CubbyCAD
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Meshes make the world go round

Bring stuff in

Import STL, OBJ, GLB/glTF, FBX or 3MF files, reuse parts from your workspace, or drop in a photo to trace over.

CubbyCAD imports the common mesh formats, lets you reuse other parts from your workspace by reference (one source part can appear in many scenes and stays in sync), and lets you place a flat reference image to trace or measure against.

Import a downloaded model or a scan to build around it, use part references to assemble things from parts you've already made, or use a reference image as a blueprint.

Overview. An imported STL model placed in the scene.

How to use it

  1. Import a mesh

    Click the blue Import button in the geometry palette (it lists STL · OBJ · GLB · FBX · 3MF · SVG), or choose Import mesh… from the Add menu or the File menu's Import submenu. You can pick more than one file.

  2. Place the import

    Imports are converted to the project's millimeter, Y-up space and set on the floor. Compressed glTF/GLB (Draco and meshopt) is decoded automatically. Each import shows up as a tile in the palette that you drag into the scene.

  3. Reuse a CAD part

    In the Parts panel, find your part under Normal parts and drag its tile into the viewport to place a live instance. Hover a tile and click the edit pencil to edit the source part.

  4. Open a part file

    Use File ▸ Open part (.cubby)… to load a .cubby/.bcad part into your workspace.

  5. Add a reference image

    Run File ▸ Import ▸ Import reference image… (or search "photo", "blueprint" or "trace" in the command palette) and pick a PNG or JPEG. It drops in as a flat plane at the origin.

  6. Adjust the image

    Select the image and set its Width, Height, Opacity and Double-sided toggle in the properties panel. Position it with the transform gizmo.

A reference image
In the editor. An imported reference image next to the completed part.

Tips

  • STL, OBJ, plain GLB/glTF and SVG import on every plan. FBX, 3MF and Draco-compressed glTF/GLB need Enhanced. If they're locked, those files are skipped, the free formats in the same selection still import, and you're offered the upgrade.
  • FBX is read as centimeters and glTF/GLB as meters, and both are converted to millimeters automatically.
  • Part references stay linked to their source. Edit the source once and every instance updates.
  • Reference images take PNG and JPEG, get resized to about 1024px on the long edge, and default to 70% opacity and double-sided. Booleans and STL export ignore them, so they never end up in the printed model.
  • If a file can't be parsed, you get an error toast naming the file.

Try it yourself

Open the editor and import an STL you already have.
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