---
title: "Split a 3D model and get it ready to print"
nav_title: "Split and 3D print"
summary:
  - "Segmentation cuts one mesh into parts you can select, edit, texture or animate on their own."
  - "Every segmentation model takes a mesh and a detail setting: granularity, strength, merge threshold or level."
  - "Before you print: watertight, walls of 1 to 2 mm, real scale, a flat base, and an STL or 3MF file."
description: "Compare Tripo Segmentation, Hunyuan 3D Part and Rodin Bang! on the same mesh, then prepare a model for 3D printing with Hitem3D Split and Hitem3D Multicolor."
section: 3d
order: 56
type: guide
level: Build
roles: [creator, artist, art-director, marketer, team-lead, admin, developer]
time: { read: 7, do: 15, wait: 5 }
needs: ["A generated 3D model as one mesh", "For printing: a slicer that reads STL or 3MF"]
last_verified: 2026-11-10
models_checked: ["Tripo Segmentation v2", "Rodin Hyper3D Bang!", "Hunyuan 3D Part", "Hitem3D Split", "Hitem3D Multicolor"]
hero: 3d/split-and-3d-print/ch-01-segmentation-models.webp
video: tutorials/3d-lesson-7-split-and-3d-print.mp4
video_caption: "Split and 3D print"
thumb: 3d/thumbs/lesson-7-split-and-3d-print.webp
chapters:
  - { at: 0, title: "Segmentation models", image: "/media/images/3d/split-and-3d-print/ch-01-segmentation-models.webp" }
  - { at: 48.27, title: "Compare on one model", image: "/media/images/3d/split-and-3d-print/ch-02-compare-on-one-model.webp" }
  - { at: 96.11, title: "Get ready for 3D printing", image: "/media/images/3d/split-and-3d-print/ch-03-get-ready-for-3d-printing.webp" }
related: [opus-and-astra-3d, game-ready-3d, process-3d-models]
pdf: true
run_in: [model_tripo-segmentation-v2, model_hunyuan-3d-part, model_rodin-hyper3d-bang, model_hitem-3d-split, model_hitem-3d-multicolor]
updated: 2026-11-10
canonical: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/split-and-3d-print
---

Last updated: 2026-11-10

# Split a 3D model and get it ready to print

> Compare Tripo Segmentation, Hunyuan 3D Part and Rodin Bang! on the same mesh, then prepare a model for 3D printing with Hitem3D Split and Hitem3D Multicolor.

In short:

- Segmentation cuts one mesh into parts you can select, edit, texture or animate on their own.
- Every segmentation model takes a mesh and a detail setting: granularity, strength, merge threshold or level.
- Before you print: watertight, walls of 1 to 2 mm, real scale, a flat base, and an STL or 3MF file.


This lesson splits a 3D model into parts, and gets it ready for 3D printing.

## Segmentation models

![Film still: Segmentation models](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/17038e46e75ce589f22541271a859c569a490f8dea7da53ff5cc951546476585.webp)

A generated model usually arrives as one single mesh. Segmentation cuts it into separate parts, so you can select, edit, texture or animate each piece on its own.

- **Tripo Segmentation**, **Rodin Bang!** and **Hunyuan 3D Part** split any object.
- **Hitem3D Split** and **Hitem3D Multicolor** are made for 3D printing.

They all work the same way: upload a mesh, and choose how fine the split is. Tripo calls it **granularity**, Rodin calls it **strength**, Hunyuan uses a **merge threshold**, and Hitem3D uses a **level**.

## Compare on one model

![Film still: Compare on one model](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/635f7378fdcd83d3d404bd708be6a1f6db0e461a73adc403a693af2fa688f1d1.webp)

The test is a tugboat as one single mesh, with about 23,000 faces.

- **Tripo Segmentation** keeps the exact geometry and finds 134 pieces, because it also separates every loose chunk. Turn off **split by connectivity** to get fewer parts.
- **Hunyuan 3D Part** gives 20 clean parts, and rebuilds the surface at a high density, here more than one million faces.
- **Rodin Bang!** gives 19 parts, at 150,000 faces. With a reference image, it also retextures each part, and a split instruction tells it what to keep together.

On a character, the parts follow the body: Tripo found 18 parts, Hunyuan and Rodin nine each.

## Get ready for 3D printing

![Film still: Get ready for 3D printing](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/6d51b3f4d9b88e5456e18194ef0f4827bb14731b54585d099ab0faea066ed604.webp)

Large models are cut to fit the print bed, parts print in different colors, and moving parts print on their own.

Before you print, check five things:

- The mesh is watertight, with no holes.
- The walls are at least 1 to 2 millimeters thick.
- The scale is real, in millimeters.
- The model sits on a flat base.
- You export an **STL** or **3MF** file for your slicer.

**Hitem3D Split** cuts a character into two to six print parts, here six, with ball joints, so they snap together after printing. **Hitem3D Multicolor** turns the texture into a few flat colors, one for each filament, here four. Claude Opus 5.5 3D and GPT-6 Astra 3D can export an STL file directly.

Source: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/split-and-3d-print