CG ModelFlow Help

Getting Started

CG ModelFlow currently opens STL files locally in your browser and lets you inspect, measure, transform, place generated objects directly onto source faces, add positive geometry, fuse overlapping primitives with Boolean Union, and apply controlled hole/cut subtraction.

Open an STL

1. Select Open STL in the header, or drag an STL into the workspace.
2. Choose the required file.
3. ModelFlow loads ASCII or binary STL directly in the browser.
4. Use Fit View if you need to reframe the model.

STL files do not contain unit metadata. ModelFlow currently displays dimensions as millimetres by default.

Navigate the 3D View

Use the ISO, Front, Back, Left, Right, Top and Bottom buttons for standard views. Fit View frames the current design objects.

Tool & Model Bar

When you select a tool in the left toolbar, ModelFlow automatically brings that tool's matching controls into view in the right-hand Model bar.

• Logo opens Logo / SVG controls.
• Text opens Text controls.
• Hole opens Hole controls.
• Cut / Recess opens Cut controls.
• Shape opens primitive controls.
• Move, Rotate, Scale focus the matching exact transform controls.
• Measure focuses Measurement.
• Place on Surface focuses surface-placement controls.

Select & Transform Objects

Select an object in the Objects list or click it in the viewport while Select is active.

• Move — change X/Y/Z position.
• Rotate — rotate around X/Y/Z.
• Scale — resize the selected object.
• Centre Model — centres the selected object on X/Z.
• Place on Plate — puts the selected object's lowest point on the build plate.
• Mirror X/Y/Z — mirrors along the chosen axis.

Exact transform values can be entered in the properties panel.

Precision & Snapping

Use Snap gizmos to constrain movement, rotation and scaling. Fine, Standard and Coarse presets quickly change the snap increments.

World uses global X/Y/Z directions. Local follows the selected object's own orientation. Grid size and line spacing can be changed independently.

Measure

1. Choose Measure.
2. Click the first point on a design object.
3. Click the second point.
4. The point-to-point distance is shown in millimetres.

Use Clear Measurement when finished.

Place on Surface

Select a generated shape or red cutter, then choose Place on Surface. Click the source STL face where the object should be positioned. ModelFlow aligns the object's working axis to the clicked face normal and places positive shapes outside the face or cutters inward for subtraction.

1. Select the shape or cutter to place.
2. Choose Place on Surface or press P.
3. Optionally set a Surface offset.
4. Click the required face on the source STL.
5. Inspect the position from another standard view and fine-tune with Move/Rotate if needed.

Add & Union Primitive Shapes

Choose Shape, then select Box, Cylinder or Sphere. Enter the exact dimensions and choose Add Shape.

The new object can be selected, moved, rotated, scaled, duplicated or deleted.

Fuse a shape into the source STL

1. Position the positive shape so it overlaps the source STL.
2. Keep that shape selected.
3. Choose Preview Union in the Boolean Union card, inspect the result, then choose Commit Boolean.
4. Inspect the fused result in several views.
5. If required, choose Undo Last Boolean to restore the prior source and the shape.

Create a Hole

1. Choose Hole.
2. Enter the diameter.
3. Select Through-hole or enter an exact depth.
4. Choose Add Hole Cutter.
5. Position/rotate the translucent red cylinder so it crosses the source STL where material must be removed.
6. With the cutter selected, choose Preview Subtraction, inspect the preview, then choose Commit Boolean.
7. Inspect the result carefully before export.

Create a Cut / Recess

1. Choose Cut / Recess.
2. Enter width, height and depth.
3. Choose Add Cut Cutter.
4. Move or rotate the translucent red box into position.
5. With the cutter selected, choose Preview Subtraction, inspect the preview, then choose Commit Boolean.
6. Inspect the resulting recess/cut in several standard views.

Use Undo Last Boolean to restore both the previous source geometry and the cutter for adjustment.

Preview a Boolean Before Committing

Union and Subtraction are now two-step operations. ModelFlow first creates a temporary result so you can inspect the geometry before changing the source STL.

1. Position the positive feature or red cutter.
2. Choose Preview Union or Preview Subtraction.
3. Inspect the preview from ISO, Front, Side and Top views.
4. Choose Commit Boolean to keep it, or Cancel Preview to restore the unchanged source and feature.

Mesh Health & Controlled Repair

Run Analyse Source Mesh before difficult Boolean work or final export. If topology problems are found, choose Build Guided Repair Plan to identify boundary loops and non-manifold groups.

1. Use Show Boundary Loops or Show Group to inspect the problem.
2. For a simple planar hole, use Preview Planar Hole Fill.
3. For a selected non-manifold group, use Preview Controlled Repair.
4. Inspect the preview from several views.
5. Choose Commit Cleanup only when correct, then run Analyse Source Mesh again.

Phase 6I only repairs small, unambiguous surplus-face patterns. It refuses a repair if non-manifold edges do not decrease, new open edges would be created, volume would change by more than 1%, or too many triangles would need removal.

Export STL

Select Export STL in the main header.

• The current source STL geometry is exported, including applied Boolean unions and subtractions.
• Positive shapes that have not yet been unioned can still export as separate mesh shells.
• Unapplied red cutter previews remain excluded from export.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Current Limitations

v1.17.0 does not yet:

• Guarantee successful Boolean operations on broken, non-manifold or self-intersecting source meshes.
• Automatically conform generated geometry, text or logos to highly curved/organic surfaces.
• Automatically repair complex mesh problems.

These are being introduced in controlled phases rather than being exposed before they are reliable.

Troubleshooting

Model opens but is not visible

Use Fit View. Very large or very small coordinate ranges can initially place a model outside the useful camera frame.

Transform controls do not appear

Confirm an object is selected in the Objects list or click the object with Select active.

Added shape is not fused into the source

Select the positive Box, Cylinder or Sphere, make sure it overlaps the source STL and choose Preview Union, inspect the preview, then choose Commit Boolean. A shape that has not been unioned remains a separate mesh shell.

Hole or cut does not appear in exported STL

Confirm you selected the red cutter and used Preview Subtraction and then Commit Boolean. Unapplied red cutters are intentionally excluded from export.

Boolean preview fails

The source mesh may contain open, non-manifold or self-intersecting geometry, or the positive shape may not overlap the source sufficiently. ModelFlow leaves the source and tool object unchanged when the operation cannot produce a valid result.

Something still looks wrong

Keep the source STL unchanged, refresh ModelFlow and repeat the operation. During the pilot period, record the exact steps that caused the issue so they can be reproduced.