Guide · Section 5
Metadata, Part Types & Triangle Sets
The 3MF tab in the N-panel (press N in the 3D Viewport) gives you read and write access to everything stored alongside the geometry in a 3MF file. This includes scene-level metadata, per-object info, slicer-specific part type overrides, and named triangle sets.
This panel is visible in any mode except Texture Paint (which shows the MMU Paint Suite instead).
Scene Metadata
The Scene Metadata sub-panel is open by default. It shows all the standard 3MF metadata fields attached to the current scene.
| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
| Title | The scene name — editing this renames the Blender scene |
| Designer | Author name |
| Description | Short description of the model |
| Copyright | Copyright notice |
| License Terms | License information |
| Creation Date | Read-only — set when the file was first created |
| Modification Date | Read-only — updates automatically on export |
Custom Fields
Any non-standard metadata keys that came in with the file appear below the standard fields with their current values. Each custom entry shows an edit button (pencil icon) and a delete button.
Adding a custom field — click the + button at the bottom of the Scene Metadata section. Blender will ask for a key and a value. Standard field names are rejected — custom keys are for any metadata not covered by the built-in fields.
Metadata edits made here are live on the scene immediately and get written into the next export. You don't need to save the .blend file for them to take effect on export.
Object Info
The Object Info sub-panel is open by default when you have a mesh object selected. It shows a quick read of the active object:
- Name — the object's current Blender name
- Vertex count
- Face count
- Dimensions — X, Y, Z bounding box in scene units
Part Type (Modifier Parts)
The Part Type dropdown assigns an Orca/BambuStudio modifier subtype to the object. This data is written into the exported 3MF and the slicer uses it to change print behavior in the volume of this object.
| Part Type | What it tells the slicer |
|---|---|
| Normal Part | Standard printable geometry — default |
| Modifier | Overrides print settings (layer height, infill, etc.) inside the intersection with the parent object |
| Support Enforcer | Force supports to generate inside this volume |
| Support Blocker | Prevent supports from generating inside this volume |
| Negative Part | Subtract this volume from the parent object |
When you assign a non-Normal part type, the addon applies a distinctive material color to the object as a visual indicator in the viewport — so you can see at a glance which objects are modifiers versus printable parts.
Modifier Parts are an Orca/BambuStudio-specific feature. If you're exporting for PrusaSlicer, these subtypes are written into the config metadata but may not be fully respected depending on the PrusaSlicer version.
Object Metadata
The Object Metadata sub-panel appears when the selected object has 3MF metadata attached to it. The most common entry here is 3mf:partnumber — a part identifier from the original file. These fields are read-only in the panel (they came from the source file and are preserved for round-trip export).
MMU Paint Status
The MMU Paint sub-panel appears (collapsed by default) when the selected mesh has an active paint texture. It's informational — it shows:
- Active status
- The default extruder index
- The filament count and each filament's hex color
Use this to quickly check paint setup without switching to Texture Paint mode.
Slicer Info
The Slicer Info sub-panel appears (collapsed by default) when slicer-specific data was detected on import. It shows:
- The detected source slicer name
- Application metadata values
- BambuStudio format version (if applicable)
- The names of any stashed config files being carried for round-trip
This is a read-only view — the stashed configs are managed automatically by the import/export pipeline.
Triangle Sets
Triangle Sets let you assign meaningful names to groups of faces for use with the 3MF Triangle Sets Extension. They show up in the slicer as named regions and in the exported s:trianglesets extension data.
The workflow runs through Sculpt mode using Blender's native face sets.
Setting Up Triangle Sets
- Switch to Sculpt mode on the mesh you want to work with
- Use Blender's built-in face set tools to define your regions — the W menu in Sculpt mode has face set creation options, and Blender assigns a numeric ID to each face set automatically
- Switch back to Object mode and press N to open the 3MF panel
- The Triangle Sets sub-panel (Sculpt mode only) appears when face set data is detected
Naming Face Sets
The Triangle Sets panel in Sculpt mode shows a row for each face set ID with its current name and face count.
- Unnamed sets appear with a red/warning indicator
- Click the pencil icon next to any set to open a rename dialog
- Type the name you want this triangle set to carry on export
Clear All Names — removes all custom names from the mesh.
Face set IDs assigned by Blender are just numbers. Renaming them here stores the mapping in a 3mf_triangle_set_names property on the mesh — it doesn't change the underlying face sets, just what they're called in the exported file.
Export Behavior
Named triangle sets export via the s extension namespace in Standard 3MF format. The set names and face assignments round-trip: if you import a file with triangle sets, the names and assignments come back in and the panel will already be populated.