Start with the finished object, then work backwards
Draw the complete object in its intended position. Mark the front, the surfaces visitors can touch, the mounting points and the route by which it enters the room. A single overall dimension is useful, but it does not explain a projecting antenna, a delicate roof or a base that must pass through a doorway.
Prusa’s design guidance explains that orientation and splitting can change the printing approach. For your job, ask the manufacturer to propose the split against the actual geometry and available equipment. A layout chosen only to fit a printer can leave an awkward seam across the most visible face.
Separate permanent assembly from parts that must come apart later. The first decision concerns how the finished model is made; the second concerns how someone will pack, carry and install it after delivery.
Choose a split line you can explain
| Candidate split | Possible advantage | Question to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Existing panel boundary | The joint follows a line already present in the design. | Will the panel remain removable, or become a permanent join? |
| Hidden underside | The presentation face may stay visually continuous. | Can the assembler reach and inspect the joint? |
| Change in colour or finish | A natural visual break can make the division easier to describe. | Who applies the finish, and at what assembly stage? |
| Transport module | The model becomes a set of manageable pieces. | How are the modules aligned and supported at the venue? |
None of these locations automatically makes a good joint. Mark a preferred line and an acceptable alternative on a screenshot. Identify areas where a seam would be unacceptable, such as across lettering or through a face being used to judge appearance.
Give every connection an assembly job
A joint may need to locate two pieces, hold them together, transfer handling loads or allow repeated removal. Write down those jobs separately. An alignment feature is not automatically a strong fixing, and a cosmetic seam treatment does not establish the strength of the connection.
Ask for the proposed locating and fastening method to be shown before manufacture. Check the direction of assembly: can the second piece actually slide into position once the first is mounted? Leave room for fingers or tools where the agreed connection needs access. Mark any mating faces that must stay free of cosmetic finishing.
If several similar pieces exist, give them simple identifiers and an assembly order. Put the identifiers on a drawing or hidden face. This is especially helpful when the person unpacking the model did not approve the CAD.
Work through one split layout
The quotation review now has specific questions. Will locating features cross those boundaries? Does their added length change the space each printed component occupies? Which of the two joins will face the visitor? Can the middle section be replaced without damaging the ends?
If the shell must travel assembled, check the complete packed envelope. If it travels in three pieces, request the packed envelope of each protected component plus the base and loose fittings. Dividing one dimension by three does not divide packaging volume, assembly work or price by three.
Review the dry assembly before committing to appearance
Agree a checkpoint for bringing the pieces together before the final visible finish, when the proposed workflow allows it. Check alignment, overall dimensions, mounting position and access. Photograph the assembly from the intended viewing directions so a hidden gap is not confused with a presentation problem.
Record whether delivery includes loose printed pieces, an assembled model or a finished and packed display. For visible seams, use the display-finish guide to describe the required appearance. A request to “join everything neatly” leaves both the assembly boundary and the acceptance decision unclear.
Copy this large-model brief
Use scale-model printing to discuss the components, and include the file handover details before requesting a manufacturing plan.
Sources and further reading
Primary references checked on 26 September 2026. These explain the relevant concepts; they do not establish our current inventory or a quoted capability.