Features

From a photo, a sentence, or a sketch to a machined part — one browser tab, powered by AI.

HelioAI Chat & Build Loop UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

Describe your part in plain language — or hand HelioAI photos, drawings, and measurements — and it builds fully parametric CAD, measures its own work, and keeps iterating with you until it's right. It can drive the app too: export a file, draft a drawing, save and label the project, straight from the conversation.

  • Natural language to fully parametric CAD — with voice, photos, drawings, and caliper measurements as input
  • HelioAI drives the app: ask it to export a STEP, draft a drawing, or save and label the project
  • Design Brief with question chips settles the spec before the build; a parametric fast fix corrects any dimension that drifts
  • Opt-in "Review AI changes before applying" — every edit is transactional and lands as a real timeline feature
  • Agent trace card shows each step, tells cancelled from failed honestly, and retries within bounds
  • Replies in the language you write in, with starter prompts to get going and web research when it needs real-world facts
  • Opt-in AI-led simulation workspace that sets up studies and compares the results (Pro)
Read the guide →
HelioCad™L-BracketFile Workspace: Model Team PlanUnlimited AI
UndoRedoFit modelDisplayMeasure
L-Bracket · 1 body
Measured: 160.02 ✓ 180.00 ✓ Ø13.0 ✓
⏸
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 160.00Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
GPU: MAXPickFaceEdgeBody
ChatChatAdjust modelAdjust model
Review AI changes before applying (beta)
Heliocad AI
Describe what you want to make.Or start with one click:
2" cube, rounded edgesM8 washerPhone standFlange with bolt holes
Rebuild this bracket from my photos — match my caliper measurements.
bracket_photo.jpg calipers: 160.0 / 180.0 / 8.0 mm
ReasoningGenerating
Thinking · 1,240 words
Sketching the profile on XY, then extruding…
0:060:14 · Usually about a minute; complex parts take longer.
result = (cq.Workplane("XY")
.rect(160, 180).extrude(8)
.faces(">Z").workplane()
.rect(120, 140, forConstruction=True)
.vertices().hole(13).edges("|Z").fillet(2))
Rebuilt the bracket from your photos: 160 × 180 mm, 8 mm thick, four Ø13 mm holes on an even pitch, 2 mm inside fillets. Review the steps below and apply.
Proposed changes · 3 opsReview
Sketch on XY160 × 180
Extrude8 mm
Holes Ø13 ×4 + Fillet 2 mmeven pitch
ApplyDiscard
Collapse chat

Edit exact values here. Use Chat to add features or change the design.

Selected feature
Extrude001 · 8 mm
Model parameters
panel_length ⓘ 160.00184.00
thickness ⓘ8 mm8.00
hole_dia ⓘ13 mm13.00
Placement
Measured overall size
+Reply…
Agent HelioAIHELIO 1.5↑
⋮⋮0/03/3
Sketch0018s agoExtrude0016s agoExtrude001EditingHole Patternnow
© 2026 HelioCad. All rights reserved. Saved 1m ago│MMIN

Feature Timeline & Edit-in-Place NEW — shipped Sep 2026

The timeline along the bottom of the Model workspace is a live map of how the part was built. Hover a step and its faces light up, drag the rollback bar to any point in history, and double-click a step to edit it in place — with a preview of the exact rebuild before you commit.

  • Every step carries its operation icon — extrude, fillet, hole, shell, draft — so the history reads at a glance
  • Hover a step and its footprint lights up amber on the model
  • Drag the ⋮⋮ rollback bar to any point in history — later steps are suppressed, never deleted
  • Double-click a fillet, chamfer, extrude, shell, offset, hole, or draft to re-arm its gizmo and edit it in place
  • Preview the exact rebuild and compare the original against the candidate before applying
Read the guide →
Apply ✓Cancel ✕
⏸
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 160.00Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
1.00 GPU: MAX Snap PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
⋮⋮4/4
Sketch00112m agoExtrude0019m agoHole Pattern5m agoFillet001 · 4 mmnowFillet0012m agoFillet001Editing

Direct Editing, Precision Edition UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

Grab a face and move it. No sketch, no history surgery — pick the face, drag, watch the live readout, and accept when the number is right. Now with a real draft tool, variable fillets, and instant ghost previews, and every edit still lands in the timeline as a real feature.

  • Move, Split, and Delete Face — offset, imprint, or remove a face and the body heals behind it
  • Real Draft with a neutral plane, flip control, and an on-model handle
  • Variable-radius fillets and Full Round, plus Shell across multiple faces and Align Face
  • Sweep along a guide rail for profiles that need to follow a curve
  • Instant ghost previews for hole, shell, and draft before anything commits
  • Multibody-aware edits and a rebuilt Section view to check the result inside
Read the guide →
Neutral: Top face · 3°Flip
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
SnapPickFaceEdgeBody

Studio Look & Materials NEW — shipped Sep 2026

Parts look finished the moment they exist. A baked studio lighting rig and model-scaled ambient occlusion are the default view, and 15 physically based material packs — from bead-blasted aluminum to walnut — drop onto any body.

  • Studio key, fill, and rim rig with scaled ambient occlusion on by default — no setup
  • 15 physically based material packs: Bead blasted, Brushed aluminum, Brushed steel, Carbon fiber 2×2, Cast aluminum, Cast iron, Galvanized, MDF, Oak, Plywood (birch), Powder coat black, Bamboo, Cherry, Maple, Walnut
  • Seamless textures — triplanar mapping wraps brushed and woodgrain finishes around curved faces without a seam
  • Backgrounds and HDRI lighting presets with intensity and show-as-backdrop controls
  • Adaptive GPU quality starts at a level your machine sustains; override it from the GPU chip
Read the guide →
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
Present
Appearance×
Material packs
Brushed steelBrushed steelCast ironCast ironWalnutWalnutCarbon fiberCarbon fiberBead blastedPowder coatMapleGalvanized
Seamless textures
Lighting
Studio rig · default

Render Studio & Live Realism UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

GPU path tracing in the browser — now live in the working viewport. Live Realism resolves bounced light, soft shadows, and reflections progressively while you keep orbiting and adjusting materials, so what you watch converge is the final still.

  • Live Realism — a path-traced preview in the working viewport, not a separate render window
  • Composition guides and saved camera shots for repeatable framing
  • Output settings with resolution, sample, and time limits
  • Physical material library — metals, plastics, glass, anodize — plus the new material packs
  • Scene presets: studio, outdoor, and showroom lighting
  • Adaptive quality so it runs on laptops and gaming GPUs alike
Read the guide →
HelioCadRender · Path Tracing
● Path tracing · GPUGPU · compiling
GPU: MAX Present
2048 spp64 spp512 sppDenoise ✓
MATERIAL
Aluminum
Anodized Blue
Brass
SCENE
StudioOutdoorShowroom
Bounces8
Resolution3840×2160
Physical sunon
SHOTS
Hero
Detail
Top
Export 4K PNG
Render complete · 2048 spp ✓

Presentation Mode & Display Styles NEW — shipped Sep 2026

Press P and the chrome disappears: toolbars, panels, and timeline drop away, the model is framed cinematically, and after a moment it begins a slow turntable. Seven display styles cover everything from a clean shaded solid to a toon illustration.

  • Presentation mode (P) — chrome-free view with an idle turntable; orbit whenever you like and it resumes when you stop
  • Shaded, Realistic, Wireframe, X-Ray, and Hidden line styles
  • Illustration (toon) and Clay (matcap) for reviews and form checks
  • Switch styles from the viewport toolbar or the ⌘K command palette
  • Hide panels (⌘\) for an immersive viewport with the tools still in reach
Read the guide →
Fit modelDisplay
Display style
✓Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
✓Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
✓Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
✓Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display: ShadedDisplay: Hidden lineDisplay: IllustrationDisplay: Clay
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
Exit presentation EscP

Exploded View NEW — shipped Sep 2026

When a project has two or more bodies, an Explode chip appears on the viewport toolbar. Scrub the slider to separate them, pick a direction, and present the result — animated entirely in the browser, with the geometry untouched.

  • Scrub from 0 to 100 % and every body slides out along its own vector
  • Radial, X, Y, or Z explode directions
  • Explode fully and Collapse (Esc) jump between the extremes
  • Animated client-side — no rebuild, no change to the model
  • Pairs with Presentation mode for a chrome-free exploded turntable
Read the guide →
Explode0%30%62%
Amount
Direction
Radial ✓XYZ
Explode fullyCollapse Esc
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
Snap Explode 62% Present
Snap Explode 0% Present

Smart Measure & Mass Properties UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

Hover any face or edge for an instant readout, pin the pairs that matter, and trust the numbers — distances are computed on the exact B-Rep geometry, not the display mesh.

  • Hover readout card — entity type, area, perimeter, radius, and ΔX / ΔY / ΔZ
  • Pin measurement pairs so they stay on screen while you work
  • Exact B-Rep distances and angles — a measured radius is the modeled radius
  • Auto Measure lays out engineering dimensions and tours them one at a time
  • Mass properties — volume, surface area, center of gravity, and moments of inertia, with material density
Read the guide →
HelioCad™Mounting PlateFile Workspace: Model Team PlanUnlimited AI
UndoRedoFit modelDisplayMeasure
Distance ✓
Angle
Radius
Measurement panel
Stop measuring
Mass properties
Interference
Draft analysis
Section analysis
EDGE · #12Exact
Length60.00 mm
Δx60.00
Δz0.00
HOLE · #4Exact
Ø10.00 mm
R5.00
Depth10.00
PAIR
Distance72.80 mm
Δx60.00
Δy40.00
Δz10.00
ANGLE
Angle90.00°
FacesTop · Front
⏸
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 60.00Y: 0.00Z: 0.00mm
1.00 GPU: MAX Snap PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
Measurement×
Selection
BodyMounting Plate
FilterFace · Edge · Hole
Results
No pinned measurements
Distance72.80 mm
Angle90.00°
Mass properties
Inspect ▸ Mass properties to compute
MaterialAluminum 6061Steel 1018
Volume23.2 cm³
Surface area7,300 mm²
Mass62.64 g182.12 g
Center of mass30.0 · 20.0 · 5.0
Moments Ixx · Iyy · Izz8.9k · 19.3k · 27.7k25.8k · 56.1k · 80.4k
Measure · hover an edge, face, or hole — click to pin a result Saved│MMIN

Parameters, Configurations & Adjust Model UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

Name the numbers that matter, drive the rest with formulas, and save whole sets of values as configurations. The Adjust Model panel puts a slider and an exact-value field on every parameter, and each edit lands as a replayable step in the timeline.

  • Named global parameters usable in any dimension, with formula-driven values — edge_margin = plate_w / 8 just works
  • Save the current values as a named configuration and switch between sizes or trim levels; configurations travel with the project
  • Adjust Model panel — a card for the selected feature plus a slider and exact-value field for every parameter
  • Edits are transactional, persistent, and replayable in the timeline
  • Typed Move and Scale — exact translations and scale factors, not just drags
  • Linear and circular patterns stay editable after creation — change count, spacing, or angle
Read the guide →
HelioCadParams · mounting-plate
4 parameters
GLOBAL PARAMETERS
plate_w ⓘ140 mm14080
plate_d ⓘ100 mm10060
hole_dia ⓘ8 mm86
edge_margin ⓘ17.5 mm17.510.0
ƒ = plate_w / 8
A number, or a formula over the parameters above
CONFIGURATIONS
SmallLargeHeavy-duty
+ Save current as configuration
140 mm80 mm

Snap, Drag & HUD NEW — shipped Sep 2026

Every depth drag — push/pull, extrude, fillet, hole, move — runs through one drag engine with the same modifiers, a graduated ruler, and an editable value chip. 3D snapping seats geometry on vertices, midpoints, and face centers, and the HUD keeps you oriented.

  • One drag engine everywhere: a plain drag snaps to the unit step, Shift for fine steps, Ctrl for a free drag
  • Graduated axis ruler and an editable value chip — type the exact number to land on it
  • 3D snapping (K) to vertices, edge midpoints, and face centers
  • Model HUD with a zoom-aware scale bar and live cursor XYZ; selection and commit flashes confirm what changed
  • Responsive picking on dense models, adaptive resolution with an FPS readout, and a viewport that survives a lost WebGL context
Read the guide →
⇧ Shift·Fine 0.5 mm
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 0.00Y: 12.00Z: 8.00mm
25 mm
X: 25.00Y: 12.00Z: 8.00mm
SnapPickFaceEdgeBody

Sketch, Constraints & 3D Peek UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

A full constraint-based 2D sketcher with automatic constraint detection, a robust geometric solver, precision dimension input, and a 3D Peek so you never lose sight of the solid you're sketching on.

  • Lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, splines, and conics on any planar face or reference plane
  • Geometric constraints: coincident, tangent, parallel, perpendicular, equal, symmetric
  • Precision dimension input — type while you sketch, with an inline calculator (25/2+3 just works)
  • Auto-constraint inference with on-canvas constraint badges
  • Auto sketch dimensions fill in what you didn't type
  • 3D Peek — tilt out of the sketch plane to check the solid, then snap back
Read the guide →
LineArcCircleRectDimension 3D Peek Finish Sketch
X: 60.00Y: 40.00·Snap 1 mm

Speaks Your Language NEW — shipped Sep 2026

HelioCad runs in 13 languages — the interface, HelioAI, and the emails. Pick yours once and everything follows.

  • English, Español, Deutsch, Français, Português (Brasil), Italiano, Türkçe, and Polski
  • 日本語, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 한국어, and Українська
  • HelioAI replies in the language you write in
  • Account and billing emails arrive in your language
  • Change languages any time from your account settings
HelioCad™ ПроєктиProjectsProyectosProjekteProjetsProjetosプロジェクト项目專案Progetti프로젝트ProjelerProjektyФайлFileArchivoDateiFichierArquivoファイル文件檔案File파일DosyaPlik Робочий простір: МодельWorkspace: ModelEspacio: ModeloArbeitsbereich: ModellEspace: ModèleÁrea: Modeloワークスペース: モデル工作区: 模型工作區: 模型Spazio: Modello작업 공간: 모델Çalışma alanı: ModelObszar: Model A文
160 × 180 mm のLブラケットを作って
完成: 160 × 180 × 8 mm、Ø13 穴 4 つ
Diseña un soporte en L de 160 × 180 mm
Listo: soporte en L 160 × 180 × 8 mm con 4 agujeros Ø13.
HelioAI replies in the language you write in.
Language
English
Español
Deutsch
Français
Português (Brasil)
日本語
简体中文
繁體中文
Italiano
한국어
Türkçe
Polski
Українська

Phone Scan & Mobile AR UPDATED — updated Aug 2026

HelioCad runs on your phone and iPad — capture real parts as CAD models, view any model in AR on your bench, and install it like a native app.

  • Guided multi-photo capture walks you around the part, shot by shot
  • AI rebuilds a clean parametric model — not a raw scan mesh
  • Seed a caliper measurement to lock in true scale
  • View any model in AR, placed in your real workspace
  • iPad landscape layout with touch gestures and long-press menus
  • Touch-sized floating panels that stay out of the viewport's way
  • Installable as an app (PWA) — one tap from your home screen
HelioCad·Scan to CAD
Phone Scan
Shot 1 of 8Shot 4 of 8Shot 8 of 8
📏 Seed dimension · 160.0 mm
Rebuilding with AI…
Parametric model · 1 body
160 × 180 × 8 mm ✓
View in AR
Add HelioCad to Home Screen

Photo Draft — Photos to Spec Sheet to Solid

Photograph a real part, draw one known-length calibration line, confirm the AI's proposed dimensions — and walk away with an engineering drawing and a parametric solid.

  • Guided wizard in the Drawing workspace: photos → calibrate → dimensions → build
  • Draw a known-length line on the photo to lock true scale
  • AI proposes dimension lines on the photo — edit or confirm each one
  • Confirmed dimensions become locked spec targets the build must hit
  • AI-estimated values are flagged EST until you approve them
  • Works on your phone too — photograph the part right at the bench
HelioCadDrawing · Photo Draft
Scale locked ✓
IMG_0412.jpg140.0Ø12.0EST✓36.5
Known length · 82.0 mm
BRACKET-01 · 1:1 · mmPHOTO DRAFT · REV A140.036.52× Ø12.0
3D solid created ✓
Photos✓
Calibrate✓
Dimensions✓
Review✓
Build
SPEC SHEET
Width140.0✓
Hole Ø12.0✓
Height36.5✓
Build solid →
Confirmed dims become locked targets

Reverse Engineer — Scan or Mesh to Solid

Drop in an STL, OBJ, PLY, 3MF, or glTF mesh and get real CAD back. Choose a clean parametric rebuild, or an exact mirror that follows the scan skin and reports the deviation it actually measured.

  • Mesh files route straight into the Reverse Engineer workspace — no separate importer
  • Auto-Convert recognizes prisms, revolves, drafted shapes, and hole patterns
  • Parametric-only mode returns a real sketch-and-feature tree you can edit
  • Exact mirror mode matches the scan skin within ±0.0005″, multi-body and boolean-editable
  • Every conversion reports its measured max deviation — certified or flagged, never guessed
  • Guided rebuild walks you through it step by step, or let the AI drive
  • Hand the result to Model and keep building on it like any other solid
HelioCadReverse Engineer · bracket-scan.stl
48,210 triangles
4.250"Scan meshSolid B-Rep
CONVERSION MODE
Auto
let HelioCad choose
Parametric only
sketch + feature tree
Exact mirror
matches the scan skin
Auto-Convert
MAX DEVIATION0.0004"0.0121"0.0027"
tolerance ±0.0005"
✓ Exact mirror · certified
Sent to Model — booleans ready

3D Modeling Operations

Industry-standard modeling operations with real-time preview and parametric history.

  • Extrude, revolve, sweep, loft — sweep follows a real sketched path
  • Fillet, chamfer, shell, draft
  • Thread tool and Hole Wizard with standard sizes
  • Boolean: union, subtract, intersect
  • Linear and circular patterns
  • Push/pull direct editing with live volume preview
  • Crisp B-Rep edge display you can toggle off, plus shaded, realistic, wireframe, and X-ray modes
  • Full parametric feature timeline with drag-to-reorder
Read the guide →

Surfacing & Repair

For the shapes solids alone can't reach — and for the imported geometry that arrives broken. Fill open boundaries with real tangent continuity, then knit the shell back into a watertight solid.

  • Patch an open boundary with G0 position or G1 tangent continuity
  • Knit — sew loose surfaces into a closed, watertight solid
  • Offset Surface to thicken or shell a selected face set
  • Ruled surfaces to bridge two edge chains
  • Emboss on Surface and Wrap Text for curved-face artwork
  • Repair imported models that came in as open shells instead of solids
HelioCadModel · Surface
Open edges — not a solid
G0 — position only · visible creaseG1 — tangent to the neighbouring faces
SURFACE
Patch
fill an open boundary
Offset Surface
thicken or shell a face set
Ruled Surface
bridge two edge chains
Emboss on Surface
raise art onto a curve
Knit — sew into a solid
✓ Watertight solid · 1 body

FEA Simulation

Built-in finite element analysis validates designs without leaving the platform — static stress, thermal, and modal studies on solid tetrahedral meshes, with animated stress overlays and a one-click engineering report.

  • Static stress, thermal, and modal analysis on solid tetrahedral meshes
  • Result views for von Mises stress, displacement, and safety factor
  • Animated results: load-ramp, weak-zone hotspots, and mode-shape vibration
  • Fixed, pinned, and roller supports with force, pressure, and temperature loads
  • Guided step-by-step workflow with in-app face picking — or expert mode
  • Downloadable PDF report with weak-zone analysis and a plain-language verdict
Read the guide →
Simulate·Static Stress·Steel AISI 1018
Solver ready
› Loading geometry…› Applying boundary conditions› Generating mesh — 1,842 elements› Solving — direct sparse✓ Solution converged · 4 iterations · 1.8 s
YXZ
FRONTRIGHTTOP
FIXEDF = 500 NMAX σ_vm142 MPaSF = 1.8PASS
142
0MPa
VON MISESTHERMALMODAL
Mesh: 1.5 mm|Run ▸

Machine Simulation

Run the whole job on a virtual copy of your machine — kinematics, travel, and material removal — before a single chip flies.

  • Parametric machine rigs: VMC, 4th-axis, trunnion 5-axis, gantry, lathe, and mill-turn
  • Animated kinematics — watch every axis move through your program
  • Ghost mode, enclosure view, and live DRO readout
  • Material-removal simulation shows the stock being cut in real time
  • Upload your own machine to simulate your exact setup
  • Pairs with built-in FEA to validate the part as well as the process
HelioCadAdapter-Plate.heliocad
Simulation
VMC4th-AxisTrunnionGantryLatheMill-TurnUpload your machine
TRUNNION A/C · 5-AXIS SIM
Collision check ✓Travel limits ✓Op 3/3 · Adaptive
Machine DRORUN
X142.31896.450118.204
Y-12.07624.3188.662
Z45.10012.7506.320
A0.000-15.00020.000
C0.000118.500245.000
FEED2400 mm/min
CYCLE TIME
04:1002:37−38%
✓Kinematics valid
0 collisions · 12,408 moves simulatedMM|IN

CAM Toolpaths — 2.5D to 5-Axis UPDATED — updated Aug 2026

Generate CNC toolpaths from 2.5D pockets to full 5-axis simultaneous — tuned for real cycle time, not just a pretty preview — and export G-code your machine will actually run. Describe your own machine and program against its real kinematics.

  • Face, adaptive, contour, and pocket operations plus drilling cycles
  • 4th- and 5th-axis toolpaths — indexed and simultaneous (Pro)
  • Head-table 5-axis kinematics with a machine configuration selector, software TCP, and inverse-time (G93) feeds
  • Machine editor — describe your own machine's axes, limits, and head, and simulate against it
  • Curve picking for swarf, contour, and tilt control, with a calibration guide to dial in a new machine
  • Stay-down linking, arc fitting (G2/G3), helix entry, and chip-thinning-aware feeds — watch the cycle-time estimate drop as you refine
  • 19 built-in post-processors, grblHAL included, plus an interactive post editor — custom posts on Team
Read the guide →
HelioCad™L-BracketFile Workspace: Manufacture Team PlanUnlimited AI
StockWCSFacePocketContourDrillGenerateBeta
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
GPU: MAX Present
⋮⋮4/4
Setup112s agoFace0019s agoContour0015s agoDrill001 ×4now
© 2026 HelioCad. All rights reserved. Saved│MMIN

AI CAM — Orchestrate

Tell HelioCad what you're making and what you're making it on — AI Orchestrate proposes the stock, the setup, and the tooling, ready for you to approve.

  • One sentence in — a full machining plan out
  • Proposed stock size and material from your part's geometry
  • Setup and work-offset suggestions
  • Tool selection from your library, matched to each operation
  • An ordered operation plan you can accept, edit, or regenerate
  • Flows straight into toolpath generation and machine simulation
HelioCad™L-BracketFile Workspace: Manufacture Team PlanUnlimited AI
StockWCSFacePocketContourDrillGenerateBeta
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 42.50Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
GPU: MAX Present
ChatAdjust model
Review AI changes before applying (beta)
Heliocad AI
3-axis VMC, 6061 plate — machine this bracket.
Planning ops…
Plan ready: 6061 plate 165 × 185 × 10 in a vise on G54, three tools, Face → Adaptive → Contour → Drill. Accept to generate the toolpaths.Accept plan
+Describe the job…
Agent HelioAIHELIO 1.5↑
© 2026 HelioCad. All rights reserved. Saved│MMIN

Feeds & Speeds — Machinist's Bench

A machinist's bench built into the platform: dial in RPM, chip load, and feed for your exact tool, material, and machine — then carry the numbers straight into your operations.

  • Feeds and speeds computed from tool geometry, material, and machine limits
  • Tool-geometry visualizers built into the Tool Library
  • Chip-thinning-aware numbers that respect your spindle and rigidity
  • Openable from any sidebar tab — it's there mid-CAM when you need it
  • One click applies the result to the operation you're editing
HelioCadMachinist's Bench · Feeds & Speeds
Within tool maker limits ✓
TOOL
1/2" 4-flute carbide
MATERIAL
6061-T6 Aluminum
MACHINE
VMC · 8k RPM
Ø12.74FLTiAlN
RPM720080007640
FEED204015201830mm/min
CHIP LOAD0.0710.0530.066mm/t
DOC · WOC12.7 · 5.1mm
TOOL LOADsafe
SFM 940 · MRR 8.2 cm³/minHSM
Apply to Adaptive 1
Feeds applied to Op 2 ✓

Generative Fixtures & Workholding

The AI plans the workholding from the part itself — contour-matched soft jaws, vise fixtures, nesting trays, drill jigs, and inspection, welding, and assembly fixtures.

  • Soft jaws cut to your part's exact contour
  • Vise fixtures, nesting trays, and drill jigs generated from geometry
  • Inspection, welding, and assembly fixtures for downstream work
  • Fixture stock and clamping parameters you can edit
  • Hands off to CAM so you can machine the fixture itself
HelioCadFixtures · Generative Workholding
● Plan ready ✓AI · planning
Part · impeller-housing.step
Soft jaws · matched to contour
Analyzing geometry
✓Contact faces found
FIXTURE TYPE
Soft jawsNesting trayDrill jigInspection
Jaw stock6061 · 2.00 in
Send to CAM →
Fixture pair added to setup ✓

Laser Engraving & Cutting

Design cut and engrave jobs in the same workspace as your 3D model. Pick a face on your part, import an SVG/DXF, or drop in an image — then send it to your laser with the right format for your controller.

  • Guided wizard: source → roles → material → machine → layout → output
  • Vector cutting and line engraving; raster engraving with Floyd-Steinberg, Jarvis, and ordered dithering
  • Move layers on the bed — drag, 9-point anchors, or arrow-key nudge
  • Per-layer kerf compensation applied on GRBL and Ruida alike
  • AI settings advisor — web-grounded cut and engrave settings for any material
  • Preflight DFM checks: sub-kerf features, double burns, cut order, fire risk, and a calibrated time estimate
  • Test-matrix generator with AI scoring to dial in a new material fast
  • .rd export with raster support, GRBL G-code, and EzCad
HelioCad™Coaster-Set.heliocadFile Workspace: Laser Team PlanUnlimited AI
MaterialBedCutEngraveFrameRun.rdGRBL ▾Beta
(0, 0)
400 × 400 mm
GPU: MAX Present
G-code Output
Est. 4m 12s · 1,840 mm
; HelioCad — GRBL laser job
; controller: grbl  bed: 400x400
G21
G90
M5 S0
; --- layer: Outline (cut) ---
M8
G0 X120.00 Y100.00
M3 S800
G1 X140.00 Y80.00 F600
G1 X260.00 Y80.00 F600
G1 X280.00 Y100.00 F600
M5 S0
; --- layer: Star inlay (engrave-line) ---
G0 X200.00 Y110.00
M3 S250
G1 X215.00 Y160.00 F2500
M5 S0
M2
Download .gcode
GRBL 1.1h · 40 W CO2 · connected Saved│MMIN

Laser Machine Control

Skip the SD-card shuffle — plug your laser into USB and run the job from the same browser tab you designed it in. GRBL and Ruida DSP controllers alike.

  • Direct USB control over Web Serial — GRBL and Ruida DSP, no drivers
  • Jog, home, frame, hold-to-fire pulse, and origin-corner setup from the browser
  • Live job playback on the bed — head tracking, cut trail, framing overlay, and countdown
  • Overhead camera view with the job projected onto the bed for exact placement
  • No camera? Print a 1:1 placement template or cut a drop-in jig instead
  • EzCad galvo boards auto-detected for fiber and MOPA markers
  • Free HelioCad Bridge covers Ethernet and USB Ruida controllers
  • Works in Chrome and Edge on desktop
Read the guide →
HelioCadLaser · Machine Control
● Connected — USB○ Disconnected
CAM · BED PROJECTION
400 × 300 mm
⏱ 04:12⏱ 02:05
Job complete ✓
Ruida 6445G · USBConnect USB
▲◀⌂▶▼
X26.600.0048.20mm
Y38.500.0062.00mm
FrameRunPause
JOB PROGRESSPass 2 of 2Pass 1 of 2
Ruida DSP · direct USB
GRBL & Ruida over Web Serial · Chrome & Edge

Mold Making Workspace

Turn any solid into a multi-part casting mold with a 7-step wizard — parting, draft, flanges, connections, sprue and vents — for sand, silicone, or injection processes.

  • Automatic parting-line detection with manual override
  • Draft analysis and application before the mold splits
  • Flanges, alignment pins, and connection features generated for you
  • AI gating plan places the sprue, runners, and vents
  • Process presets for sand casting, silicone, and injection
  • True cores for trapped geometry — export all halves ready to make
HelioCadMold Making
Process · Silicone
Parting line foundDraft 2° appliedAI gating plan ✓
2 halves + core ready ✓
Part✓
Parting✓
Draft✓
Flanges✓
Connections✓
Sprue & Vents✓
Export mold halves
SandSiliconeInjection

AI Technical Drawings UPDATED — updated Aug 2026

HelioAI drafts a complete 2D technical drawing from your 3D model — ask for it in chat — then revises it the same way you built the part: by asking.

  • Ask for it in chat — "draft a drawing of this" produces the sheet
  • ISO or ANSI drawings with standard orthographic views, automatic dimensioning, and GD&T
  • Content-aware view placement keeps views and annotations on the sheet
  • Section and detail views, and any annotation editable directly on the sheet
  • Conversational revision — "move the section through the bores" just works
  • Start from photos instead with Photo Draft — see above
  • PDF and DXF export
HelioCad™Bracket-Drawing.heliocadFile Workspace: Drawing Team PlanUnlimited AI
AI DraftBaseSectionDimAuto DimPDFDXF
FRONT
TOP
RIGHT
SECTION A-A
TITLEL-Bracket
DRAWN BYdemo@heliocad.com
DATE2026-04-30
SCALE1:2
SHEETA3 · Rev A
AI drafted
Move section A-A through the bores
✓PDF exportedL-Bracket-Rev-A.pdf
ChatAdjust model
Review AI changes before applying (beta)
Heliocad AI
Draft an ISO A3 drawing of the bracket with a section through the bores.
ReasoningDrafting
Thinking · 1,180 words
Projecting FRONT, TOP, RIGHT, then cutting section A-A…
0:060:41· Drawings usually take under a minute.
Drawing ready: 4 views, section A-A, 12 dimensions, GD&T on the mounting face. Say the word to revise.
+Draft an ISO A3 drawing of the bracket…
Agent HelioAIHELIO 1.5↑
Sheet A3 · 1:2 · ISO4 views · 100% Saved│MMIN

Assembly

Bring parts together with assembly mates, motion studies, and interference detection — and pull components straight from your own saved projects instead of re-modeling them.

  • Mate constraints: coincident, concentric, parallel, distance, angle
  • Insert from Library — drop in any part you've already saved as a component
  • Update from source when the original part changes, with mates re-solved for you
  • Stale components are flagged, so you always know what's out of date
  • Joints with kinematic animation — watch the mechanism move
  • Export assembly motion as a shareable GIF
  • Interference and collision detection
  • Bill of materials generation
  • Exploded views
Read the guide →
Assembly Workspace
◇Exploded view
⊙Applying mate constraints
⚠Interference detected
≡Bill of materials
XYZ
⊙Concentric⊙Concentric⫽Coincident∥ParallelM6 × 25 BoltL-Bracket 6061-T6M6 Hex Nut⚠ Clash detectedBolt-1 ↔ Bracket: 0.42 mm
BOMREV A
#PartQty
1L-Bracket1
2M6 × 25 Bolt2
3M6 Hex Nut2
Total5

Import, Export & Projects

Interoperate with every major CAD format and 3D printing workflow. Solid formats open in Model; mesh and scan formats are handed to Reverse Engineer automatically — and the Projects manager keeps every file organized and every version recoverable.

  • Import solids: STEP, IGES, BREP · 2D: DXF
  • Import meshes and scans: STL, OBJ, PLY, 3MF, GLB / glTF, OFF
  • Export: STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, 3MF, glTF
  • 2D export: DXF and SVG
  • G-code for CNC · .rd for Ruida lasers · EzCad for galvo markers
  • Projects manager — rename, duplicate, organize into folders, and restore an earlier version
Read the guide →
HelioCad™L-BracketFile Workspace: Model Team PlanUnlimited AI
UndoRedoFit modelDisplayMeasure
Drop file or clickSTEP · IGES · BREP · STL
STEPL-Bracket.step✓
1.24 MB
Parsing geometry…
STEP AP242
1 body · 14 faces · 26 edges
Units: mm · Y-up → Z-up
Export×
Format
STEPIGESBREPSTLOBJGLTF3MFDXF
Binary STL · DXF R2018Export selected
STLL-Bracket.stl✓
mesh · binary124 KB
DXFL-Bracket.dxf✓
2D · top view8.4 KB
Select one or more formats✓ 2 files exported · 132.4 KB total
✓Exported L-Bracket.stl and L-Bracket.dxf
⏸
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 160.00Y: 18.00Z: 8.00mm
1.00 GPU: MAX Snap PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
Drop a STEP, IGES, STL, or DXF file anywhere in the viewport to import it Saved│MMIN
New
Open…
Save⌘S
Import…⌘I
Export…
Versions
New
Open…
Save⌘S
Import…⌘I
Export…
Versions

Section Views, Navigation & Viewport Tools UPDATED — updated Sep 2026

Inspect interiors with dynamic section planes, then move around the model the way you're used to — a rebuilt view cube, a ⌘K command palette, navigation presets, and floating panels that leave the viewport to the part.

  • Interactive section plane with drag handles and caps that fill the cut face
  • Rebuilt view cube — Z-up, animated snaps, roll, fit, and orthographic / perspective toggle
  • ⌘K command palette everywhere — every command, display style, and workspace by name
  • Compact command header with a Workspace dropdown and a More menu, so the viewport gets the room
  • Glide, Pivot, and Flow mouse presets for orbit, pan, and zoom the way you're used to
  • Floating, draggable panels — Browser, Parameters, Parts — dock them where you want
  • Per-body color and transparency, edge display, grid, ground shadow, and reference-geometry toggles
HelioCad™Mounting PlateFile Workspace: Model Team PlanUnlimited AI
UndoRedoFit modelDisplayMeasure
Display style
✓Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
✓Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
✓Illustration (toon)
Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
Display style
Shaded (default)
Realistic (PBR)
Wireframe
X-Ray (translucent)
Hidden line (edges only)
Illustration (toon)
✓Clay (matcap)
Visibility
✓Edges
Dimensions
⏸
▲▼◀▶
25 mm
X: 30.00Y: 20.00Z: 5.00mm
1.00 GPU: MAX PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
0.50 GPU: MAX PresentPickFaceEdgeBody
Section● active
PlaneXY ▾
Offset—5.00 mm
Capoff✓ shaded
Appearance
StyleHidden lineIllustrationClayShaded
Color
Transp.0%50%
Display · section view — drag a handle to move the cut plane Saved│MMIN