HACKMAN3D ORBIT CONTROLLER: A FULLY 3D-PRINTABLE 6-DOF CAD MOUSE
A printable six-axis CAD controller built from four Hall-effect joysticks and an Arduino Pro Micro, recognised by the 3Dconnexion driver in Fusion 360, Blender and SolidWorks.
by HackMan3D
WorkshopOpen-hardware
Built withArduino3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- AGPL-3.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE203 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · AGPL-3.0 · 203 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
The Orbit Controller is a contactless six-degree-of-freedom navigation device built from four JH16 Hall-effect joystick modules and an Arduino Pro Micro. You flash the firmware with the NavCore board package, install the 3Dconnexion driver (3DxWare), and it is then detected as a compatible 3D navigation device in Fusion 360, Blender, SolidWorks, FreeCAD, Onshape, Inventor and Rhino; no separate Orbit app is needed. Windows, macOS and Linux are listed as supported. The firmware offers three speed profiles, adjustable dead zones, gain, smoothing, response curves, axis inversion and three configurable shortcut buttons; the joysticks self-calibrate about one second after you plug in. There is no PCB, but you do solder Dupont-ended wires to each joystick module and to the optional buttons, with heat-shrink over every joint. The knob uses TPU parts, so you need a printer that handles flexible filament. The README asks you to check that your board really is an ATmega32U4, 5 V / 16 MHz, USB-C Pro Micro before ordering. The assembly video is thorough and the parts list is exact, and the reward is a tool you will use every day if you do CAD work.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Printable parts are on MakerWorld and Creality Cloud, linked from the README.
- —Bill of materials, wiring diagram and assembly guide PDF are in the repo.
- —Arduino firmware is provided; you flash it once via USB.
- —Full 34-minute assembly video published by the creator on his own YouTube channel.
- —AGPL-3.0 licence permits commercial use with the same licence and source disclosure.
- —No PCB required: off-the-shelf modules wired with Dupont jumpers, soldered to the joystick and button pins.
Parts to buy
4 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Je fabrique mon Orbit Controller DIY — Une souris 3D Open Source ! (French)34:22
34-minute assembly walkthrough published by the creator 17 July 2026, linked directly from the README
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Download the printable parts from MakerWorld or Creality Cloud (links in the README) (Print the base, electronics carrier, button module, top cover and knob parts; the knob grip and the four joystick balls are TPU)
- 2.Order the electronics: 1x Arduino Pro Micro (ATmega32U4, 5 V / 16 MHz, USB-C), 4x JH16 hall-effect joystick modules, optional 3x mechanical keyboard switches, Dupont wires and M2/M3 screws(Check the bill of materials in the repo for exact part numbers and quantities)
- 3.Watch the 34-minute assembly video before you start — it will save you from mistakes when you are wiring(The video shows the correct orientation for each joystick module and the Dupont pinout)
- 4.Follow the wiring diagram and assembly guide PDF in the repo to connect the modules(No PCB, but you solder the wires to each joystick module and button; slide heat-shrink on before soldering.)
- 5.Flash the Arduino firmware using Arduino IDE or equivalent(The firmware is in the repo; upload once, then the joysticks self-calibrate when you plug in)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a clone Arduino Pro Micro with the wrong bootloader or voltage will stop the firmware uploading — check that it is ATmega32U4, 5 V / 16 MHz, USB-C before you order.
- Wire colours matter: the assembly guide asks you to keep the recommended colours from the wiring diagram, which makes final assembly and troubleshooting much easier.
- The joysticks self-calibrate about one second after plugging in, so do not touch them during that window or the centre position will drift.
- Some slicers do not support native 3D mouse input — the firmware includes a mouse-emulation mode for Bambu Studio, Cura and PrusaSlicer, but you have to enable it.
- Some parts are TPU: the four balls on the joystick shafts and the knob grip. Print them in flexible filament, and press the TPU balls onto the joystick shafts before you mount the joysticks.
- Dupont jumpers can work loose over time — a dab of hot glue on each connection after testing will prevent intermittent dropouts.
Does it work on macOS and Linux or just Windows?
Windows, macOS and Linux are all supported — it presents as a standard USB HID 3D controller, so the operating system sees it the same way it would see a 3Dconnexion device.
Can I use it in Blender or is it only for CAD software?
It works in Blender, Fusion 360, SolidWorks, FreeCAD, Onshape, Autodesk Inventor and Rhino — anywhere a 3Dconnexion-style device works. The firmware also includes a mouse-emulation mode for slicers such as Bambu Studio, Cura and PrusaSlicer.
Do I have to solder anything or is it all plug-and-play?
Yes. There is no PCB, but the assembly guide has you cut one connector off each Dupont wire and solder it to the joystick module pins (and to the optional buttons), with heat-shrink slid on before soldering. The Dupont ends then plug into the Arduino Pro Micro.
How does it compare to a commercial SpaceMouse, and can I sell builds?
The creator does not publish a total parts cost; the BOM lists one Arduino Pro Micro, four JH16 Hall-effect joysticks, optional switches, Dupont wires, heat-shrink and screws, and links a complete component kit. The repository is AGPL-3.0, but the printable parts on MakerWorld and Creality Cloud may carry their own licence, so check those pages before selling builds.
What happens if one of the joystick modules fails?
Hall-effect modules sense position without contact, so there are no potentiometer tracks to wear. If a module does fail, you can replace it: open the case, desolder or cut the wires from the old module and solder the new one in the same order as the wiring diagram.
Community builds
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Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Four Hall-effect joysticks, a Pro Micro and a printed shell, and it shows up in Fusion 360, Blender or FreeCAD as a 3D mouse. If you already do CAD work, would contactless joysticks alone be worth the weekend?
HackMan3D
HackMan3D published the Orbit Controller on GitHub on 1 July 2026 as an open-source alternative to commercial 6-DOF navigation devices. The project shipped with the Arduino firmware, a wiring diagram, an assembly guide PDF and a 34-minute assembly video on his own YouTube channel.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the printable parts are hosted on MakerWorld and Creality Cloud rather than in the repo itself, which is standard for many 3D-printing projects but means you follow the links from the README. Everything else is in the repo: firmware, a BOM and an assembly guide as PDFs, a wiring diagram and pinout, and a tuning guide. The assembly video, in French, is published by the creator on his own channel. Before ordering, check that your board really is a Pro Micro with an ATmega32U4, 5 V / 16 MHz and USB-C, as the README specifies. You need the NavCore board package in the Arduino IDE to upload the firmware, and then the 3Dconnexion driver (3DxWare) to use the controller. If an axis drifts or moves the wrong way, the README's tuning and troubleshooting section and TUNING_GUIDE.md cover dead zones, gain and axis inversion. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.