Imagine holding a cable clip beside the cable it needs to secure. The screw holes are in the right place, but the opening needs more room. You know what should change—and what should stay.
Mobile CAD makes that observation useful while the part is still in front of you. Open the design, identify the feature, and describe a specific revision. For a functional 3D print, pair that design review with a second decision: how the revised part will sit on the print bed.
The goal is to carry a clear requirement back into the same editable model, rather than start over with a vague request for a better part.
Turn the observation into one controlled change
Before editing, separate the problem from the surrounding design. A wider clip opening should not silently move its mounting holes. Extra clearance around a connector should not enlarge the entire enclosure.
Write down three things:
| What to specify | Example for a cable clip |
|---|---|
| The change | Increase the opening to the measured target width |
| What must stay | Keep mounting-hole centers and the base footprint |
| What to inspect afterward | Opening width, remaining wall and screw access |
Use measurements from the object or its mechanical drawing. Then select the relevant geometry in CAD and make the request specific. You can reason about the required result without first choosing every modeling command.
This is also a useful way to review AI-assisted work: compare the result against the change you asked for and the features you wanted preserved.
Check the printing direction before finalizing the edit
A shape that works in its installed position may need a different orientation during printing. Keep those two views separate: one explains how the part is used; the other explains how it is manufactured.
FFF parts have direction-dependent mechanical properties. UltiMaker's design guide for FFF recommends starting with the part's use, loading, environment and assembly requirements. Rather than relying on “parallel” or “perpendicular” alone, identify where the load acts and whether it tends to pull the layer interfaces apart.
Next, identify surfaces that matter to the connection. A sliding surface, mating face or opening can be affected by support contact. Prusa's modeling guidance explains the finish differences around supported surfaces and discusses splitting a model when separate orientations would be more useful.
For your candidate, compare two plausible print orientations in the slicer. Look at where supports touch, how the walls are formed and whether the important opening remains accessible. If both choices create a problem, return to the geometry instead of treating rotation as the only available adjustment.
Use the phone beside the object—and the right tool for the next decision
Nora3D's mobile CAD workflow supports connected model review and editing across phone, tablet and web. Its practical role here is to let you inspect the design and describe a local change near the object that prompted it. A larger screen can remain useful for detailed inspection.
For example, a proposed request could be:
Widen this clip opening to the dimension I measured. Keep the mounting-hole centers and base footprint unchanged. Show the revised opening so I can check the remaining wall and screw access.
Supply the actual target value before executing the edit. Afterward, measure the revised feature and check the protected geometry. Keep the editable source, then inspect the exported candidate in your slicer with the intended material and settings.
The phone's value is proximity: you can connect what you see on the object with the feature you are reviewing. Print orientation, toolpaths and the physical result still deserve their own checks.
Keep the progress already in your design
A useful revision often changes less than a new model would. In Nora3D's PCB carrier example, the design gained room for changed electronics while retaining its mounting base. That is the same editing principle: name the new requirement, preserve the useful interfaces, and inspect the result.
For your own part, keep a short record of the revised dimension and the next observation to make. If a test reveals another issue, you have a defined starting point for the next edit.
Questions makers ask
Should I choose print orientation in CAD or in the slicer?
Consider likely orientations while designing, then compare their actual toolpaths in the slicer. Support placement or a difficult surface may lead you back to a local geometry change.
Can AI CAD choose the strongest orientation for me?
You need a defined load case, geometry, material and printing process to assess strength. Treat an AI suggestion as a candidate to evaluate, not a strength rating.
What is mobile CAD most useful for in this workflow?
Reviewing the model beside the object, identifying a feature and specifying a bounded change. Choose the screen and tool that make the next inspection clearest.
Can I continue editing after exporting STL?
Keep the original CAD document for continued edits. STL carries a triangulated surface, not the native construction history. Where available, STEP is useful for transferring solid geometry, while the native document retains the project's own editing context.
Bring the part you have. Describe the change you need.