With the many features it brings to the table without any cost associated with it, Cura is the go-to slicer of many 3D printing enthusiasts in the community.
As Cura boasts a large set of features and parameters that are expanding by the day, it’s not always easy to keep on top of everything the slicer can offer, even for the experienced 3D printing enthusiasts out there.
Because of this, today, our topic will be one of the lesser-used features of Cura that we believe will drastically increase your experience with the slicer, which is rotation.
So, how can you rotate the models and your view in Cura?
To rotate a model in Cura, all you have to do is select it by clicking on it, press the R key on your keyboard, and drag the axes you want to rotate the model on with your mouse.
Rotating your view in Cura is even simpler, as all you need to do is hold the Right Mouse Button down and drag your mouse around.
Next up, we will take a deeper look at model rotation, reasons for rotating a model, view rotation, and other rotation-related features Cura offers.
Table of Contents
How to Rotate Models in Cura?
Cura allows you to rotate your models along the X, Y, and Z axes effortlessly with the rotate tool.
Here are the steps we recommend taking to rotate a model in Cura:
- Import your model.
- Click on the model you would like to rotate with your mouse.
- Press the R button on the keyboard, or pick the third option from the left menu to activate the rotation tool.
- At this point, you will see red, green, and blue lines, with each corresponding to an individual axis. You will also notice arrows that show the direction of the axis, which serves as a guide.
- Click and hold the axis line you would like to rotate your model on, and drag your mouse in the direction of either arrow you see on the axis. As you rotate the model, you will see a tooltip that shows the degrees of rotation you have performed on the model.
- When you’re satisfied with the rotation, let go of the Left Mouse Button to conclude the action.
You will notice that your object is rotating in increments in 15 degrees due to the Snap Rotation feature, which is enabled by default.
If you uncheck this box (you can find it on the left menu), you will be able to rotate your model in increments of 1 degree instead, which will allow you to have a higher level of control over the rotation.
How to Rotate View in Cura?
Rotating your view is also as simple as the click of a button in Cura, which you can use to take a better look at the models and your printing space.
There are two different methods you can use to rotate your view in Cura:
- Mouse rotation – To rotate your view in Cura with the mouse, hold the Right Mouse Button and drag the mouse in the direction you want to rotate your view. You can use this method to rotate your view in both X and Y axes freely.
- Keyboard rotation – To rotate your view in Cura with the keyboard, use the arrow keys on your keyboard. While the up and down arrow keys allow you to rotate your view in the Y-axis, the left and right arrow keys are responsible for the X-axis.
Between the two, we recommend using mouse rotation whenever possible.
Mouse rotation allows you to have more control over how quickly you want to rotate the view, whereas, with keyboard rotation, the rotation speed is limited even if you hold the arrow keys down at all times.
When Should You Rotate Your Model in Cura?
While rotating a model may not seem necessary at first, it’s a process that can bring incredible benefits to the printing process.
Here are some use cases where rotating your model comes in handy:
- Reduce the number of overhangs. Everyone knows overhangs can be a pain to print, and in some cases, it’s possible to get rid of them or reducing their number by rotating the model.
- Reduce the number of bridges. Similar to overhangs, bridges are also problematic to print. Fortunately, it’s also possible to eliminate some bridges by rotating the model if the shape allows it.
- Increase the surface area. If you plan on printing multiple models at once, you will need as much printing space as possible. In some cases, it’s possible to flip a model and cause the model to take up more space in the Z-axis rather than the XY axes.
How Do You Lay Something Flat in Cura?
Laying an object flat is another rotation-related feature Cura offers which you can activate with the click of a button.
Here are the steps you can take to lay an object flat in Cura:
- Import your model.
- Click on the model you would like to rotate with your mouse.
- Press the R button on the keyboard, or pick the third option from the left menu to activate the rotation tool.
- Press the middle option (lay flat) in the rotation menu (the horizontal menu that pops up next to the vertical one when you activate the rotation tool).
When done correctly, your model should lay the object down on the build plate on its flattest part, which comes in handy if you’re struggling to lay the model flat by rotating it yourself.
How Do You Flip a Part in Cura?
You can flip a part in Cura with the rotation tool, as flipping an object is technically the same as rotating it 180 degrees.
To flip a part in Cura, activate the rotation tool (click your model and hit R on your keyboard), and drag the axis in the direction you want to flip your model until you hit 180 (or -180) degrees of angle.
We recommend using the Snap Rotation feature for flipping as it will make it easier for you to hit 180 degrees and stay there.
How to Mirror Objects in Cura?
The last rotation-related feature we will be talking about is mirroring an object in Cura, which is also a fairly straightforward action to perform.
- Import your model.
- Click on the model you would like to rotate with your mouse.
- Press the M button on the keyboard, or pick the fourth option from the left menu to activate the mirror tool.
- You will see six arrows that correspond to the directions of each axis (2 arrows for each axis) when you activate the mirror tool.
- Click the arrow that corresponds to the axis and direction you want to mirror your model in the direction of, and Cura will mirror the object.
Wrapping Up
The ability to rotate a model comes in extremely handy in some situations, such as when it’s possible to reduce the number of overhangs and bridges by merely pivoting it and causing the printing process to go a lot smoother as a result.
On the other hand, while rotating your view is a quality-of-life feature that doesn’t impact the printing process directly, the level of control it brings to the table is undeniable.
Fortunately, Cura makes it a breeze to both rotate your view and the model you’re printing, providing a great deal of flexibility.
We hope that this guide has been enjoyable and easy to follow, and we will see you next time!
Mike started his 3D printing journey with the Anet A8 when it first came out back in 2017, and has been obsessed with 3D printers ever since. Nowadays, he primarily uses his Ender 3 to print functional parts that make his life more convenient whenever possible.