Subtract: cut holes
Place a cylinder where a hole should go and subtract it. The door and windows of the cottage in the model gallery were cut this way.
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Boolean Operations on 3D Models, Online
Select two meshes in the VIZON 3D Model Creator and combine them with union, cut one from the other with subtract, or keep only their overlap with intersect.
What you can do
Union: merge parts
Combine overlapping parts into one solid mesh, for example a handle and a body before 3D printing.
Intersect: keep the overlap
Keep only the volume shared by two shapes, useful for rounded or trimmed forms.
Clean up afterwards
Bevel the new edges, smooth the shading, or separate loose parts that the cut created.
AI can do it too
Ask the AI for "a box with a round hole through it" and it uses booleans in its plan.
Undo freely
Every boolean is one undo step, so Ctrl+Z brings both parts back.
How to subtract one 3D model from another
- Open the model in the 3D Model Creator.
- Add the cutting shape from Add, for example a cylinder, and position it.
- Click the main part, then Shift-click the cutter so both are selected.
- Choose Object, Boolean, Subtract.
- Save, or download the result as GLB.
Mesh booleans versus CAD cuts
Mesh booleans work on any triangle model, which makes them ideal for imported STL and GLB files. For parts that need exact, editable holes, the VIZON CAD editor cuts with extrudes and Hole features instead, and those stay editable by number.
Made in VIZON
Real models built with these tools. Each one is free to download.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the boolean need exactly two objects?
Each operation combines a pair. Select the part you keep first, then Shift-click the second.
Can I boolean two separate STL files?
Not yet. Opening a file replaces the scene, so both shapes must be in the same model. You can add primitive shapes to any model and use those as cutters.
What if the result looks wrong?
Booleans need closed meshes. Press Ctrl+Z, check the parts overlap properly, and try again.
Related VIZON tools
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