A better first print.

1. Check the board and the fit

Choose the template that matches your electronics: Raspberry Pi Pico, Pi Zero / Zero 2 W, Pi 4 Model B, Pi 5, ESP32 DevKitC V4, or ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1. The model's notes explain its supported board and any approximate features.

Measure your actual board, connectors, and add-ons. ESP32 boards in particular vary between manufacturers; use the adjustable board dimensions and USB positions where available. Preview the assembled case and use Inspect to look through the shell.

• Case dimensions are outside dimensions, including the walls and lid.
• Leave room for cable plugs, headers, and components above or below the board.
• Use the 2D drawing and print footprint to check dimensions and bed space.
• Switch to Print layout to see how the printable parts will be arranged.

2. Tune the fit for your printer

Small calibration prints save time and material. Select a test from the Calibration section of the model menu before printing a full enclosure or folding box.

Screw test coupon

Print the coupon and try the self-tapping screws you intend to use. Choose the pilot hole that grips without splitting the post. Record the M2 and M2.5 results in the app and save a material profile.

Hinge test strip

For folding boxes, print the test strip with your intended filament and layer height. Let it cool, then fold each tab and record whether it survives, whitens, or cracks. Use Recommend settings to choose a bend length and clearance. The pin tab helps you check whether a print-in-place hinge is stuck, free, or too loose.

If a lid is too tight or loose, adjust clearance in small steps, such as 0.1 mm, and print a test. Use the same printer, filament, and slicer settings for the final part.

3. Export and apply slicer settings

3MF keeps printed parts as separate named objects and includes CaseTinker's print recommendations. STL combines the print layout into one mesh. Both export in millimetres, even if you designed using inches.

Open the file in your slicer, choose your printer and filament, check the layer preview, and apply the recommendations shown in the app. The reference bed is 256 × 256 mm; compare the footprint with your own printer's usable area.

A CaseTinker 3MF contains geometry and recommendations. It does not automatically configure your slicer's printer, filament, supports, or layer height.

For the default 0.4 mm folding hinge, a 0.2 mm layer height makes the hinge two layers thick. If you change layer height, choose a hinge thickness that is a whole number of layers. Treat defaults as a starting point and confirm them with a test print.

4. Keep the intended print orientation

Electronics enclosures and rigid boxes

Follow the model-specific guidance under the print footprint. Most bases print open side up, with a separate lid plate against the bed. Hinged enclosure lids use a different orientation: keep the joined assembly as exported and gently free the hinge after printing.

Check cable openings, ventilation slots, screw posts, and lid engagement in the slicer's layer preview. Use the screw length shown by the app for corner-screw lids, and check its fit against your board and hardware.

Folding boxes

Keep the exported flat layout on the bed. Where possible, orient the bottom-layer lines across fold lines; lines parallel to the fold can separate. Avoid adding a brim across hinges or pin knuckles. Let the print cool before removing it and fold slowly.

PETG is a useful starting material for the supplied folding designs, but repeated folds and different filaments need testing. If the test strip cracks, try a longer bend, a thinner hinge with matching layer height, or a more flexible filament.

5. Save the settings that worked

Save a named design to keep its customization in this browser. Download the editable design file as a backup or import it on another device. A share link opens a copy of the model settings; later edits do not change that copy.

On casetinker.com, saved designs and custom material profiles stay in your browser on this device. Clearing browser data removes them. Keep a downloaded design file for anything you want to retain.