Preparing Your AI CAD Model for Printing
You've generated a great-looking model in FreeTextToCAD and exported it as an STL. Before you send it to your printer, there are a few steps that separate a successful print from a failed one. Here's the complete pre-print workflow.
Step 1: Open in Your Slicer
Import your STL into your slicer (Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, etc.). The first thing to check is whether the model imports at the right size. AI-generated models should always be in millimeters: if yours appears as a tiny dot or enormous slab, your slicer may have imported it in the wrong units. Switch the import unit to mm.
Step 2: Check for Mesh Issues
FreeTextToCAD's engines produce watertight geometry by design, but occasionally complex booleans produce degenerate triangles. Most slicers will warn you about mesh errors. If you see warnings:
- Use Meshmixer (free) → Analysis → Inspector to find and auto-fix holes
- Use PrusaSlicer's built-in mesh repair
- Use Netfabb (free cloud version) for more complex repairs
Step 3: Orient the Model
Orientation has a huge impact on strength, surface quality, and support requirements:
- Flat faces down: Lay the largest flat face on the bed when possible
- Minimize overhangs: Rotate so features like holes and undercuts point up or sideways rather than down
- Load direction: Orient parts so layer lines are perpendicular to the dominant load. A bracket holding a shelf should have layers running along its length, not across it.
- Hole orientation: Cylindrical holes print more accurately when the hole axis is vertical (Z-axis)
Step 4: Slice and Review
Before printing, always preview the sliced layers:
- Check that walls are at least 2–3 perimeters thick throughout
- Verify that any thin features aren't being dropped by the slicer
- Check support placement: supports should only be where needed
- Look for the first few layers to make sure there's good bed adhesion area
Recommended Slicer Settings for AI CAD Models
- Layer height: 0.2mm (good balance of speed and quality)
- Perimeters/walls: 3–4 for most functional parts
- Infill: 20% gyroid for general use; 40%+ for structural parts
- Support: Tree supports (PrusaSlicer/Bambu) are easier to remove
- Brim: 5mm brim for parts with small footprints or known warping issues
Step 5: Print a Test
For critical parts, always print a small section first: just the area with the tightest tolerance or the most complex geometry. This saves filament and time if the settings need adjustment.
Going Back to FreeTextToCAD
If you identify issues in the slicer that are better fixed in the model (thin walls, wrong hole sizes, missing features), go back to FreeTextToCAD and use the Give feedback option. Specific feedback like “increase all wall thickness to 3mm” or “make the mounting holes 4.5mm for M4 clearance” will be incorporated into the model immediately.