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3D & design

text-to-cad

Lets an AI assistant design 3D parts from a description, ready for 3D printing or manufacturing.

Fast-rising

What it does

CAD (computer-aided design) software is used to design physical objects. text-to-cad is a plugin that lets AI assistants such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or Gemini create 3D models on your computer and save them in common file types for 3D printing and manufacturing.

It can also check whether a design can actually be made, create engineering drawings, and connect to 3D printing, sheet metal and CNC machining services. It includes a viewer for looking at the models.

By default it sends anonymous usage stats and crash reports. Its makers say these never include your files, paths or prompts, and you can turn them off.

Who it's for

Makers, engineers and hobbyists who design physical parts and use AI assistants.

Can I use it without coding?

With some setup. You can ask your AI assistant to install it. It needs the uv tool and an internet connection on first start. New to this? Start here.

Can I run it?

Cost
Free, but needs an AI accountThe software is free, but it uses an online AI service (like OpenAI or Anthropic), which usually charges for use.
Privacy
Sends what you give it to an online service
API key
Not needed

Try it

  1. Ask your AI agent, such as Claude Code or Codex, to install text-to-cad from its GitHub page.
  2. Describe the part you want, then ask the agent to show you the 3D model.

Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?

Before you install

  • Only download from the official GitHub page. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
  • License (MIT): Very permissive: free to use, change and share, including for business.
  • What you type or upload is sent to an online service. Avoid sharing private or sensitive information.
  • More on staying safe

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