A computer-implemented method for building a three-dimensional object with a rapid manufacturing system, the method comprising: aligning a principal axis of inertia of a computer-aided design, or CAD model, of the three-dimensional object with a vertical axis of a coordinate system, and repeating the alignment for a plurality of principal axes of inertia thereby positioning the CAD model in a plurality of axially-aligned orientations in the coordinate system; calculating a pivot axis for the CAD model positioned at each one of the axially-aligned orientations based in part on the center of mass of the CAD model; rotating the CAD model around the pivot axis based on the center of mass of the CAD model for positioning the CAD model from the plurality of axially-aligned orientations around the pivot axis to second spatial orientations in the coordinate system wherein the CAD model is positionally stable in each of the second spatial orientations such that the three-dimensional object is vertically or horizontally supported in each of said second spatial orientations and thus resistant to falling over in each of the second spatial orientations; analyzing the CAD model in the second spatial orientations based on one or more rapid manufacturing build property criteria to provide analyzed results corresponding to each second spatial orientation for identifying a final spatial orientation for building the three-dimensional object; comparing the analyzed results to identify the final optimal spatial orientation of the CAD model from the second spatial orientations for building the three-dimensional object based on the one or more rapid manufacturing build property criteria for optimizing build performance during rapid manufacturing; slicing the CAD model in the final spatial orientation into a plurality of sliced layers; generating build paths for the sliced layers; and building the three-dimensional object with a rapid manufacturing system based on the build paths for the sliced layers in the final spatial orientation. aligning a principal axis of inertia of a computer-aided design, or CAD model, of the three-dimensional object with a vertical axis of a coordinate system, and repeating the alignment for a plurality of principal axes of inertia thereby positioning the CAD model in a plurality of axially-aligned orientations in the coordinate system; calculating a pivot axis for the CAD model positioned at each one of the axially-aligned orientations based in part on the center of mass of the CAD model; rotating the CAD model around the pivot axis based on the center of mass of the CAD model for positioning the CAD model from the plurality of axially-aligned orientations around the pivot axis to second spatial orientations in the coordinate system wherein the CAD model is positionally stable in each of the second spatial orientations such that the three-dimensional object is vertically or horizontally supported in each of said second spatial orientations and thus resistant to falling over in each of the second spatial orientations; analyzing the CAD model in the second spatial orientations based on one or more rapid manufacturing build property criteria to provide analyzed results corresponding to each second spatial orientation for identifying a final spatial orientation for building the three-dimensional object; comparing the analyzed results to identify the final optimal spatial orientation of the CAD model from the second spatial orientations for building the three-dimensional object based on the one or more rapid manufacturing build property criteria for optimizing build performance during rapid manufacturing; slicing the CAD model in the final spatial orientation into a plurality of sliced layers; generating build paths for the sliced layers; and building the three-dimensional object with a rapid manufacturing system based on the build paths for the sliced layers in the final spatial orientation.