Chapter31 / 36
Chapter 5
From model to part
Words became a model; now the model becomes plastic. Filament, export, slicing, and the machine doing the melting.
Preview: this cheatsheet is still in development and the content hasn't been independently verified.
From model to part32 / 36
Filaments and materials
Each filament has its strength. Start with PLA, then choose by what the part must handle.
For…PickPrinting
Everyday parts and prototypesPLAAny printer
Knocks, indoors or outPETGAny printer
Bendy, grippy partsTPUPrint slow
Heat and sunABS / ASAEnclosure
Gears and living hingesNylonHot + dry
Maximum heat and loadPCEnclosure
Stiff, light partsCarbon-fibre blendsHard nozzle
Tricky overhangsDissolving supportsTwo materials
Basic printerA step up
These are the staples. There are loads more (silk, matte, wood-fill, glow-in-the-dark, even metal-filled), but you rarely need them.
Where we buy ours
Azurefilm, a Slovenian shop. Not a sponsor, just one we like.
From model to part32 / 36
Filaments and materials
Each filament has its strength. Start with PLA, then choose by what the part must handle.
For…PickPrinting
Everyday parts and prototypesPLAAny printer
Knocks, indoors or outPETGAny printer
Bendy, grippy partsTPUPrint slow
Heat and sunABS / ASAEnclosure
Gears and living hingesNylonHot + dry
Maximum heat and loadPCEnclosure
Stiff, light partsCarbon-fibre blendsHard nozzle
Tricky overhangsDissolving supportsTwo materials
Basic printerA step up
These are the staples. There are loads more (silk, matte, wood-fill, glow-in-the-dark, even metal-filled), but you rarely need them.
Where we buy ours
Azurefilm, a Slovenian shop. Not a sponsor, just one we like.
First print run
Get the booklet on your desk.
36 printed pages of the AI CAD vocabulary you actually need. Bound, ready to flip through next to your keyboard.
One email when it ships. No spam, ever.
A pocket referenceThe 3D‑Print
Phrasebook
Plain words for asking AI to build the parts you want, the right way on the first try.
Why a phrasebook?
Every craft has its words. Tell a carpenter rabbet and they know the cut, the tool, and the fit before you finish the sentence. The right word does the explaining for you.
AI is the same. Ask for "a thingy with a hole" and you get a shrug in 3D. Ask for "an M3 counterbore on a 5 mm wall" and you get a part. This little book is the words.
The conversationpages 2–6
How a session flows: describe, look, correct.
The vocabularypages 8–11
Shapes and operations: the moves every model is made of.
Naming real partspages 13–25
Features, holes, fits, and the hardware to design around.
More you can ask forpages 27–30
Images, color, and models that adjust themselves.
From model to partpages 32–36
Filament, export, slicing, printing.
How to read a page
- "Quoted text" is language you can use word for word.
- Numbered dots on a picture match the parts list beside it.
- A QR square opens the matching page online. Point your phone camera at it.
For Grandpa Franc, who built me things.
What's inside
Chapter01 / 36
Chapter 1
The conversation
You describe, GrandpaCAD builds, you look and correct. This chapter is the rhythm of a working session.
The conversation02 / 36
Your first part: a wall hook
One part, start to finish. This is the whole loop.
1. Say what it is and how big it should be
"A wall hook for the workshop. Base plate 60 × 25 × 4 mm, one hook in the middle." Size and purpose are enough to start. You don't need every detail.
2. Look
The model appears. Check how the parts fit together, the proportions, and the details.
3. Correct one thing at a time
"Add two countersunk holes for M4 screws, 40 mm apart." One correction per message; the rest stays as it was.
4. Done when it looks right
Download it. Printing is covered in chapter 5.
The conversation03 / 36
Multi-step builds
Complex parts come out cleaner when you give the AI a plan, not a paragraph.
Outline the steps
"First the base, then the walls, then four mounting bosses." Order is information.
Name each part
Named parts give you something to mention when you iterate.
Start with the base first
Get the silhouette right before adding details. Features attach to a stable foundation.
Add details last
Fillets, chamfers. Cheap to add and cheap to take away.
The conversation04 / 36
Dimensions and constraints
Numbers without context are guesses. Pin them down up front.
Mind printability
Walls should be at least 1.2 mm, or they crack. Short bridges print cleanly; past about 10 mm they start to sag. Surfaces leaning up to 45° from vertical print without supports.
Cite standards
"M5 cap screw", "M5 countersunk", "608 bearing". The standard name already carries every dimension, so you don't have to spell them out.
Constrain the envelope
"Fits a 256 × 256 mm bed." A stated build plate stops the model from drifting to absurd sizes.
The conversation05 / 36
References and positioning
Where something sits is half the description. Anchor every part to something concrete.
Anchor to a face or edge
"Centred on the top face" is unambiguous. "Near the top" is not.
Reference planes
"Mirror across the centre" gives the model a fixed point to anchor every measurement to.
Mating surfaces
Name which face touches what. "The lid sits on the rim of the box, not inside it."
The conversation06 / 36
Iteration and corrections
The first generation is rarely the final one. Good fixes are specific and surgical.
Describe the symptom, not the fix
"The screws stick out 1mm" tells the model what to solve. Let the AI find the right way to fix it.
Mention one named part
"Make the lid 2mm thicker" lands. "Make it sturdier" wanders.
Give the exact change
"Change wall thickness from 1 to 5mm" leaves no room for interpretation.
Say what to keep
"Keep the hole pattern as is" prevents a full redesign on every iteration.
Try a different approach
When the AI keeps repeating the same mistake, ask it to take a completely different approach. That makes it start fresh.
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Chapter 2
The vocabulary
The basic shapes and operations of a parametric part. You build even the most complex model by using these words in the right order.
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Primitives
The starting shapes for almost any design. Every complex part begins as one or two of these.
Cube / Box
A six-sided block. Width, depth, height in millimetres.
Sphere
A ball. Specify radius or diameter, not both.
Cylinder
A tube or rod. Say tube if you want it hollow.
Cone
Tapers from a circle to a point. Say truncated to end it in a smaller circle instead of a point.
Torus
A donut. Give the ring radius and the tube radius.
Wedge
A triangular prism. Ramps, brackets, and gussets start here.
Pyramid
Tapers from a polygon to a point. Square base by default, but it can have any number of sides.
Polyhedron
A custom mesh from points and faces. Last resort when nothing else fits.
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Transformations
How to move, turn, and reshape something that already exists. Order matters: rotate then move is not the same as move then rotate.
Translate / Move
Move along X (left/right), Y (front/back), or Z (up/down).
Rotate
Spin around an axis you name, e.g. "rotate around X". Give the angle in degrees.
Scale
Resize it, either evenly in all directions or along a single axis. Along one axis only, a sphere becomes a stretched ellipsoid.
Mirror
Reflect across a plane. Good for symmetric parts.
Linear array
Duplicate in a straight line. Give the count and the spacing.
Circular array
Duplicate around an axis. Give the count, plus a full sweep angle or a radius and spacing.
Offset
Grow or shrink a shape outward by a fixed distance. Inflates or deflates a profile in place.
Align / Anchor
Snap one face, edge, or corner to another. "Align the lid flush with the rim of the box."
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Boolean operations
Combine simple shapes to make complex ones. Most parametric models are booleans all the way down.
Union
Fuse two shapes together. They become one new part.
Difference
Subtract one part from another. The way you make holes and cutouts.
Intersection
Keep only the overlapping volume. Useful for trimming to a bounding shape.
Hull
Wrap a tight "skin" around a set of shapes.
The vocabulary11 / 36
Edge and face features
Detail operations. These are what make a part look intentional instead of blocky.
Chamfer
A flat cut on an edge, usually 45°. Eases insertion and breaks sharp corners.
Fillet
A rounded edge. Stronger than a sharp corner, friendlier to touch.
Shell
Hollow a solid, leaving walls of a given thickness.
Extrude
Pull a 2D profile into 3D. The fastest path from sketch to volume.
Revolve
Spin a 2D profile around an axis. Bottles, knobs, and vases come from here.
Loft
Blend between two or more profiles. Smoothly changes cross-section.
Sweep
Drag a profile along a path. Pipes, handles, and grooves.
Draft / Taper
Slant a face by a few degrees. Helps prints release from supports.
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Chapter 3
Naming real parts
How shapes turn into something printable: features, mating geometry, and the hardware your design has to fit around.
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Functional features
Named shapes you add to a part to make it work: mounting, stiffness, sealing, or grip.
Boss
Cylindrical protrusion with a hole, usually for a screw or heat-set insert. The "where parts bolt together" feature.
Rib
A thin reinforcing fin running along a surface. Stops a flat plate from flexing without doubling the wall thickness.
Rectangular cavity in a solid. Cable channels, captive nuts, lightening holes.
Lip / Flange
An edge that overhangs the wall below. The rim on a container, the mounting plate on a motor.
Gusset
Triangular brace between two perpendicular surfaces. Stiffens a wall without much material.
Standoff
Threaded pillar that holds something at a distance. Hex outside, M3 inside is most common.
Spacer
Unthreaded sleeve that holds two parts a fixed distance apart; a screw passes straight through. Use it when you need an even gap between two parts.
Knurl
Textured grip pattern on a cylindrical surface. Thumb screws and adjustment knobs use it so fingers don't slip.
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Text and labels on parts
Five ways to put a name, number, or icon on a printed part. Which one you pick comes down to two things: how deep the letters go and whether you need a second colour.
Raised text (embossed)
Letters rise ~1mm above the surface. Cleanest to print and easiest to read. The default when one colour is fine.
Sunken text (engraved / debossed)
Letters cut ~1mm into the surface. Robust against wear and scuffing, the go-to for serial numbers and stamped marks.
Flush text (multi-material inlay)
Pocket refilled with a second filament at the exact same height. Needs a printer that changes colours automatically, or you swap the filament by hand. Reads like a printed sticker.
Through-text (stencil / cutout)
Letters cut all the way through the plate. Perfect for signage that lets light through. Closed loops like "O" or "A" need a bridge or they fall out.
Segmented inlay (two-part assembly)
Print a plate with a text-shaped pocket and the letters as a separate piece. Glue them in a contrasting colour. Single-extruder friendly.
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Holes
Not all holes are equal. The right name avoids a redesign cycle later.
Anatomy of a counterbore
- 1Mating face
- 2Counterbore
- 3Shoulder
- 4Pilot hole
Naming the layers makes the prompt unambiguous: "M3 clearance, 6mm counterbore, 3mm deep".
Through hole
Goes all the way through the part.
Blind hole
Stops at a depth. Say "blind, 8mm deep".
Countersunk hole
Cone-shaped recess so a flat-head screw sits flush. The chamfer angle matches the screw head (usually 90°).
Counterbored hole
Cylindrical recess so a socket-head cap drops below the surface. Call the diameter and depth.
Spotface
Shallow counterbore that flattens a rough surface for a washer or bolt head to seat.
Clearance hole
Sized so a screw passes freely without engaging threads. Typically 0.2–0.5mm wider than nominal.
Pilot hole
Undersized hole for a self-tapping screw to cut threads into. Slightly smaller than the screw's nominal diameter.
Threaded hole
Has internal threads. Call out the size (e.g. M6). Which sizes are worth printing is on the Fasteners page.
Slot
An elongated hole with rounded ends. Length and width, not just diameter.
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Fits and clearances
How tight or loose two parts go together. Values are clearance on diameter for an average filament printer; halve them if you apply the gap to each side.
Press fit (interference)
Shaft is slightly bigger than the hole; needs a press or a mallet. Permanent: bearings, dowel pins. On a filament printer, make the shaft 0.05 to 0.15 mm bigger than the hole. Add a chamfered lead-in so the shaft starts straight.
Transition fit
Assembles with light hand pressure (snug, but removable). Battery doors, sensor mounts, removable caps. FDM: +0.1 to +0.2 mm on diameter.
Sliding fit
Slides without wobble. Drawer rails, pistons, sliding lids. FDM: +0.3 to +0.5 mm on diameter (≈ 0.15–0.25 mm per side).
Clearance fit
Rotates or moves with a visible gap. Hinge pins, axles, bolt clearance holes. FDM: +0.5 to +0.8 mm on diameter.
Loose fit
Easy assembly with room to spare. Cable pass-throughs, decorative covers, snap-on caps. FDM: +0.7 to +1.0 mm on diameter.
Calculator with the latest numbers
Scan for the online tolerance & fit calculator. Values for common printer types, scaled to your part's size.
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Fasteners
Screws and bolts you'll actually use on a printed project. Naming the head saves the redesign.
Anatomy of a bolt
- 1Head
- 2Shank (unthreaded)
- 3Threads
- 4Tip / Point
Pointing at the right part of the bolt tells the model which hardware to clear room for.
Cap screw (hex socket)
ISO 4762 / DIN 912. The "M3×8" default in most printed projects.
Button head
ISO 7380. Lower profile than cap, same hex socket.
Countersunk (flat head)
ISO 10642 / DIN 7991. Sits flush in a chamfered hole.
Set screw / Grub
Headless, threaded full length. Holds shafts to pulleys.
Thumb screw
Knurled head, tightened by hand. Good for tool-free assembly.
Printed threads
M2–M3 come out as ridges or blobs, so don't use them. M4–M5 hold light loads; M6 and up are reliable. Very large threads work for clamps and vises. Print the screw and nut standing up.
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Nuts and threaded inserts
How you get a thread into printed plastic. Get the technique right and the screw holds for years.
Hex nut
DIN 934 / ISO 4032. The default unless you say square or T-nut.
Square nut
Captive in a square pocket. Good when the back is unreachable.
T-nut (extrusion)
Drops into 2020 / 3030 aluminium extrusion slots.
Heat-set brass insert
Soldering iron melts it into a printed boss. Strongest option for repeated screw use.
Press-fit insert
Pressed in cold. Knurled outside grips the plastic.
Captive nut pocket
A hex pocket printed into the part. Drop a standard nut in, screw from the other side.
Wing nut
Tightened by hand. Good for parts that get opened often.
Thread & tap calculator
Scan for tap drill, clearance hole, and heat-set pilot sizes from M2 to M16, plus head dimensions for socket caps.
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Joints for 3D printing
How printed parts attach to each other. These hold up without glue when the geometry is right.
Anatomy of a snap fit
- 1Beam (flex arm)
- 2Hook
- 3Catch / Undercut
- 4Lead-in chamfer
Specify each piece and the model gets the bend right. A thicker arm is stiffer; the lead-in makes it easier to click together.
Living hinge
A thin strip (0.3–0.6mm) that flexes thousands of cycles. Orient the layers across the hinge, never along it.
Press fit
Hole slightly smaller than the shaft. About 0.1mm interference for FDM. Add a chamfer to both parts.
Tab and slot
A tab on one part drops into a slot on another. Cleanest joint for flat panels. Lock with glue or a screw.
Dovetail
Trapezoidal profile that slides together. Self-aligning and captures one axis. Use 7–10° flare.
Ball and socket
Spherical ball in a partial socket. Print the socket about 0.3mm larger so the ball rotates freely.
Bayonet lock
L-shaped slot. Push in, twist 90° to lock. The standard lid joint when threads are overkill.
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Printable connectors
Ready-made joins that snap, slide, or twist printed parts together, no separate hardware needed.
Knuckle hinge
Two leaves with alternating fingers (knuckles) that wrap around a steel pin. Print both leaves flat, slide a 1.75mm filament offcut through as the pin. 4mm knuckles print cleanly without supports.
Snap pin & socket
A pin that pushes into a socket and clicks in place. The pin tip is split into four flexible petals that squeeze together on entry, then spring back behind a rim inside the socket. No screws needed.
Hirth coupling
Two discs with matching radial teeth that lock together when clamped. Tighten a bolt through the centre; loosen, turn to a new angle, and re-tighten; it locks in fixed steps (15°, 30°). Used for adjustable arms and joints.
Snap latch
Two printed parts that lock with a slide and a click. A barbed tongue slides into a channel where a living spring snaps over it and holds. Press the spring to release. Prints in place, no screws, good for lids and covers.
Corner bracket
90° L-bracket with mounting holes on both faces. Joins two panels at a right angle. Add a triangular gusset web on the inside if the load reaches kilograms.
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Motion and 3D printer hardware
Off-the-shelf parts in nearly every printer build, a few euros each from any printer or hardware shop. Name the standard and the model is built to fit it exactly.
608 bearing
Skateboard bearing, 8 × 22 × 7mm. Spinners, idlers, friction-fit pulleys.
625 / 624 bearings
5 × 16 × 5 and 4 × 13 × 5. The small idlers you'll see in printer kits.
Linear bearing (LM8UU)
Recirculating ball bearing on an 8mm smooth rod. The standard linear-motion part.
Smooth rod
Chromed steel shaft, usually 8mm. Linear bearings glide on it.
NEMA 17 stepper motor
42.3mm face, 5mm shaft. Mounting holes on a 31mm square pattern. Say "NEMA 17 mount" and the holes line up.
2020 aluminium extrusion
20 × 20mm cross-section with a 6mm T-slot. The skeleton of most printer frames.
Linear rail (MGN12)
12mm rail with an MGN12H carriage. Stiffer and quieter than smooth-rod motion.
Bed-levelling spring
Compression spring, 8mm across and 20mm tall. The yellow springs under most common printer beds.
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Belts, pulleys, and leadscrews
The parts that turn a motor's spin into straight-line motion, the same belts and screws every printer kit ships with.
Anatomy of a GT2 pulley
- 1Tooth profile (2mm pitch)
- 2Flange
- 3Bore
- 4Setscrew hole
GT2 timing belt
2mm pitch toothed belt. 6mm wide is standard, 9mm for heavier carriages. Loop length matters; open belt is cut to size.
Toothed idler
Bearing with a GT2-toothed face. Reverses belt direction without the belt slipping on the wheel.
Smooth idler
Flanged bearing with a plain face. Used where the back of the belt rides the wheel.
Belt clamp / tensioner
Printed block with a serrated slot that grips a GT2 belt by its teeth. Print the slot teeth at the same 2mm pitch as the belt, pinch with two M3 screws.
T8 leadscrew
Threaded rod built to drive a nut up and down. It has a coarse thread that moves 8mm per full turn, so it's for moving things, not fastening.
T8 brass nut
The mating nut for a T8 leadscrew. Bolts to a printed carriage on a 22mm flange pattern and turns leadscrew rotation into carriage motion. Anti-backlash variant has a sprung second nut for play-free positioning.
Flexible shaft coupler
Connects a stepper motor to a Z-axis leadscrew, one shaft in each end. The spiral-cut slots let it bend a little, so a motor that sits slightly off-line from the screw won't bind or add wobble to the print.
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Electronics and panel mounts
Printing a bracket or enclosure for one of these is one of the most common reasons to design a part at all, whether you're upgrading your own printer or boxing up an electronics project. Each board has a fixed hole pattern the AI can match by name.
PCB standoff / boss
Printed pillar with an M3 heat-set or self-tap hole. State height, hole pattern, and whether the head sinks into a counterbore.
Raspberry Pi 4 mount
58 × 49mm M2.5 hole pattern. Say "Pi 4 mount" or "Pi 3 mount" (the patterns differ).
Arduino Mega / Ramps mount
M3 holes on the Arduino Mega footprint. Carries Ramps 1.4 control boards used in older printer builds.
32-bit board mount
M3 hole patterns for BTT SKR Mini E3 or MKS Gen-L. Say which board and version you have; the mounting holes moved between versions.
40mm axial fan
40 × 40 × 10mm. M3 holes on a 32mm square pattern. The hot-end cooling default.
5015 radial blower
50 × 50 × 15mm centrifugal fan. Two M3 mounts and a rectangular outlet. The part-cooling default.
Microswitch (D2F-style)
Omron D2F endstop. 6 × 12.8mm body, two M2 holes 9.5mm apart. Used for X / Y / Z homing.
12864 graphic LCD
128 × 64 printer display with rotary encoder. Standard panel cut-out is roughly 150 × 75mm.
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Gridfinity bins
The most popular way to organise a drawer or workbench. Snap-in bins sit on a gridded baseplate in fixed 42mm squares, so everything lines up and stays put. Thousands of ready-made bins already exist online; ask for the size you need.
Baseplate
Tray with 42mm-pitch recesses that grip the chamfered foot of every bin. Bolt it to a drawer bottom and every bin has a home.
Single bin
The 42 × 42 × 21mm base unit, one square on the grid. Ask for it hollow, or split into compartments inside.
Multi-grid layout
Any rectangular footprint works: 2 × 3, 4 × 1, 5 × 5. Tell the AI how many squares wide and deep, plus the height; the baseplate stays the same.
Partitioned bin
Split the inside into a grid of compartments. Four cells in a 2 × 2 bin sorts a kit of screws and washers.
Drill-bit stand
A row of holes in graduated sizes, one per drill bit, each with room for a printed label. Every bit gets a home instead of rattling in a box.
Tool stand
Bin with circular pockets sized for the tool shanks. Screwdriver bits, end mills, calipers: each one has a slot and won't roll around.
Cylinder rack
Tall bin with deep round holes. Markers, AA batteries, 18650 cells, paint pens stand on end and never roll off the bench.
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Sizes that print well
Pick sizes that the printed plastic can actually hold. These are the defaults seasoned makers reach for.
Fasteners: M5 and up
M5 is the smallest size that grips printed plastic reliably. M6 for everyday brackets, M8 / M10 for load-bearing joints. M3 strips out at the first over-tighten, so skip it unless you're using a heat-set insert.
Heat-set inserts: M5 / M6
Brass insert melts into a printed boss and provides the threads. Design the boss at 8.5mm OD for M5, 10mm for M6. Thinner walls split when the insert melts in.
Linear motion: 8mm rod
LM8UU bearings, 8mm chromed rod. The whole ecosystem assumes this size: couplers, brackets, leadscrews all line up.
Bearings: 608 (8 × 22 × 7)
Cheap, plentiful, prints into a 22mm pocket with a 0.2mm interference fit. 624 / 625 work too; below 4mm bore is fragile.
Knuckle hinge: 4mm × 1.75mm
4mm knuckle around a 1.75mm steel pin (offcut of filament works). A common, well-tested size. Smaller knuckles split; bigger waste plastic.
Frame stock: 2020
20 × 20mm aluminium extrusion with a 6mm T-slot. M5 T-nuts drop straight in. 3030 if you need more rigidity.
Belt: GT2 6mm
2mm pitch, 6mm wide. 16T or 20T pulleys on a 5mm shaft. Everything heavier than a print head wants 9mm width.
Snap pin: 7 × 11mm
7mm head, 11mm long total. The push-and-click connector between two printed parts. Replaces a screw on light-duty joints. Below a 5mm head the petals get fragile; above 10mm it's a screw waiting to happen.
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Chapter 4
More you can ask for
The two kinds of model you can ask for, pictures as input, colour and texture, and parts that adjust themselves with a slider.
More you can ask for27 / 36
Parametric parts and organic models
Two kinds of geometry. A parametric part is built from dimensions and stays editable; an organic model is a sculpted mesh. What you ask for decides which.
Parametric parts
"A 40mm tall container with a threaded lid." Dimensions and booleans, exact to the millimetre and still editable. The default unless you ask for something sculpted.
Organic models
"A dog head." "A small dragon." Name a creature or a character and you get a sculpted mesh instead. No primitives, no dimensions to type.
Both in one model
"A wine stopper with a dog head on top." Each half gets built separately, then the two are merged. The parametric half keeps its sliders.
Parameters only on parametric
You can't put sliders on a sculpted shape, only on parametric parts. Change an organic shape by asking again, a parametric one by tuning it in place. Parameters live on page 30.
More you can ask for28 / 36
From image to model
Hand over a picture instead of a paragraph. A dimensioned sketch becomes a parametric part; a photo of a subject becomes an organic model.
Sketch → parametric part
Upload the drawing, and spell out everything you know in words too: dimensions, parts, tolerances. Those become real parameters, still adjustable. Whatever you leave off, it has to guess.
Photo → organic model
Upload a photo of your dog or a figurine, and still say exactly what you want. A photo alone leaves too much open. The mesh reads shape, not scale, so give the size too.
More you can ask for29 / 36
Colour and textures
Surface texture is organic only. Colour works on both: a sculpted mesh takes textures or colour segments, a parametric part takes one tag per part.
Textured organic shapes
"A dragon with scales." "An elder tree with bark." The surface detail is baked into the mesh. Comes out as a coloured 3D file, ready to view or display.
Colour segmentation
"Colour the dragon's wings red, body green and yellow." Sculpted and imported meshes only. Comes out as a separate piece per colour, ready for a printer that changes colours automatically.
Colour on parametric parts
No surface texture, but every part carries its own colour tag. Handy for reading an assembly at a glance, and slicers put each colour on its own filament.
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Parameters and adjustable models
Parameters make a finished model adjustable: nudge a size or toggle a feature in place, with no full regeneration, so changes are faster and cheaper. Ask for the ones you want and GrandpaCAD proposes the rest. Worth adding whenever you'll remake a part at new sizes.
Sliders for dimensions
"Make the wall thickness a slider from 1 to 5 mm, starting at 2." Use for any number with a range.
Text for labels
"Let me type the name for the engraving." A single line of text: keychains, signs, name tags.
Text box for paragraphs
"Let me write a few lines on the back." A bigger box for several lines: dedications, addresses, longer labels.
Switches for features
"Give me a checkbox to add a lid." Turn a hole pattern, a lid, or a logo on and off. No regeneration needed.
Dropdowns for choices
"Make the shape a dropdown: cube, sphere, or cylinder." Use when the answer is one of a fixed set.
Groups as section headings
"Put size settings under a Dimensions group and decoration under Style." Keeps long parameter lists tidy.
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Chapter 5
From model to part
Words became a model; now the model becomes plastic. Filament, export, slicing, and the machine doing the melting.
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Filaments and materials
Each filament has its strength. Start with PLA, then choose by what the part must handle.
For…PickPrinting
Everyday parts and prototypesPLAAny printer
Knocks, indoors or outPETGAny printer
Bendy, grippy partsTPUPrint slow
Heat and sunABS / ASAEnclosure
Gears and living hingesNylonHot + dry
Maximum heat and loadPCEnclosure
Stiff, light partsCarbon-fibre blendsHard nozzle
Tricky overhangsDissolving supportsTwo materials
Basic printerA step up
These are the staples. There are loads more (silk, matte, wood-fill, glow-in-the-dark, even metal-filled), but you rarely need them.
Where we buy ours
Azurefilm, a Slovenian shop. Not a sponsor, just one we like.
From model to part33 / 36
Export and printing
The model has to leave the screen. A few habits keep parts printable on the first try.
Pick the right export
3MF preserves units and colour. STL is the lowest common denominator every slicer accepts.
The slicer is next
The exported file opens in a slicer such as PrusaSlicer, Cura, or Bambu Studio. It cuts the model into layers and sends them to the printer. The next pages explain its words.
Print orientation
Flat side down by default. Threads, holes, and engraved text want to face up.
Design to skip supports
Chamfer overhangs to 45° and most prints don't need supports at all.
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Slicer basics
The words the slicer uses. Knowing them lets you describe a part with the print step already in mind.
Layer height
Thickness of each printed slice. 0.2mm is the everyday default; 0.12mm for detail, 0.28mm for speed.
Wall / Perimeter
The shell loops around each layer. Three walls (~1.2mm) is the strength default.
Infill
The honeycomb-like fill inside. 20% is fine for most parts; 80%+ for parts that carry weight.
Top / bottom layers
Solid layers that close the part. Four to five layers stops infill from showing through.
Seam
The vertical line where each layer starts and stops. Hide it on a back corner with "Aligned" or "Random".
From model to part35 / 36
Supports and bed adhesion
What the slicer adds around your part so tricky shapes survive printing, and what each helper costs.
Overhang
A face leaning out from vertical. Above 45° usually needs support; below prints free.
Bridge
Flat span between two supports printed in mid-air. Up to ~10mm prints cleanly.
Support
Scaffolding under overhangs, removed after printing. Tree supports use less material than grid.
Brim
Single-layer skirt fused to the part. Adds bed adhesion for tall or narrow footprints.
Raft
Sacrificial base layers under the part. Heavier than a brim; reach for it on warpy materials.
Skirt
A loose loop around the part, not touching it. Primes the nozzle before the real print starts.
From model to part36 / 36
Hot end and extruder
The parts that melt and push filament. Every printer has them; the names come up when you swap a nozzle, clear a clog, or design an accessory.
Anatomy of a hot end
- 1Heatsink
- 2Heatbreak / throat
- 3Heater block
- 4Nozzle
Direct drive and Bowden
The extruder is the motor and gears that push filament. On the print head it is direct drive (most modern printers, including the Bambu Lab A1). On the frame, pushing through a long tube, it is Bowden.
V6-style hot end
The classic DIY form factor: M6 nozzle thread and a grooved neck on the heatsink. Printed mounts clamp the 12 mm groove instead of threading into the hot end.
Nozzle
Brass or hardened steel tip, sized by orifice. 0.4mm is the everyday default; 0.6 / 0.8 for speed, 0.25 for detail.
Push-fit coupler
M6 fitting that grips a 4 mm PTFE tube; press the collar to release it. Say "push-fit M6". Handy in your own designs too, such as a filament dry box.
PTFE / Bowden tube
4 mm OD, 2 mm ID Teflon tube. On Bowden printers it connects extruder to hot end; on direct drive it still guides filament from the spool to the print head.
Index1–L
Every term, alphabetically
1. Say what it is and how big it should be2
12864 graphic LCD23
2. Look2
2020 aluminium extrusion21
3. Correct one thing at a time2
32-bit board mount23
4. Done when it looks right2
40mm axial fan23
5015 radial blower23
608 bearing21
625 / 624 bearings21
Add details last3
Align / Anchor9
Anatomy of a bolt17
Anatomy of a counterbore15
Anatomy of a GT2 pulley22
Anatomy of a hot end36
Anatomy of a snap fit19
Anchor to a face or edge5
Arduino Mega / Ramps mount23
Ball and socket19
Baseplate24
Bayonet lock19
Bearings: 608 (8 × 22 × 7)25
Bed-levelling spring21
Belt clamp / tensioner22
Belt: GT2 6mm25
Blind hole15
Boss13
Both in one model27
Bridge35
Brim35
Button head17
Calculator with the latest numbers16
Cap screw (hex socket)17
Captive nut pocket18
Chamfer11
Circular array9
Cite standards4
Clearance fit16
Clearance hole15
Colour on parametric parts29
Colour segmentation29
Cone8
Constrain the envelope4
Corner bracket20
Counterbored hole15
Countersunk (flat head)17
Countersunk hole15
Cube / Box8
Cylinder8
Cylinder rack24
Describe the symptom, not the fix6
Design to skip supports33
Difference10
Direct drive and Bowden36
Dovetail19
Draft / Taper11
Drill-bit stand24
Dropdowns for choices30
Extrude11
Fasteners: M5 and up25
Fillet11
Flexible shaft coupler22
Flush text (multi-material inlay)14
Frame stock: 202025
Give the exact change6
Groups as section headings30
GT2 timing belt22
Gusset13
Heat-set brass insert18
Heat-set inserts: M5 / M625
Hex nut18
Hirth coupling20
Hull10
Infill34
Intersection10
Knuckle hinge20
Knuckle hinge: 4mm × 1.75mm25
Knurl13
Layer height34
Linear array9
Linear bearing (LM8UU)21
Linear motion: 8mm rod25
Linear rail (MGN12)21
Lip / Flange13
Living hinge19
Loft11
Loose fit16
IndexM–W
Every term, alphabetically
Mating surfaces5
Mention one named part6
Microswitch (D2F-style)23
Mind printability4
Mirror9
Multi-grid layout24
Name each part3
NEMA 17 stepper motor21
Nozzle36
Offset9
Organic models27
Outline the steps3
Overhang35
Parameters only on parametric27
Parametric parts27
Partitioned bin24
PCB standoff / boss23
Photo → organic model28
Pick the right export33
Pilot hole15
Pocket13
Polyhedron8
Press fit19
Press fit (interference)16
Press-fit insert18
Print orientation33
Printed threads17
PTFE / Bowden tube36
Push-fit coupler36
Pyramid8
Raft35
Raised text (embossed)14
Raspberry Pi 4 mount23
Reference planes5
Revolve11
Rib13
Rotate9
Say what to keep6
Scale9
Seam34
Segmented inlay (two-part assembly)14
Set screw / Grub17
Shell11
Single bin24
Sketch → parametric part28
Skirt35
Sliders for dimensions30
Sliding fit16
Slot15
Smooth idler22
Smooth rod21
Snap latch20
Snap pin & socket20
Snap pin: 7 × 11mm25
Spacer13
Sphere8
Spotface15
Square nut18
Standoff13
Start with the base first3
Sunken text (engraved / debossed)14
Support35
Sweep11
Switches for features30
T-nut (extrusion)18
T8 brass nut22
T8 leadscrew22
Tab and slot19
Text box for paragraphs30
Text for labels30
Textured organic shapes29
The slicer is next33
Thread & tap calculator18
Threaded hole15
Through hole15
Through-text (stencil / cutout)14
Thumb screw17
Tool stand24
Toothed idler22
Top / bottom layers34
Torus8
Transition fit16
Translate / Move9
Try a different approach6
Union10
V6-style hot end36
Wall / Perimeter34
Wedge8
Wing nut18
For Grandpa Franc
When I was a kid he built me things from whatever was in the workshop. A wooden bazooka. A spinning top. A box that opened a particular way. None of it came with instructions. He just made it because I'd asked, or because he had fun doing it.
He's why I like making things. He's why this project exists.
Thank you, Franc.
If this helped
Pass it along to someone just starting out. The vocabulary travels further than the lesson.
Feedback and corrections: grandpacad.com/contact
Now go build something.
The vocabulary in this booklet is what CAD designers use every day. Put it in your prompts and the model gets sharper on the first try.
The cheatsheet is free. The build is yours.
Build it with us atgrandpacad.com