Slimo3D help

Start here

Slimo3D analyzes a STEP assembly in the browser, lets you replace parts with AABB / OBB boxes or MBC / MCC containers, then export a cleaner STEP — without installing CAD software. The landing claim is up to 20x faster than manual workflows; treat that as an upper bound, not a result for every file.

A recommended first session

Goal: Learn the workspace on the built-in tutorial model in about 10–15 minutes.

Who All Export in step 10 is Entry Pro only.

1. Open slimo3d.com and sign in.
2. Open the viewer (App on the Account page, or continue into the 3D app after login).
3. If Welcome to Slimo3D appears, you can Start quick tour, Explore the tutorial model, or Not now. For this path, choose Explore the tutorial model, or later click Tutorial Model in My Models / Open tutorial model in the Knowledge Center.
4. Wait until the header phrase Analysis in progress disappears. In the Model Tree, each part’s Active Container icon should change from not available to None (ready).
5. Open the right sidebar Knowledge Center. Run 1. Getting Started Tour if you skipped the welcome tour.
6. Open 2. Boundary Containers and skim AABB / OBB / MBC / MCC.
7. With the tutorial model loaded, run 3. Model Tree Tour. Use Open Tutorial model to run tour if that button is disabled.
8. In the Model Tree, click a part name. Use Fit and Show/hide. Click the Active Container control and try AABB, then OBB. On Free or Pro, also try MBC or MCC on a round part. Leave at least one important part as None.
9. Open Containers in the right sidebar. Assign a type with the row radios. On Free or Pro, try Min part’s volume.
10. Paid only: Click Export Slimo3D in the header. If you are still on the tutorial model, confirm This export counts toward your daily limit only if you really want to use a quota slot. Free: skip export. Preview is the whole session.

Interactive tours stay in the viewer Knowledge Center (right sidebar). This page is the written reference. Open the App to run tours on the tutorial model.

What Slimo3D does — and does not

You upload a STEP file (.stp / .step), wait for analysis, choose a bounding container per part, preview the result, and (on a paid plan) export a simplified STEP.

It is for simulation and CAE engineers who need to defeature hardware; packaging, layout, and logistics engineers who need envelopes; designers exchanging a “good enough” assembly; and students learning how bounding containers relate to real parts.

• It is not a CAD modeller. You do not sketch, pad, or edit native CAD features.
• It does not rebuild a feature-identical CAD model, and it does not replace your PDM/PLM system.
• Assembly-level containers (a box or MBC/MCC around a whole sub-assembly) appear in the UI but are Coming soon. Part-level containers are the working path today.
• Watch video in the Knowledge Center is Coming soon.

Workspace

Goal: Know where header, toolbar, tree, 3D view, and right panels live.

Who All

Click a region to jump to that subsection.

Header

• Product name Slimo3D.
• Current file name when a model is loaded.
• Export Slimo3D — Entry and Pro, after analysis is ready. Hidden on Free.
• Help — this tutorial, in a new tab.
• Account — returns to the Account page.
• Log out.

Toolbar

Left to right, when a model is loaded (exact tooltips):

Left: Model Tree and My Models

The left column shows the Model Tree by default. My Models is the other left tab. Use it to open saved files (paid) or the Tutorial Model (all plans).

Center: 3D view

Orbit, pan, zoom, and pick parts. Empty state: Drag and drop 3D models here. Only STEP files actually load. There is also or explore the tutorial model.

Right: sidebar panels

Load a model

Slimo3D’s product path is STEP (.stp or .step). The file picker and drop handler reject other extensions with: Only STEP files (.stp, .step) can be loaded.

Upload STEP from your computer

Goal: Open a STEP assembly in the viewer.

Who All Paid plans also save it to My Models when limits allow.

1. Click Upload 3D model, or drag a .stp / .step file onto the window.
2. On Free, if a model is already open, confirm Load new model: The current model will be lost and overwritten by the new model. Continue?
3. Wait for the mesh to appear, then for Analysis in progress to finish.

On Entry/Pro, a successful open also tries to save the file: Saving model to your account… then “filename” saved to your account. A name clash can prompt you to enter a new filename.

Open from My Models

Goal: Reopen a stored file.

Who Entry Pro

1. Open the left My Models tab, or use the Account page table.
2. Click a completed model (viewer) or open it from Account (Open in 3D viewer when shown).
3. Analysis can reuse stored results; wait if Analysis in progress still appears.

Tutorial model

Goal: Practice without using an upload slot.

Who All

1. Click Tutorial Model (My Models tab or Account page). Tooltip: Doesn't count toward your uploads or storage.
2. Or in Knowledge Center: Open tutorial model. After it is loaded, Reload re-runs it (needed after changing MCC corner tolerance on the tutorial model).
3. Or on the empty intro screen: or explore the tutorial model.

The file is treated as Slimo3D Tutorial Model for export naming. Configuration sets are not available on it. Open it from the App.

File size and part-count limits

If the file is too large: File size (X MB) exceeds your plan limit of Y MB.
If there are too many parts: dialog Part limit exceeded — Model has N parts, which exceeds the limit of M for your plan. The model is not shown. Upgrade Plan goes to the Account page.

Paid upload can also fail with Model upload limit reached (n/m this month) or a storage-limit message.

What “analysis” means

After the mesh loads, Slimo3D computes bounding containers on the server.

1. You may see STEP model loaded. Starting backend analysis... in Notifications.
2. The header shows Analysis in progress with a progress hint.
3. When done: Analysis completed (N solids). Container icons become ready. Export (paid) can enable when data is ready: Export ready: AABB and OBB data available, or with MBC/MCC Export ready: AABB, OBB, MBC and MCC data available.

Until analysis finishes, Active Container shows not available. Do not assign containers or export yet.

Recalculate analysis (toolbar) re-runs analysis for the current STEP. Use it after changing MCC corner tolerance, or if container data looks stale. It is for Entry and Pro. On Free the tooltip is Recalculate is available for Entry and Pro plans.

3D view

Goal: Inspect geometry before you assign containers.

Who All

Mouse

Fixed up vector keeps world up while you orbit. Free orbit does not.

Touch

If your device supports it: one-finger drag orbits, two-finger drag pans, pinch zooms.

Fit and cameras

• Toolbar Fit model to window frames the whole model.
• Each tree row has Fit for that part or assembly (visible mesh, or the active container bounds).
• Tree header Fit parts to window fits visible parts.
• Perspective camera / Orthographic camera — perspective is usual for inspection; ortho helps compare box edges.

Other view tools

• Measure — click two points. Prompts: Select a point. then Select another point. You get distance between points, and when possible distance between parallel faces and the angle between faces. Click Measure again to leave the tool.
• Create snapshot — save an image of the 3D view (size options in the dialog). This is not the support screenshot tool.
• Show Edges and background live in Settings.
• Bounding box appearance in Simplification settings changes overlay color and Face opacity for AABB, OBB, and MBC / MCC. Reset to Defaults restores overlay colors.

Model tree

The Model Tree is the main way to choose what is visible, what is selected for export, and which container is active.

Assembly vs part rows

• Part (solid) — a leaf. Closed solids use a circle-style tree mark; open shells / faces use an arc-style mark.
• Assembly / sub-assembly — a group. Bold in the Containers panel. You can expand it. Assembly-level AABB / OBB / MBC / MCC in the selector is Coming soon.

Expand, collapse, and Flat list

• Use the chevron on the left of a row. The name click focuses the row; it does not expand/collapse.
• Header: Expand all / Collapse all.
• Assembly view shows hierarchy. Flat list (Free and Pro) is one list with name and volume; sort by clicking column headers. Entry does not get Flat list. Volumes appear after analysis. Switch back to Assembly view when you need hierarchy.

Selected vs Visibility (independent)

Each part row, left to right:

1. Selected (SelBox) — if checked, the part is included in Export Slimo3D. Unchecked parts are omitted.
2. Fit — camera fit (no stored state).
3. Visibility — show/hide the base mesh. Hidden parts can still be selected for export.
4. Active Container — one type: None, AABB, OBB, MBC, MCC.

On assembly rows, Selected and Visibility can show mixed (some children on, some off). Toggling an assembly Selected or Visibility applies to descendants.

Focus (highlight from clicking a name or picking in 3D) is separate from SelBox.

Tree apply of a container from the row menu is skipped when SelBox is off. The Containers panel can still apply a type to that row.

Choose an Active Container

Goal: Choose one replacement type for a part.

Who AABB/OBB all plans; MBC/MCC Free preview and Pro; Entry sees MBC and MCC locked.

1. Click the Active Container control on the part row.
2. Choose None, AABB, OBB, MBC, or MCC.
3. Only one type is active. The previous overlay hides.

Glyphs: not available (no analysis yet) → None ready → the icon of the active type.

Parent / child behaviour

Today, assigning a container on an assembly row is Coming soon. When that path is enabled, an ancestor with a container other than None will lock descendant SelBox and container controls. Until then, work at part level. Parent Selected / Visibility still cascade.

Multi-select

• Containers panel: click a name to highlight a row. Ctrl/Cmd+click toggles. Shift+click selects a range. Hint: Shift/Ctrl+click rows to multi-select. Right-click a row for Min volume. Radios still apply to the clicked row.
• Model Tree keyboard: Arrow Up / Arrow Down move focus (when the tree is focused, not while typing in an input).
• Picking a mesh in 3D highlights the matching Containers row when that panel is open.

Bounding containers

A boundary container is a simple solid that encloses a part. Slimo3D supports four types, plus None (keep original geometry). Min-Volume is an action that picks among those types; it is not a fifth type.

Which type to use

Keep a part as original geometry

Goal: Export the original solid for anything that must stay exact.

Who All

Set Active Container to None. Export of a selected part with None writes the original geometry.

Min-Volume (MV)

Goal: Let Slimo3D pick the smallest of AABB / OBB / MBC, and MCC only when it saves enough volume.

Who Free (preview) and Pro. Not Entry.

MCC is used only when it is at least about 5% smaller than the best of AABB / OBB / MBC. Otherwise a simpler container wins.

• Part row right-click → Min volume (one-shot). Assembly Min volume is Coming soon.
• Containers panel: Min part’s volume (toggle for all parts; toggle again to restore). Min assembly’s volume is Coming soon.
• Containers panel right-click → Min volume on that row.

A manual container change exits an active Min-Volume mode (without restoring the previous automatic choice). The old global toolbar Min-Volume button is gone. Use the panel toggles or tree right-click.

Assign types in the Containers panel

Goal: Assign types in a table instead of opening every tree menu.

Who All plans for AABB/OBB/None. MBC/MCC columns locked on Entry.

1. Click Containers on the right (toolbar bounding-box control also opens this panel).
2. Find the part (indent follows the tree; assemblies are bold).
3. Click a radio: None, AABB, OBB, MBC, or MCC.
4. Optional: Min part’s volume.

Column headers are labels only; they do not apply a type to the whole column.

Toolbar global apply

AABB, OBB, MBC, and MCC on the top toolbar apply that type to all parts. Useful as a baseline. Then refine per part.

Simplification settings → Default for the MBC/MCC toolbar button chooses whether the toolbar MBC/MCC button uses MBC or MCC. It does not change containers already set per part. Hidden on Entry.

MCC corner tolerance — max outward deviation of the MCC profile at simplified corners, as % of part size (slider 0–5%, step 0.5). Lower = tighter corners, more profile vertices, larger file. Applied on the next analysis (Recalculate analysis, or Reload for the tutorial model). Hidden on Entry.

Best-practice recipes

Fast packaging envelope

1. Load the STEP. Wait for analysis.
2. Toolbar AABB for a world-axis envelope, or OBB if the assembly is rotated.
3. Inspect outliers with Fit. Switch those parts to OBB or None.
4. Export on Entry/Pro. Assembly-level wrap is Coming soon — you are wrapping parts, not one box around the whole product, unless every part has a box.

Simulation-ready defeaturing

1. Open Flat list (Free/Pro) and sort by volume. Uncheck Selected on tiny fasteners you want omitted entirely.
2. For fasteners you must keep as placeholders, assign MBC (shanks) or AABB/OBB (heads/nuts) — Pro/Free preview for MBC and MCC; Entry use boxes only.
3. Keep load paths, contact faces, and fluid volumes as None.
4. Export only after SelBox matches what the solver should see.

Rotated machined parts

Prefer OBB over AABB. AABB will look oversized on a block that is not aligned to world XYZ.

Mixed strategy

Containers on hardware. None on functional solids. Do not wrap everything. Fewer, well-chosen containers beat an all-AABB dump.

Configurations

A configuration stores the Active Container (and related choices) for a model so you can reload them later.

Goal: Save a named setup and load it again.

Who Entry (2 per model) and Pro (5 per model). Not Free. Not the tutorial model. The model must be stored in My Models.

1. Open a library model.
2. Assign containers.
3. Open Configurations.
4. Type a Configuration name. Click Save current.
5. Slot count shows as n / limit.
6. Later: Load, Rename, or Delete.

Unavailable messages (exact):

• Free: Configurations are not available in free mode
• Tutorial: Configuration sets aren't available on the tutorial model.
• File not from My Models: Load a model from My Models to manage saved configurations.
• No entitlement: Saved configurations are available on paid plans. Upgrade to unlock this feature.

Export STEP

Goal: Download a STEP whose selected parts are boxes, MBC/MCC containers, or original solids.

Who Entry and Pro. Free cannot export.

What gets exported

• Only parts with Selected on.
• Active Container AABB / OBB / MBC / MCC → that primitive in the exported STEP.
• Active Container None → original solid.
• Unselected parts are omitted.
• Output filename: {original}_slimo.step (tutorial uses Slimo3D Tutorial Model as the base name).
• The file downloads to your computer. Export history on the Account page lists recent names; the files themselves are not stored in the account.

This is a simplified exchange file. It is not a feature-identical CAD rebuild. Use it for CAE, envelopes, and lighter sharing — then re-open it in your CAD/CAE tool.

How to export

1. Finish analysis. Wait until Export Slimo3D is enabled (not greyed).
2. Check Selected only on parts you want.
3. Set Active Containers.
4. Click Export Slimo3D.
5. If you are on the tutorial model and your plan has a daily cap, confirm This export counts toward your daily limit. Buttons: Cancel or Export anyway. Text: the tutorial model is free to explore and does not count toward uploads or storage; this export uses 1 of your daily exports.
6. Wait for Export started (N objects). then Export completed: filename.

Plan gates and messages

Blocked export dialogs offer Return to account and Log out.

Account and files

You need an account. The product is used in the browser at slimo3d.com. There is no desktop install. Prices on the site are in EUR excluding VAT where applicable. There is no separate free trial: the Free plan is the trial. You can start without a credit card.

Sign up

Goal: Create an account and reach the viewer.

Who All

1. Open slimo3d.com and choose Sign up or Try Slimo3D free.
2. Choose Continue with Google, or fill Email and Password.
3. Password rule: at least 8 characters with letters and numbers.
4. Accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
5. Optionally keep product updates emails enabled.
6. Choose Create account.

If you clicked Start Entry or Start Pro on the landing page, signup can show Subscribe to Entry or Subscribe to Pro with Annual / Monthly before Stripe checkout. Annual is shown first.

Log in

1. Open Log in.
2. Use Continue with Google, or Email + Password.
3. Remember me is on by default.
4. Choose Log in.

Forgot password? Use Forgot password? on the login page. If the account exists and uses email/password, a reset link is sent (the success message does not confirm whether the address exists). If the account is Google-only, you are told to continue with Google. After you sign in, you can add a password under Sign-in methods on the Account page.

Account page

After login, Account (viewer header) or account.html opens My Account.

• Profile — email, member since, Sign-in methods, product-updates emails. Export my data and Delete account under Data & privacy.
• Subscription plan — current plan, status, next billing. Free: Upgrade plan. Paid: Change plan and Manage billing.
• Plan description — Available features, and (paid) Get boost. Free shows No Boosts.
• Usage — Exports today, Models uploaded, Storage used.
• My Models — Tutorial Model, Upload model, table of files. Pro also gets Folders.
• Export history — recent downloads. Files were saved to your device; they are not stored in the account. Clear history only clears the list.

If a paid subscription has ended, a Read-only access banner can appear. You can view and download existing models for 30 days after the billing period ended. Upload, export, and saving new configurations are disabled.

Use Upgrade plan, Change plan, or Manage billing on the Account page. Checkout is handled by Stripe. For sales questions, email sales@slimo3d.com.

Library: upload, delete, folders

Goal: Keep STEP files, organize them, and reopen them.

Who Entry and Pro for storage. Free can only use the session and the tutorial model.

1. Account page Upload model, or Upload 3D model in the viewer (paid auto-save).
2. Status in the table: processing → completed (or failed).
3. Open a completed row in the viewer.

Delete: Click the delete control on a model row. Confirm: the model remains listed as Deleted until the stated date; the upload slot stays used until your billing period ends.

Retention: Entry 30 days, Pro 90 days. After a cancel, paid access lasts until period end, then a 30-day read-only window, then retention/purge per plan.

Folders (Pro): New folder, Rename folder. Delete a folder only when it is empty. Filter the table by folder. Unfiled for models with no folder. Move (.. on a row) sends a model to another folder. Upload can target the selected folder. Entry and Free do not get the folders column.

Watch Usage on the Account page. Buying a Boost adds slots and unlimited exports for the current billing period only.

Contact Slimo3D

Goal: Email support with optional screenshots.

Who Signed-in users. SLA depends on plan.

From the viewer: Tech support or Knowledge Center Contact support or share an idea. From Account: Contact support. Public page: contact.html — support@slimo3d.com and sales@slimo3d.com.

Dialog title: Contact Slimo3D.

1. Choose Category: Technical support, Bug report, Feature request / idea, Billing, Other.
2. From is your signed-in email.
3. Subject (3–120 characters) and Message (20–4000 characters).
4. Optionally Include session context (browser, model name). Bug report checks this by default until you change it.
5. Screenshots (max 2, JPEG/PNG): Capture 3D view (the model in the viewport, not the full UI) and/or Attach image…. Capture needs a loaded model.
6. Click Send. Success: Message sent — Thanks. We will get back to you by email.

Privacy line: Screenshots are sent to Slimo3D support and may show your model.

SLA (targets, not guarantees): Free — We read every message. There is no guaranteed response time on the Free plan. Entry — We aim to reply within 48–72 hours. Pro — Priority support — we aim to reply the same business day. If send fails: Could not send your message. Please email support@slimo3d.com.

Plans and limits

Landing-page numbers (user-facing). Storage on Entry is listed as 0.5 GB on the site. See pricing on the landing page.

Boosts can be stacked in the same billing period. Each pack lasts until that period ends.

Why is this disabled?

Upgrade prompts go to the Account page (Upgrade Plan, Upgrade to Entry or Pro, MBC/MCC lock tooltips).

Troubleshooting

File won’t load. Use .stp / .step only. Check file-size and part-count limits. On paid, check Models uploaded and Storage used. A duplicate save name prompts for a new filename.

Analysis slow or failed. Wait for Analysis in progress. Check Notifications. Entry/Pro: Recalculate analysis. If you see fallback to local boxes, do not treat them as export-ready. Retry or send Capture 3D view to support.

Container missing or greyed. Analysis not finished; Entry locking MBC/MCC and MV; SelBox off (use the Containers panel); assembly row Coming soon; or no data for that type.

Export blocked. Free (upgrade); daily quota (wait or Boost); nothing selected; Entry still has MBC/MCC assigned; tutorial quota confirm.

Login. Verify email after email signup. Google-only accounts cannot reset a password — continue with Google, then add a password under Sign-in methods.

Viewer looks empty. Use Show/hide parts in the tree header.

FAQ

Glossary

AABB

Axis-Aligned Bounding Box. Box parallel to world X, Y, Z.

OBB

Oriented Bounding Box. Box aligned to the part’s principal axes.

MBC

Minimum Bounding Cylinder. Smallest circular cylinder around the part.

MCC

Minimum Convex Container. A convex profile swept along an axis — tighter than MBC on parts that are not round. The profile carries more geometry than a box or a circle, so the exported STEP is somewhat larger, though still far lighter than the original part.

MV / Min-Volume

Action that assigns the smallest suitable container (AABB/OBB/MBC, plus MCC if it saves enough). Not a fifth container type.

None

No container; original geometry on export if the part is selected.

Active Container

The single type assigned to a tree row.

SelBox / Selected

Tree control that includes or excludes a part from export. Independent of visibility.

Assembly

Group of parts and nested groups in the STEP structure.

Solid / part

Leaf geometry (typically a closed solid; some rows are open shells).

STEP

ISO 10303 CAD exchange format (.stp / .step). Slimo3D’s input and simplified output.

Defeaturing

Replacing detailed parts with simple placeholders for CAE or sharing.

Envelope

Outer box or cylinder used for packaging, clash, or layout.

Configuration

Named saved set of container assignments for a library model.

Boost

Paid add-on: extra upload slots and unlimited exports for the current billing period.

Tutorial Model

Built-in sample STEP. No upload/storage cost; exports still use daily quota.

Knowledge Center

In-viewer tours, checklists, and guides.

Export Slimo3D

Header command that downloads the simplified STEP.