Gcode to X3g

Having options when designing leads to a greater number of outcomes. Having any bottleneck or limitation can greatly affect how one designs, and spending time finding a work around can sometimes be long and cumbersome. An issue that can arise when sharing 3D print files is how to print a file from a friend or off the internet on a different machine than the original sliced file.

For example, how do I print a .gcode file on a makerbot that only prints .x3g files?

In this tutorial we will walk through how to do just that with the free slicer, ReplicatorG.

Step 1: Download ReplicatorG and Select Machine

Download the free slicer, ReplicatorG, and install the software.

Select the correct machine to output the file to, in this case a Replicator 2.

Dont worry about the Sailfish, this is a software upgrade, which I highly recommend for any Makerbot, and might be covered in a different Instructable. ; )

Step 2: Upload and Save As...

With the right machine selected, upload the file to change. In this case a gcode file has been uploaded and will be changed to an x3g.

Click "Build to file for use with SD card" and a save as window should appear. In the bottom of this window the file name should have the option for x3g. Save to a safe place and send it to an SD card!

Done! Now you can take a gcode file and get it ready for printing on a makerbot!