PartWork.ai Blog
Practical guides on AI-powered CAD, 3D printing, file formats, and designing real parts — without a steep learning curve.
M12 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M12 screw or bolt — clearance holes (13.0–14.5 mm) so it passes through, and the 10.2 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M12 holes need.
ReferenceM10 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M10 screw or bolt — clearance holes (10.5–12.0 mm) so it passes through, and the 8.5 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M10 holes need.
ReferenceM8 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M8 screw — clearance holes (8.4–10.0 mm) so it passes through, and the 6.8 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M8 holes need.
ReferenceM6 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M6 screw — clearance holes (6.4–7.0 mm) so it passes through, and the 5.0 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M6 holes need.
ReferenceM4 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M4 screw — clearance holes (4.3–4.8 mm) so it passes through, and the 3.3 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M4 holes need.
ReferenceM5 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M5 screw — clearance holes (5.3–5.8 mm) so it passes through, and the 4.2 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M5 holes need.
ReferenceM3 Screw Hole Size: Clearance and Tap Drill Diameters
The exact hole size for an M3 screw — clearance holes (3.2–3.6 mm) so it passes through, and the 2.5 mm tap drill if you’re threading — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed M3 holes need.
File FormatsConvert STL to STEP Online — What’s Possible (and What Isn’t)
How to convert an STL to a STEP file, and the honest catch: mesh → solid is the hard direction. What a converter can really do, when it works, and the faster way to a clean STEP.
File FormatsIGES to STEP Converter: Why and How to Convert Online
How to convert an IGES file to STEP and why you’d want to: STEP is the modern solid format CAD and machine shops prefer. What changes, when it’s clean, and how to convert in your browser.
File FormatsHow to Open a STEP File (.step / .stp) — Free, in Your Browser
Double-clicked a .step file and nothing happened? How to open a STEP or STP file: view it free in your browser with no install, open it in CAD, or convert it to STL.
File FormatsConvert STEP to STL Online (Free to View) — How and When
How to convert a STEP file to STL for 3D printing: what the conversion changes, choosing resolution, why it’s one-way, and how to convert in your browser — view free, sign up to download.
ReferenceHow to Design a Washer or Spacer (Sizes for M3, M4, M5, M6)
A washer or spacer is the simplest functional part there is. How to pick the inner diameter, outer diameter, and thickness — with a metric size chart for M3–M6 and 3D-printing tips.
File FormatsThe Best Mobile 3D Part Viewers (View STEP/STL on Your Phone)
Need to open a STEP or STL file on your phone? The best ways to view a 3D part on iPhone and Android, what each format needs, and how to view any CAD file free in your browser.
File Formats3D CAD File Conversion Tools (STEP, STL, IGES, 3MF) — Convert Online Free
Convert STEP to STL, IGES to STEP, or STEP to 3MF online. How CAD conversion works, which formats convert cleanly, and how to convert a part free in your browser.
ReferenceMetric Clearance Hole Size Chart (M2–M12 Close, Normal, Loose)
Close, normal, and loose clearance hole diameters for metric bolts M2 through M12 — so a bolt passes straight through without binding — plus the extra clearance 3D-printed holes need.
ReferenceCountersink vs Counterbore: Which to Use and the Size Chart
A countersink seats a flat-head screw flush with a cone; a counterbore hides a socket-head cap screw in a flat pocket. When to use each, plus a metric size chart for both.
ManufacturingTolerance Stackup Basics: Why Parts That Should Fit Don’t
Small allowed errors on each dimension add up across a part or assembly. The worst-case method in plain English, where stackup bites, and five ways to design around it.
ManufacturingDraft Angle Explained: What It Is and When You Need It
What is a draft angle? The taper on vertical walls so a part releases cleanly from a mold or print bed — when you need one, how much to add, and how to apply it.
3D PrintingRibs and Gussets for Stiffness: How to Stiffen a 3D Printed Part
Ribs and gussets add structural stiffness without adding full wall mass. How thick to make them, where to put them, and how to avoid the sink-mark trap.
File FormatsWhat Is a 3MF File? (.3mf) Explained for 3D Printing
A 3MF is the modern 3D printing container: geometry, units, color, and print settings in one file. How it improves on STL and when to use it.
3D PrintingWall Thickness for 3D Printing: Minimum Sizes That Print Cleanly
How thick should a wall be for 3D printing? Practical minimum wall thickness for FDM and resin, why thin walls warp and gap, and how to set a reliable wall you can tune.
File FormatsWhat Is a DXF File? (.dxf) Explained for Cutting and CAD
A DXF is a 2D drawing a laser cutter or CNC router can follow. What it stores, how it differs from STEP and STL, what makes one cut cleanly, and how to export one.
3D PrintingHeat-Set Inserts for 3D Printing: Strong, Reusable Threads in Plastic
Tapped plastic threads strip. Heat-set brass inserts give reusable metal threads — if the part is designed for them. The hole to model, boss wall and depth, and when to use them.
Getting StartedSingle Parts vs Assemblies: What PartWork.ai Can and Can’t Make (Yet)
Can AI design the thing you need? PartWork.ai makes one great solid part at a time — not multi-part assemblies (yet). The difference, why it matters, and how to break an assembly into parts you can make today.
ProjectsHow to Design a Mounting Plate (Custom Bolt Pattern, Step by Step)
Need a flat plate to mount a motor, sensor, or device? How to capture the bolt pattern, pick thickness, add clearance holes, and export a mounting plate ready to print or machine.
File FormatsSTL vs 3MF: Which File Should You Export for 3D Printing?
STL and 3MF both feed a 3D printer, but 3MF is the newer, richer format. The plain-English difference, when to pick each, and how to export both from PartWork.ai.
3D PrintingHow to Design a Bracket for 3D Printing (Step by Step)
A practical walkthrough for designing a strong, printable mounting bracket — wall thickness, hole sizing, fillets, and exporting an STL — using AI CAD instead of learning a heavy desktop tool.
File FormatsSTL vs STEP: Which File Format Should You Export?
STL for 3D printing, STEP for CNC and editing. Here is the plain-English difference, when to use each, and how to export both from PartWork.ai.
Getting StartedFree Online CAD With No Download: How to Design a Part in Your Browser
You do not need to install anything to design a 3D part. Here is how to go from idea to a manufacturable file in your browser, free, in a few minutes.
AI CADUsing an AI Parametric Part Generator to Design Custom Parts Fast
Describe the part you need in plain English and get editable 3D geometry. How AI parametric generation works, where it shines, and how to get good results.
3D PrintingTolerances for 3D Printed Parts: How to Get Parts That Actually Fit
Why your holes print too tight and your lids do not snap on — and the simple clearance values that make 3D printed parts fit the first time.
ReferenceBolt Hole Size Chart for 3D Printing (M3, M4, M5 Clearance & Tap)
A plain bolt hole size chart for 3D printing: clearance holes for M3, M4, and M5, when to tap vs. use a nut, and how to add them in seconds.
ProjectsHow to Design an Enclosure for Electronics (Project Box, Step by Step)
Design a custom project box for your PCB or electronics: internal clearances, mounting bosses, lid fit, and cutouts for ports — using AI CAD in your browser.
CNCCAD for CNC Machining: A Beginner’s Guide to Designing Machinable Parts
New to CNC? Here is how to design parts a machine shop can actually cut — STEP files, sharp internal corners, tool access, and tolerances — without years of CAD.
DeveloperPartWork.ai Developer API Guide: Generate CAD Parts Programmatically
How to create an API key, authenticate with X-API-Key, call the generate endpoint, poll for results, and download a STEP or STL file — a complete working walkthrough.
Laser CuttingDXF for Laser Cutting: How to Design and Export a Cut-Ready File
What a DXF file is, why laser cutters use them, and how to design a flat part with closed profiles, correct units, and kerf compensation — and export it for a cutter.
Getting StartedWhat Is Parametric CAD? Plain-English Guide for Beginners
Parametric CAD stores dimensions as editable constraints — change one number and the whole part updates. How it works, why it beats direct modeling for mechanical parts, and how AI makes it accessible.
How-ToFillet vs Chamfer: How to Add Them and When to Use Each
A fillet rounds an edge; a chamfer bevels it. Here is the plain-English difference, a simple rule for which to use, what size to pick, and how to add either in seconds with AI CAD.
How-ToHow to Design a Gear in CAD (Spur Gear Basics)
A spur gear is defined by just a few numbers. What module, teeth, and pitch diameter mean, how to make two gears mesh, 3D printing tips, and how to generate a gear with AI.
How-ToHow to Convert a Sketch to a 3D Model (Drawing to CAD)
Turn a 2D sketch into an editable 3D part. The sketch-to-extrude workflow, what details to capture, and how to convert a drawing fast with AI CAD in your browser.
File FormatsSTEP vs IGES: Which CAD File Format Should You Use?
STEP and IGES both move 3D CAD between programs, but STEP is the modern default. Here is the plain-English difference, when IGES still matters, and how to export a clean STEP file.
ProjectsHow to Design a Custom Phone or Tablet Mount
Design a phone or tablet mount that fits your exact device: how to measure it, add the right clearance, build the clip and arm, and 3D print it — using AI CAD in your browser.
CNCThe Best File Format to Send a Machine Shop
Send a CNC shop the wrong file and you delay your quote. Here is the best file format for a machine shop — STEP — why, what to include with it, and how to export one fast.
How-ToHow to Measure a Part for Replacement (Reverse-Engineer a Broken Part)
A broken part with no drawing? Here is how to measure it, which dimensions actually matter, the tools to use, and how to turn your measurements into a printable or machinable replacement.
How-ToHow to Add Threads to a Part (Tapped vs Clearance Holes)
Should your part have a threaded hole or a plain clearance hole? Tapped vs clearance holes, how to read a callout like M3 or 1/4-20, and how to add the right hole in seconds.
How-ToPress-Fit and Snap-Fit Design: Join Parts Without Fasteners
Design press-fit and snap-fit joints that hold without screws or glue: the interference and clearance values that work, how to size a snap hook, and how to add them with AI CAD.
File FormatsWhat Is a STEP File? (.step / .stp) Explained
A plain-English explainer of the STEP file format: what it stores, why CNC shops and CAD programs use it, how it differs from STL, and how to open or export one.
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