Can Bed Shape feature be used for 3D bed shape?

I am new to Slicer. I am having trouble with the download otherwise I would just experiment with the custom Bed Shape feature. I would like to extrude onto the surface of a 3D object. Can I use the custom bed shape feature to import the 3D object and have the printer print on the top of it?

No, I think the bed shape is just for a flat surface.

If the surface you want to print on is flat, and you're not trying to print anything that overhangs the edges of that surface, place the object at the center of the bed and use the z-offset in slic3r to get it to print on top of the object. You'll have to figure out some way to hold the object to the print bed so it can't move while printing, and you may have problems getting ABS to stick to an unheated surface (the piece you're printing on). PLA on PLA may work.

I don't think there's any way to print on a non flat surface.

You should not have to change the bed shape in slic3r- those are just limits that tell slicer how large an object can be in X and Y. Any object smaller that that is placed at the center of the bed. Slic3r doesn't need to know how big the object is, but you do so you can make sure the new stuff you want to print doesn't overhang the edges of that object.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2015 07:29AM by the_digital_dentist.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Thanks for the replies. I finally got the download & install to work, Ver. 1.2.9. Yes, I undertand now that the bed shape is the 2D shape of the bed.
Dentist, thanks for the tip on the Z Offset. In my application, the surface I want to print on is NOT flat. I have read about "frostruders" but have not seen anyone address the fact that the tops of cupcakes are not flat. Do they cut the tops off? :-)
Thanks!

Frostruders are not intended to be very precise. If you lay down thick enough material it doesn't matter if the surface is flat- it will squish out a little where the nozzle to print surface is smaller and lay down a thicker layer where the distance is greater.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Ok... I get the squish the frosting approach. Back to my question... is there a way to extrude onto an existing object that is not flat and has no overhangs? Thanks again.

How unflat is it?

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Unflat by approximately 1/4 inch at highest point. Then there is the question is how to print onto existing object, flat or not. I know these are two different problems. Thanks again.