mesh objects — it doesn't cut a continuous model. splitstl actually cuts the geometry along axis-aligned planes and generates joinery between pieces. If your model is a single solid mesh that's too big for your printer, Cura can't help you; splitstl can.
Bambu Studio can perform a single-plane cut on a model, and that works well for simple two-piece splits. It does not generate multi-axis cuts (e.g., splitting a model into a 2×3 grid simultaneously), and it does not add peg or dovetail joinery between the resulting parts. splitstl handles both.
Meshmixer was retired by Autodesk in 2021 and is no longer maintained or officially supported. It still runs on older systems but no longer receives bug fixes or compatibility updates. splitstl provides the same "split STL + add connector pegs" workflow that Meshmixer's Plane Cut and Append features were used for, but in a modern browser-based tool with no installation.
Yes — set the maximum dimension along one axis to half the model's bounding-box size on that axis, and leave the other axes unconstrained. The tool will compute a single cut at the midpoint and emit two STLs with matching pegs.
Yes. Square peg joinery is enabled by default. The pegs are extruded from one piece and a matching socket is cut from the neighbor. You can configure peg diameter, length, and the tolerance gap. Press-fit assemblies work without glue; tighter tolerances give a permanent feel.
No. splitstl is a static HTML page that runs entirely in your browser. The mesh splitting, peg generation, and watertight verification all happen client-side using JavaScript. The only network traffic is for loading the page itself.
No. Open the page in any modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), drop an STL on it, and download the result. No browser extension, no desktop app, no command-line tool.
Each split piece is exported as a binary STL — the same format every slicer accepts. The pieces are bundled into a ZIP file along with an HTML assembly diagram (showing piece neighbors and peg counts) and a README.txt that lists every part, its dimensions, and the recommended print order.
You tell the tool the maximum X / Y / Z dimensions a piece may have. Set these to your build volume minus a small margin (5–10 mm is typical). Every output piece is guaranteed to be within those bounds.
Yes. If your maximum dimensions require multiple cuts on any axis, the tool generates them all. A large model can be split into 4, 8, 27, or more pieces depending on how aggressively you constrain it.
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