AXLEKEYSBETAStudio is where a model starts as an idea, file, prompt, or imported object — then becomes a structured, configurable CAD model with parts, parameters, materials, validation, outputs, and publishing options.
Studio is private by default. A project becomes public only when you explicitly share, publish, or connect it to a public surface.
The Studio workflow
The workflow is not always linear. A model may go through several rounds of editing, validation, repair, and review before it is ready to move forward.
Studio can be understood through five main views of the same project lifecycle.
The assistant layer. Describe a task, explain the goal, request changes, ask questions, or coordinate an agent-assisted workflow. Good requests include what you want to build, key dimensions, selected System, constraints, and what should stay unchanged.
Where the model context lives. Manage project name, selected System, files, references, notes, version history, validation reports, publishing status, and export history. Project is the memory of the model.
Where the object is created and shaped. Work with the 3D model view, geometry, proportions, part relationships, assemblies, imported geometry, and System-specific design rules.
Where the important choices become editable. Adjust width, height, depth, material thickness, spacing, count, layout, finish, and System-specific values. Expose the controls that matter — not every internal detail.
Where the project moves toward output. Review named parts, materials, cut lists, part lists, assembly information, drawings, CAD exports, and job outputs. Make does not mean fabrication-ready — it means the model is being organised for review or output.
Choose a System when you know the type of object you are creating. Cabinet Systems for casework, closets, and panel objects. T-Slot Systems for extrusion frames, carts, fixtures, and enclosures. Open Design for flexible concepts, early ideas, or imported model cleanup.
View Systems →Describe the object clearly. A strong prompt includes the object type, rough dimensions, material assumptions, important features, constraints, and output goal. Specific prompts produce more useful first drafts than open-ended requests.
Open Studio →Examples show correct System selection, expected structure, useful parameters, part naming, and output format. Use examples from Docs and System pages to learn from real workflows.
Read Docs →Reference images, sketches, PDFs, drawings, manuals, CAD files, imported geometry, or markdown instructions. Assign clear file roles so people and agents know how each file should be used.
Real work often begins outside Axle Keys. Import a SketchUp model, STEP file, DAE, OBJ, STL, DXF, or other reference. Imported geometry may need cleanup — the goal is to turn imported information into structured project context.
Parameters allow a model to change without being rebuilt from scratch. They turn a static model into a configurable object.
What makes a good parameter
Good parameters are understandable, named clearly, connected to visible changes, constrained to safe ranges, and appropriate for the user. Internal values can exist — they should not be exposed as public controls unless they are genuinely useful.
Good: Cabinet Width: 36 inBad: internal_offset_x_07: 1.375
Parameter changes before code changes
If a model already has good parameters, change the parameters before changing code. Parameter changes are safer, faster, easier to validate, and easier to undo. Use code changes when the model structure itself needs to change — adding new parts, fixing broken geometry, changing System structure, or exposing new parameters.
Three parameter tiers
A buildable object is more than an outside shape. Studio should expose the parts, materials, and outputs that make a model useful.
A model can look correct while still having incorrect parts.
Don't label a model fabrication-ready unless it has been properly reviewed.
Validation
Validation helps identify problems before a model moves forward. It may include build status, syntax errors, geometry errors, missing parts, invalid parameters, material warnings, System-specific warnings, and fabrication-readiness notes. Validation does not replace professional review — it is one layer of review.
Drafts, versions, and repair
When an agent or user makes a meaningful change, stage it as a draft when possible. The safest workflow:
A good repair process reads the error, inspects the current model, identifies the smallest fix, creates a draft, validates, and promotes only if the fix works. Avoid rebuilding the whole model when a small repair is enough.
Every Studio action can be called by an agent through MCP — read project context, create drafts, validate changes, update parameters, and run export jobs.
A model can move to public surfaces when the user chooses. Publishing should make visibility, ownership, and file exposure clear.
Public discovery — useful to someone browsing the platform. Review title, description, public preview, System label, public parameters, and whether any private files are hidden.
Customer-facing product presentation — more controlled than Exhibition. Review public product name, customer-facing description, public parameters, material options, inquiry workflow, and whether the product is ready for customer interaction.
Open Studio, choose a System, and create a configurable model. Or read the FAQ if you have questions about how the platform works.