Woo3D
A solo-built WooCommerce plugin — product design, architecture, implementation, testing, and delivery by a single developer — that turns 3D printing service quoting into a guided online purchase. Customers upload STL files, see a live 3D preview, adjust material and infill settings, receive an instant price, and proceed to checkout.
Project facts
- Role
- I translated the commercial quoting process into the product, then built the plugin, calculator, 3D viewer, licensing, and WooCommerce integration.
- Timeline
- December 2025–January 2026 · Independent plugin build
- Team
- Solo project · 1 developer
The Challenge
3D printing service pricing is complex. Each model has a unique volume, different materials cost differently, print time varies with infill and geometry, and machine wear must be factored in. Manual quoting is slow and error-prone, making it hard to offer a seamless online purchase experience.
Key decision
Measure STL volume in the browser with the Three.js viewer so pricing can stay immediate without server-side geometry processing.
Approach
Built a WordPress plugin with a Three.js-powered STL viewer for model preview and volume extraction — the viewer doubles as a volume measurement tool so pricing is accurate without server-side model processing. A JavaScript calculator computes material cost from measured volume and density, calculates machine cost from estimated print time using configurable printer parameters, and applies volume-based discount tiers. WooCommerce integration stores order data in session and creates products at checkout. An optional Firebase-backed license verification server, hosted on Vercel, controls PRO feature access for printer parameters and automated draft product cleanup.
Key Highlights
- Three.js STL viewer with volume extraction and print time estimation
- Multi-material pricing engine with volume-based discount tiers
- WooCommerce session-based order flow from upload to checkout
- Admin panel for filament management, printer parameters, and appearance
- Firebase-verified license system for PRO feature gating
- i18n translation system for multilingual frontend labels
Architecture
- WordPress plugin (PHP) with full WooCommerce hook integration
- Three.js with STLLoader for browser-based 3D model rendering
- JavaScript calculator for material cost, machine cost, and discount computation
- Vercel-hosted Firebase license verification API
- Admin settings dashboard with filament, printer, appearance, and license tabs
- WordPress cron task for automated draft product cleanup
Outcome
A complete plugin implementation that turns manual 3D printing quotes into a self-service WooCommerce purchase flow, with optional license-gated PRO settings.
Inside the product
