Complete Guide: All Features and Controls

This guide covers every feature in CADFaber, the free browser-based 3D CAD tool for makers, hobbyists, educators, and engineers. Whether you are designing your first shape or building complex assemblies with boolean operations, this single page contains all the information you need. Bookmark it and refer back any time you need a quick refresher on a specific feature, shortcut, or workflow.

CADFaber runs entirely in your browser. There is no installation, no account required, and your designs never leave your device. Under the hood it uses WebGL for real-time 3D rendering and WebAssembly for fast boolean geometry processing. The result is a responsive, privacy-first design environment that works on any modern desktop browser, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.

1. Getting Started

When you first open the CADFaber editor, you will see a 3D viewport in the center, a shape library sidebar on the left, and a properties panel on the right. The toolbar along the top provides access to export, import, project management, settings, and view controls. The workplane at the bottom of the viewport represents your build surface, with a grid overlay that helps you position objects precisely.

CADFaber offers three distinct editing modes, each tailored to different workflows and skill levels. You can switch between modes at any time using the mode selector in the top toolbar.

Visual Mode

Visual Mode is the default and the most intuitive way to work. You create models by clicking shapes from the sidebar, dragging them into position on the workplane, adjusting their parameters in the properties panel, and combining them with boolean operations. This mode requires no coding knowledge and is ideal for beginners, educators introducing students to 3D design, and anyone who prefers a point-and-click workflow. Every shape has dedicated resize handles that you can drag directly in the viewport, and you can visually position objects by dragging them across the workplane surface.

Code Mode

Code Mode replaces the visual sidebar with a full-featured code editor powered by Monaco (the same editor engine used in VS Code). In this mode you write JSCAD scripts that programmatically generate 3D geometry. Code Mode is ideal for parametric designs where you want to define dimensions as variables, use loops to create patterns, or build complex geometry through mathematical expressions. The code editor supports syntax highlighting, autocomplete, error underlining, and bracket matching. You can render your code at any time by pressing the Render button or using a keyboard shortcut, and the 3D viewport will update to show the result. See the dedicated Code Editor section below for details on the JSCAD API.

Hybrid Mode

Hybrid Mode splits the screen between the visual builder and the code editor, allowing you to use both simultaneously. This is powerful for workflows where you want to visually sketch out a base design and then refine it with code, or where you want to mix hand-placed shapes with programmatically generated patterns. In Hybrid Mode, changes in either panel are reflected in the shared 3D viewport. This mode is particularly useful for experienced users who want the speed of visual editing combined with the precision and repeatability of code.

2. Mouse Controls

Navigating the 3D viewport in CADFaber relies on your mouse. Each mouse button serves a distinct purpose, and mastering these controls is essential for efficient 3D design work. The controls follow conventions that are standard across many 3D applications, so if you have used tools like Blender or Fusion 360, the mapping will feel familiar.

Right Mouse Button: Orbit

Hold the right mouse button and drag to orbit (rotate) the camera around the center of the scene. Moving the mouse left and right rotates the view horizontally, while moving up and down tilts the view vertically. Orbiting does not move or change any objects. It only changes your viewpoint, allowing you to inspect your model from any angle. This is the control you will use most frequently as you work, constantly rotating to verify that shapes are positioned correctly from all perspectives.

Middle Mouse Button (Scroll Wheel Click): Pan

Hold the middle mouse button (click the scroll wheel) and drag to pan the camera. Panning shifts the viewport left, right, up, or down without changing the viewing angle. This is useful when you need to move the focus to a different area of your design without changing your current orbit angle. If your mouse does not have a middle button, you can typically hold Shift and the right mouse button simultaneously to achieve the same panning behavior.

Scroll Wheel: Zoom

Scroll the mouse wheel forward to zoom in and backward to zoom out. Zooming changes the distance between the camera and the scene center. When you need a close-up view of fine details or small features, zoom in. When you need to see the entire model in context, zoom out. You can also press the F key to frame the selected object, which automatically adjusts the zoom and camera position to center and fit the selected shape in the viewport.

Left Mouse Button: Select and Drag

Click with the left mouse button on a shape to select it. Once selected, the shape is highlighted with an outline, its properties appear in the right panel, and resize handles become visible. You can left-click and drag a selected shape to move it across the workplane. Movement is constrained to the workplane surface by default (the XZ plane), ensuring that objects stay grounded unless you explicitly change their Y position in the properties panel. To add shapes to a multi-selection, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on macOS) while clicking additional shapes. Clicking on empty space deselects everything.

3. Shapes

CADFaber includes 30 shapes organized into 6 categories. These shapes are the building blocks of every design. You add them to the scene by clicking their icon in the shape library sidebar, then customize their parameters in the properties panel. Every shape can be repositioned, rotated, resized, colored, and combined with other shapes using boolean operations.

Category 1: Basic Primitives

Basic Primitives are the foundational geometric forms used in nearly every design.

• Cube: A rectangular box defined by Width, Height, and Depth. Default size is 20 x 20 x 20. Despite its name, you can set different dimensions to create any cuboid shape. Cubes serve as base plates, walls, brackets, and starting points for subtractive modeling.
• Sphere: A smooth ball defined by Radius and Segments. Default radius is 10 with 32 segments. Higher segment counts produce smoother surfaces but increase geometry complexity. Spheres are useful for knobs, ball joints, and concave depressions when used as subtraction tools.
• Cylinder: A circular column defined by Radius, Height, and Segments. Default is radius 10, height 20, 32 segments. Lowering segments to 6 creates a hexagonal column, which is useful for bolt heads. Cylinders serve as dowels, pins, standoffs, and tube bases.
• Cone: A tapered shape defined by Bottom Radius, Top Radius, Height, and Segments. Setting the Top Radius to 0 creates a sharp point. A non-zero Top Radius creates a truncated cone (frustum), useful for transitions between different diameters, funnels, and tapered supports.
• Torus: A donut-shaped ring defined by Major Radius (center of torus to center of tube) and Minor Radius (tube thickness), plus segment counts for both axes. Tori are excellent for O-rings, handles, bezels, and cable management loops.
• Plane: A flat rectangular surface defined by Width and Depth. Planes are useful as reference surfaces, labels, thin panels, and bases for engraving operations where you subtract text or patterns into the plane surface.

Category 2: Extended Primitives

Extended Primitives offer more complex base shapes that save time compared to constructing them from basic primitives and boolean operations.

• Pyramid: A four-sided shape with a square base tapering to a point. Defined by Base Width, Base Depth, and Height. Useful for roof shapes, pointed tips, and V-shaped grooves when used as subtraction tools.
• Prism: A triangular cross-section extruded along its length. Defined by Width, Height, and Depth. Ideal for ramps, wedge supports, and roof ridges.
• Wedge: A rectangular base with a sloped top face going from full height to zero. Defined by Width, Height, and Depth. Essential for sloped surfaces, door stops, and chamfer operations.
• Tube: A hollow cylinder with configurable wall thickness. Defined by Outer Radius, Inner Radius, Height, and Segments. More convenient than subtracting one cylinder from another. Used for pipe fittings, bushings, vases, and pen holders.
• Rounded Box: A cube with filleted edges and corners. Defined by Width, Height, Depth, and Corner Radius. The Corner Radius must be less than half the smallest dimension. Ideal for electronics enclosures and any design where sharp edges are undesirable.
• Half Sphere: A hemisphere (dome) that sits flat with a circular base. Defined by Radius and Segments. Perfect for dome tops, rounded caps, ergonomic buttons, and bowl shapes when used with subtraction.

Category 3: Mechanical Parts

Mechanical Parts are shapes designed for functional, engineering- oriented designs.

• Hex Nut: A hexagonal ring with a center hole. Defined by Outer Radius, Inner Radius, and Height. Use as a CSG subtraction tool to create hexagonal pockets that capture real hardware nuts. Adjust dimensions to match specific nut sizes (for example, M3 corner-to-corner is about 6.35 mm).
• Ring: A flat washer shape with rectangular cross-section. Defined by Outer Radius, Inner Radius, Height, and Segments. Differs from Torus in having flat top and bottom surfaces. Used for spacers, bezels, flanges, and structural elements.
• Gear: A toothed wheel with configurable tooth count, outer radius, inner radius, and height. Used for mechanical assemblies, decorative elements, and functional gear trains in printed mechanisms.
• Thread: A helical thread shape for creating screw threads. Defined by radius, pitch, turns, and height. Useful for screw connections, threaded caps, and mechanical fastener designs.
• Bracket: An L-shaped or right-angle bracket defined by width, height, depth, and thickness. Commonly used for mounting hardware, shelf supports, and structural connections.
• Spring: A coiled spring shape defined by radius, wire thickness, coil count, and height. Used for decorative springs, functional flex elements, and mechanical illustrations.

Category 4: Decorative Shapes

Decorative Shapes add visual interest and artistic elements to your designs.

• Star: A star extrusion with configurable point count. Defined by Outer Radius, Inner Radius, Points (3 to 20), and Height. The ratio between inner and outer radii controls how pointed the star appears. Many points with small radius differences approximate a gear shape.
• Heart: A classic valentine-style heart extruded to configurable thickness. Defined by Size and Height. Perfect for keychains, pendants, and personalized gifts. For small prints, keep the minimum dimension above 10 mm for structural integrity.
• Arrow: A 3D arrow with shaft and arrowhead. Defined by Shaft Width, Shaft Length, Head Width, Head Length, and Height. Used for directional indicators, signage, and flow markers in assemblies.
• Diamond: A gem-cut diamond shape with upper and lower facets. Defined by Width, Upper Height, and Lower Height. Used for decorative pendants, trophy elements, and artistic accents.
• Cross: A 3D plus-sign or cross shape defined by Arm Width, Arm Length, and Height. Used for medical symbols, religious designs, alignment markers, and decorative elements.
• Crescent: A moon-shaped crescent defined by Outer Radius, Inner Radius, and Height. Created by subtracting an offset circle from another. Used for decorative moon shapes, logos, and artistic designs.

Category 5: Architectural Shapes

Architectural Shapes are tailored for building and structural design projects.

• Hollow Box: An open-top rectangular container with configurable wall thickness. Defined by Outer Width, Outer Height, Outer Depth, and Wall Thickness. The most practical shape for containers, trays, organizers, and electronics enclosures. For 3D printing, wall thickness of 1.5 to 3 mm works well.
• Arch: A semicircular archway defined by Width, Height, Depth, and Thickness. Used for doorways, bridges, and decorative arches in architectural models.
• Column: A fluted classical column with base and capital sections. Defined by Radius, Height, and Flute Count. Used for architectural models, decorative pillars, and structural supports.
• Staircase: A stepped shape with configurable step count, width, and height. Each step is uniform. Used for architectural models, functional stepped platforms, and display stands.

Category 6: Text and Special

Text and Special shapes handle unique use cases that do not fit neatly into the other categories.

• 3D Text: Extruded text from any input string. Defined by the text content, font size, extrusion depth, and font family. Essential for labels, nameplates, signs, and personalization. Text can be used as a subtraction tool to engrave letters into surfaces.
• Polyhedron: A custom shape defined by vertices and faces. This is the most flexible shape, allowing you to create arbitrary geometry by specifying exact vertex coordinates and face indices. Advanced users can use this to import custom geometry or create shapes that are not available as built-in primitives.
• SVG Extrusion: An extruded 2D SVG path. Import an SVG file and CADFaber converts the 2D outline into a 3D solid by extruding it to a configurable height. This enables you to turn logos, icons, and vector artwork into 3D-printable objects.
• Heightmap Surface (Pro): A terrain surface generated from a grayscale image. Light pixels become peaks and dark pixels become valleys. Defined by the image source, width, depth, and maximum height. This is a Pro feature used for creating terrain models, lithophanes, and textured surfaces from photographs.

4. Editing Objects

Once you have placed shapes in the scene, you can modify them in many ways. CADFaber provides both visual (drag-based) editing in the viewport and precise numeric editing in the properties panel.

Resize Handles

When you select a shape, small cubic handles appear at the edges and corners of its bounding box. Dragging these handles resizes the shape along the corresponding axis. Corner handles resize proportionally along two axes at once. For precise sizing, type exact values into the dimension fields in the properties panel instead of dragging.

Color

Each shape has a color property that you can set using the color picker in the properties panel. Colors are purely visual within the editor and help you distinguish different parts of your model. When exporting to formats that support color (OBJ, GLB, 3MF), the colors are preserved. When exporting to STL (which has no color support), colors are discarded. You can set colors using the visual picker, by entering a hex code, or by choosing from the preset swatches.

Material Presets

CADFaber offers 6 material presets that change how a shape appears in the viewport. These range from a flat matte finish to a highly reflective mirror surface. The available presets are: Matte, Plastic, Glossy, Metallic, Brushed Metal, and Mirror. Material presets affect only the viewport rendering. They do not change the exported geometry. They are useful for visualizing how a printed and finished object might look with different surface treatments.

Duplicate

Duplicating a shape creates an exact copy with identical parameters, position, rotation, and color. The duplicate is placed with a small offset so you can immediately see and grab it. Use Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on macOS) to duplicate the selected shape quickly. Duplication is extremely useful for creating symmetric designs, arrays of identical parts, and for preserving a copy before performing destructive boolean operations.

Delete

Press the Delete key (or Backspace on some keyboards) to remove the selected shape from the scene. Deletion can be undone with Ctrl+Z. Deleting a shape is permanent within the current session, but because CADFaber supports undo/redo with up to 100 steps, you can always recover recently deleted shapes.

Multi-Select and Group Move

To select multiple shapes, hold Ctrl (Cmd on macOS) and click each shape you want to include. Alternatively, you can use Ctrl+A to select all shapes in the scene. When multiple shapes are selected, you can move them all together by dragging any one of them. The entire group moves as a unit, preserving the relative positions between all selected shapes. This is essential for repositioning assemblies, aligning groups of objects, and performing boolean operations on multiple shapes at once.

5. Boolean / CSG Operations

Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) is the core modeling technique in CADFaber. You build complex objects by combining simple shapes using three boolean operations: union, subtract, and intersect. CSG is conceptually simple. You think in terms of physical operations like gluing shapes together, cutting holes, and extracting overlapping regions. This approach makes CADFaber accessible to beginners while still being powerful enough for complex designs.

Union

Union joins two or more shapes into a single solid. The result contains all the volume from every input shape. Overlapping regions are merged seamlessly, and internal faces between the merged shapes are removed. Use union to combine separate parts into one printable object, to build up complex forms from simple components, and to ensure that your model is a single connected mesh for 3D printing. Select two or more shapes and click the Union button in the toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut.

Subtract

Subtract cuts one shape out of another. The first selected shape is the base (the shape that remains), and the second shape is the tool (the shape that gets cut away). The result is the base shape with the tool shape's volume removed. Subtraction is the most commonly used boolean operation, essential for creating holes, pockets, channels, slots, recesses, and any feature where you need to remove material. For example, subtracting a cylinder from a cube creates a round hole through the cube.

Intersect

Intersect keeps only the volume where two shapes overlap. Everything outside the overlapping region is discarded. This operation is less commonly used than union and subtract, but it is valuable for creating complex curved surfaces, trimming shapes to fit within a boundary, and generating cross-section profiles. For example, intersecting a sphere with a cube produces a rounded cube with spherically curved faces on the clipped sides.

Hole Mode

Hole mode is a convenience feature that marks a shape as a subtraction tool. When you toggle a shape to Hole mode, it appears translucent in the viewport and is automatically subtracted from any solid shape it overlaps with when you perform a union operation on a group of shapes. This is especially useful when building assemblies with many screw holes, cable pass-throughs, or ventilation slots. Instead of performing individual subtract operations for each hole, you place all your hole shapes, select everything, and press Union. The solid shapes merge together, and the hole shapes are subtracted in a single operation. This workflow mimics how tools like TinkerCAD handle holes, making it intuitive for users familiar with that tool.

6. Export and Import

CADFaber supports multiple export and import formats to suit every workflow, from 3D printing to game development to archiving. The export menu is accessible from the toolbar at the top of the editor.

Export Formats

• STL Binary (Free): The standard format for 3D printing. STL Binary files are compact and universally supported by every slicer application (Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, and others). This is the format you will use most often. Binary STL files are significantly smaller than ASCII STL files and load faster in slicer software.
• STL ASCII (Free): A human-readable text version of the STL format. ASCII STL files are larger than binary but can be opened and inspected in any text editor. This format is useful for debugging geometry issues, for educational purposes where you want to understand the file structure, and for scripted workflows where you need to parse STL data as plain text.
• Screenshot / PNG (Free): Captures the current viewport as a PNG image file. Useful for documentation, presentations, social media sharing, and project portfolios. The screenshot captures exactly what you see in the viewport, including the current camera angle, lighting, colors, and materials.
• OBJ (Pro): The Wavefront OBJ format preserves vertex colors and material assignments. OBJ files are widely supported in 3D software like Blender, Maya, and 3ds Max. Use OBJ when you need color information in your export or when your downstream workflow requires the OBJ format specifically.
• 3MF (Pro): The 3D Manufacturing Format supports multi-color information and is the preferred format for multi-color 3D printers from Bambu Lab and Prusa. 3MF files are compact, well- structured, and carry color and material metadata that modern slicers can use to assign filament colors automatically.
• GLB (Pro): The binary glTF format is the standard for web-based 3D content, augmented reality, and game engines. GLB files include geometry, materials, and colors in a single compressed binary file. Use GLB when you want to display your model on a website, in an AR viewer, or in a game engine like Unity or Unreal Engine.

Import Formats

• STL Import (Free): Import existing STL files into your project. The imported mesh appears as a single shape that you can position, scale, rotate, and combine with other shapes using boolean operations. Drag and drop an STL file directly onto the viewport, or use the import menu. This is useful for incorporating existing designs, modifying downloaded models, and combining multiple STL files into a single print.
• OBJ Import (Free): Import OBJ files with their vertex data. Similar to STL import, the mesh becomes a shape you can manipulate in the editor.
• SVG Import (Free): Import 2D SVG vector files and extrude them into 3D shapes. CADFaber reads the path data from the SVG file, converts it to a 2D outline, and extrudes it to a height you specify. This is perfect for turning logos, icons, and vector artwork into 3D-printable objects. Supported SVG features include paths, basic shapes (rectangles, circles, ellipses), and compound paths. Complex features like gradients, filters, and text are not supported. Convert text to outlines in your SVG editor before importing.
• Heightmap Import (Pro): Import a grayscale image and convert it to a 3D terrain surface. Light pixels become peaks and dark pixels become valleys. Useful for terrain models, lithophanes, and textured surface generation.

7. Workplane Settings

The workplane is the flat surface at the bottom of the 3D viewport that represents your build area. CADFaber provides extensive customization options for the workplane to match your specific printer, project requirements, and personal preferences.

Size

You can set the workplane size to match your 3D printer's build volume. The size is defined as Width (X) and Depth (Z) in the currently active unit system. A correctly sized workplane helps you design within your printer's physical limits and avoid exports that are too large to print.

Printer Presets

CADFaber includes presets for common 3D printers that automatically set the workplane dimensions to match the printer's build plate. Available presets include popular models from Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Anycubic, Elegoo, and other manufacturers. Selecting a preset instantly configures the workplane Width, Depth, and Height limits to match the chosen printer. If your specific printer is not listed, you can set custom dimensions manually.

Grid

The grid overlay on the workplane provides visual reference lines that help you position objects. You can toggle the grid on or off and adjust the grid spacing. Smaller grid spacing (for example, 1 mm or 5 mm) provides finer reference lines for precision work, while larger spacing (10 mm or 20 mm) keeps the viewport cleaner for larger-scale designs.

Floor

The floor is the solid surface representation of the workplane. You can toggle the floor visibility independently from the grid. Some users prefer to see the floor for a more realistic preview of how the model sits on the build plate, while others turn it off for a cleaner viewport with only the grid lines visible.

Snap

Snap constrains the movement of shapes to fixed increments when you drag them in the viewport. When snap is enabled, shapes jump to the nearest grid point rather than moving continuously. This makes it easy to position objects at precise, round-number coordinates without typing exact values. You can adjust the snap increment to match your needs. For example, a 1 mm snap gives millimeter-level precision, while a 5 mm snap provides faster coarse positioning.

Units

CADFaber supports six unit systems for dimensions and measurements. All numeric values in the properties panel, measurements, and workplane settings are displayed in the selected unit. The available units are:

• Millimeters (mm): The default unit and the standard for 3D printing. Most slicer software expects dimensions in millimeters.
• Centimeters (cm): Convenient for larger designs where millimeter values become unwieldy. 1 cm equals 10 mm.
• Decimeters (dm): Used less frequently but available for metric workflows. 1 dm equals 100 mm.
• Meters (m): For architectural-scale models and large-format designs. 1 m equals 1000 mm.
• Inches (inch): Standard in the United States and for many imperial-unit engineering workflows. 1 inch equals 25.4 mm.
• Feet (ft): For large-scale architectural and construction models. 1 ft equals 304.8 mm.

Changing the unit system does not rescale existing objects. It only changes how dimensions are displayed and entered. If you design a cube that is 20 mm wide and then switch to centimeters, the cube will display as 2 cm wide, but its physical size remains the same.

8. Code Editor (JSCAD)

The Code Editor in CADFaber uses the JSCAD library, which allows you to define 3D geometry programmatically using JavaScript. The editor is powered by Monaco, the same editor component used in Visual Studio Code, and provides syntax highlighting, autocomplete, error markers, and bracket matching. Code Mode and Hybrid Mode both give you access to the code editor.

The Main Function

Every JSCAD script must export a main function that returns geometry. The function receives a parameters object and must return a single shape or an array of shapes. Here is the minimal structure:

const { cube } = require('@jscad/modeling').primitives

function main() {
  return cube({ size: 10 })
}

module.exports = { main }

The main function is called each time you press the Render button. Whatever geometry it returns appears in the 3D viewport.

Parameters

You can define user-adjustable parameters by exporting a getParameterDefinitions function. This creates a form with sliders, dropdowns, text inputs, and checkboxes that appear above the code editor. When the user changes a parameter value, the main function is called again with the updated values, and the viewport updates automatically. This is the key advantage of the code editor: you define dimensions and settings as parameters, and anyone can customize the design without reading or modifying the code.

Templates

CADFaber includes 12 code templates that serve as starting points for common designs. Templates include parametric boxes, vases, gear generators, thread generators, and more. Each template is a complete, working JSCAD script with parameter definitions. You can load a template, adjust its parameters, and export the result immediately, or use it as the starting point for your own customizations. Pro users get access to 50+ additional templates covering advanced designs.

Render

After writing or modifying code, press the Render button (or use the keyboard shortcut) to execute your script and display the result in the 3D viewport. If your code contains syntax errors or runtime errors, the error message is displayed in the console panel below the code editor. The render process runs in a Web Worker to keep the UI responsive, so even complex computations do not freeze the browser.

Line Limit

The code editor has a line limit to ensure performance remains smooth. Very long scripts with thousands of lines can slow down syntax highlighting and autocomplete. If your script exceeds the line limit, you will see a warning, but the code will still execute. For very complex designs, consider splitting your logic into reusable functions to keep the total line count manageable.

9. View Modes

CADFaber offers three view modes that control how objects are rendered in the 3D viewport. Each mode serves a different purpose in the design workflow. You can switch between modes using the view controls in the toolbar.

Solid

Solid mode is the default rendering mode. Objects appear as opaque filled surfaces with lighting, shadows, and material properties applied. This is the most realistic view and is best for evaluating the final appearance of your design, checking color assignments, verifying that surfaces are smooth and continuous, and presenting your model to others. Solid mode provides the clearest visual representation of the finished object.

Wireframe

Wireframe mode renders objects as transparent outlines showing only the edges of the polygonal mesh. Faces are not filled, so you can see through the entire model. This is useful for verifying the internal structure of complex boolean operations, checking that shapes are properly aligned and overlapping where expected, debugging geometry issues where faces may be flipped or missing, and seeing objects that are hidden behind or inside other objects. Wireframe mode gives you an X-ray-like view of the model's topology.

X-Ray

X-Ray mode renders objects as semi-transparent filled surfaces. You can see the shape of each object, but you can also see through them to objects behind and inside. This is a compromise between Solid mode (which hides internal geometry) and Wireframe mode (which can be visually overwhelming for complex models). X-Ray mode is particularly useful when positioning subtraction shapes (holes) inside solid shapes, because you can see exactly where the hole tool intersects with the base shape. It is also helpful for verifying that internal features like screw pockets and cable channels are correctly placed before running the boolean operation.

10. Print Analysis

CADFaber includes a built-in print analysis tool that helps you identify potential 3D printing problems before you export. Running print analysis on your model saves filament, time, and frustration by catching issues that would cause print failures or poor-quality results. The analysis tool is accessible from the toolbar.

Manifold Check

A manifold mesh is a "watertight" mesh with no holes, gaps, or inverted faces. Every edge is shared by exactly two faces, and the mesh encloses a solid volume. Non-manifold meshes can cause problems in slicer software, including missing layers, gaps in walls, and unpredictable behavior. CADFaber's manifold check inspects your model and reports whether it is manifold. If issues are found, the report highlights the problematic areas so you can fix them, usually by ensuring that shapes overlap properly before performing boolean operations.

Thin Walls

The thin walls check identifies areas of your model where the wall thickness is below a minimum threshold. For FDM printing with a standard 0.4 mm nozzle, walls should be at least 0.8 mm thick (two perimeter lines), and 1.2 mm or more is recommended for structural parts. Very thin walls may not print at all, or they may print but be fragile and prone to breaking. The analysis highlights regions that fall below the threshold, allowing you to thicken those areas before exporting.

Overhangs

Overhangs are surfaces that extend outward at a steep angle without support material underneath. Most FDM printers can handle overhangs up to about 45 degrees from vertical, but steeper angles require support structures or result in poor surface quality (sagging, stringing, rough surfaces). The overhang analysis highlights faces that exceed the overhang threshold, so you can redesign those areas, reorient your model, or plan for support material in your slicer.

Floor Face

The floor face check identifies which face of your model will sit on the build plate. A flat, stable bottom face is essential for good bed adhesion and print stability. If your model has no flat bottom face, or if the bottom face is very small relative to the model's overall size, the analysis will flag this as a potential issue. You can then reposition or rotate your model to ensure a suitable face is in contact with the build plate.

Cost Estimation

The cost estimation feature calculates the approximate material cost of your model based on its volume. You can configure the material cost per unit (for example, dollars per kilogram of filament) and the material density. The calculator multiplies the model volume by the density to get the weight, then multiplies by the price per unit to estimate the total material cost. This is a rough estimate that does not account for support material, infill percentage, or printing failures, but it gives you a useful ballpark figure for project budgeting.

11. Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts dramatically speed up your workflow by eliminating the need to navigate menus for common operations. On macOS, substitute Cmd for Ctrl in all shortcuts listed below. You can view this list inside the editor by pressing the ? key.

12. Project Management

CADFaber provides several features for managing your design projects, including automatic saving, manual save, and a project manager for organizing multiple designs.

Auto-Save

CADFaber automatically saves your work at regular intervals. Every change you make, whether adding a shape, moving an object, changing a parameter, or performing a boolean operation, triggers an auto-save after a short debounce period. Auto-save writes your project data to the browser's IndexedDB storage, which persists across browser sessions. This means you can close the browser, shut down your computer, and when you come back, your design will be exactly where you left it.

Manual Save (Ctrl+S)

In addition to auto-save, you can manually save at any time by pressing Ctrl+S (Cmd+S on macOS). Manual save is useful before performing risky operations like complex boolean merges, when you want to ensure that the current state is preserved. A save confirmation message briefly appears in the toolbar to confirm that the save completed successfully.

Load

You can load a previously saved project from the project manager. Loading a project restores all shapes, positions, rotations, parameters, colors, and code editor content to the exact state when the project was saved. Loading a project replaces the current scene, so make sure to save your current work first if you want to keep it.

Project Manager

The project manager provides an overview of all your saved projects. Each project is listed with its name, a thumbnail preview, and the date it was last modified. You can rename projects, delete projects, create new blank projects, and switch between projects. The project manager is accessible from the toolbar. You can create unlimited projects in both the free and Pro tiers.

Browser Storage Warning

All project data is stored in the browser's IndexedDB storage. This means your designs exist only on the specific device and browser where you created them. If you clear your browser data, switch to a different browser, or use a different computer, your projects will not be available. CADFaber displays a warning about this to ensure you understand the storage model. For backup purposes, use the export feature to save your designs as STL or other file formats to your local filesystem, cloud storage, or external drive. Exported files are independent of the browser and can be imported back into CADFaber at any time.

13. Settings

CADFaber provides several customizable settings that control the appearance and behavior of the editor. All settings are persisted in IndexedDB, so they are remembered across browser sessions.

Theme

You can choose between three theme options: Light, Dark, and System. Light mode uses a bright background with dark text. Dark mode uses a dark background with light text, reducing eye strain in low-light environments. System mode automatically matches your operating system's theme preference, switching between light and dark as your OS setting changes. The theme affects the entire editor interface, including the toolbar, sidebar, properties panel, code editor, and dialogs. The 3D viewport background also adapts to the selected theme.

Language

CADFaber supports two languages: German (DE) and English (EN). The language setting changes all interface labels, tooltips, button text, error messages, and dialog content. Shape names, parameter labels, and help text are all translated. The default language is determined by your browser's language setting, but you can override it manually in the settings panel. Switching languages takes effect immediately without requiring a page reload.

Panel Widths

The sidebar panels (shape library on the left and properties panel on the right) can be resized by dragging their edges. You can make the sidebar wider to see more shape icons at once, or narrower to give more space to the 3D viewport. The properties panel can be widened if you need more room for long parameter values or narrowed if you want a larger viewport. Your panel width preferences are saved automatically and restored the next time you open the editor.

Persistent Settings in IndexedDB

All settings, including theme, language, panel widths, workplane configuration, grid settings, snap preferences, and unit selection, are stored in the browser's IndexedDB database. This means your preferences persist across browser sessions, page reloads, and system restarts. Like project data, settings are tied to the specific browser and device. If you use CADFaber on multiple devices, you will need to configure each one separately. Settings can be reset to their defaults through the settings panel if needed.

14. Free vs Pro Comparison

CADFaber is designed to be fully functional for free. The free version includes all core design tools, making it possible to create, edit, and export complete 3D models without paying anything. The Pro upgrade adds advanced export formats, additional templates, heightmap import, and removes ads. Here is a detailed breakdown.

Free Features (included for everyone)

• Visual Builder with all 30 shapes in 6 categories
• Code Editor (JSCAD) with Monaco editor and 12 templates
• Hybrid Mode combining visual and code editing
• STL Export in both Binary and ASCII formats
• PNG Screenshot Export
• CSG Boolean Operations: union, subtract, intersect, and hole mode
• Print Analysis: manifold check, thin walls, overhangs, floor face, cost estimation
• Measurements and dimension labels
• Undo and Redo with up to 100 steps
• 6 Material Presets: Matte, Plastic, Glossy, Metallic, Brushed Metal, Mirror
• Array Tool: linear, circular, and grid patterns
• Dark and Light mode plus System theme detection
• Offline Support via Progressive Web App (PWA)
• Auto-Save and IndexedDB persistent storage
• 25+ keyboard shortcuts
• STL, OBJ, and SVG Import with drag-and-drop support
• Workplane Customizer with printer presets
• German and English language support
• Unlimited projects
• Three view modes: Solid, Wireframe, X-Ray
• Grid, floor, snap, and unit customization

Pro Features (upgrade required)

• OBJ Export with colors and material assignments
• GLB/GLTF Export for web, AR, and game engine workflows
• 3MF Export with multi-color support for Bambu Lab and Prusa printers
• Heightmap Import: convert grayscale images to 3D terrain surfaces
• 50+ Pro parametric templates for the code editor
• No ads, ever
• Priority email support

How to Activate Pro

To upgrade to Pro, visit the Pricing page and purchase a license. Payments are processed securely through LemonSqueezy, which accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), PayPal, and various local payment methods. After purchase, you receive a license key by email. Enter this key in the Settings panel of the editor under the "Pro License" section. Your license activates immediately, and all Pro features become available. The license is cached locally for 30 days, so Pro features work offline during that period. The license revalidates automatically when you reconnect to the internet. There is no device limit. You can use your license key on any device where you access CADFaber.

Guide FAQ

The quick answers below cover the most common setup and workflow questions users ask after reading this guide.