text-to-cad: Design physical products with AI.
Design physical products with AI. 100% open source and free.
curl -fsSL https://texttocad.dev/install.sh | sh
Overview
The text-to-cad plugin gives your agent local workflows for generating 3D models as STEP, GLB, STL or 3MF files. It also does design for manufacturing checks, generates engineering drawings, and connects to popular 3D printing, sheet metal and CNC fabrication services.
It is supported by all popular agents that support plugins or the skills framework, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini and Grok.
How it works
- Your agent writes each model as a Python script with build123d, built on Open CASCADE.
- Running the script,
python model.py, builds the model with cadgen's engine into an.xbfdocument (its parts, names, colours, materials and joints) and the STEP, GLB, STL or 3MF files the script declares. The engine keeps each model's work in memory, so an edit rebuilds only what it changed. - The CAD viewer shows the model in your agent app or your browser, and follows every rebuild.
Skills
Install the library to give agents focused workflows for CAD, fabrication, robot description files, simulation, and local review.
CAD
skills/cad
Creates and edits CAD models from plain-language or image requests as Python scripts, built into XBF documents with STEP, STL, 3MF and GLB exports.
step.parts
skills/step-parts
Finds off-the-shelf STEP parts like screws, bearings, motors, and connectors.
Engineering Drawing
skills/engineering-drawing
Dimensioned engineering drawings from a part, as a PDF: views, hidden lines, dimensions, hole callouts, title block.
DXF
skills/dxf
Creates 2D DXF drawings like profiles, templates, gaskets, and cut layouts from Python sources or CAD geometry.
URDF
skills/urdf
Writes robot structure files with links, joints, limits, inertials, and meshes.
SRDF
skills/srdf
Adds MoveIt planning groups, end effectors, poses, and collision rules to a URDF.
SDF
skills/sdf
Creates simulator models and worlds with frames, physics, sensors, and lights.
SendCutSend
skills/sendcutsend
Checks DXF and STEP files before upload to SendCutSend.
DfAM Check
skills/dfam-check
Measures mesh printability per process: wall thickness, overhangs, support volume, and build orientation.
DFM
skills/dfm
Reviews a part for sheet metal, CNC machining, or injection molding, with measured evidence and the cited rule behind every finding.
G-code
skills/gcode
Slices models into printer-ready G-code with OrcaSlicer, using your own printer presets.
Bambu Labs
skills/bambu-labs
Sends prints to Bambu Lab printers through Bambu Connect, Bambu Lab's official app, or Bambu Studio.
Contributing
text-to-cad is MIT-licensed and built in the open.
Bugs and plugin requests
A bug report with the model script and the output of
cadgen doctoris the fastest to fix, and an agent app without a plugin gets one on request. A security problem is reported privately, as SECURITY.md says.Questions, ideas and what you made
Say what the skills got wrong, too: that is what improves them.
Code, skills and models
A new skill (a fabrication service, a printer, a CAD workflow) goes in
skills/, an example model inmodels/, and fixes anywhere. The contributing guide has the local setup and how to test in the agent apps.