text-to-cad

text-to-cad is an open-source plugin published by GitHub user earthtojake and run by Thompson Labs LLC. The README says it gives agents local workflows for generating 3D models. Describe a part in words or with an image and it produces models in formats such as STEP, STL, GLB and 3MF, along with engineering drawings, DXF files and manufacturability checks. The plugin ships 12 public Skills covering CAD modelling, engineering drawings, robot description files (URDF, SRDF, SDF), G-code, 3D-printing checks, and preparing files for SendCutSend and Bambu Lab. All the CAD computation happens on your own computer, with no cloud generation step. It installs into Claude Code and Codex, and also supports Cursor, Gemini, Grok and other tools.

Who it's for:People doing product design, 3D printing or small mechanical builds who already work with an AI coding assistant. Readers who don't write code won't get much from it.

Before you start: You need Python 3.11+, Node 20+ and uv; you can install it with npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad#latest, which downloads CAD dependencies. We only recommend using it on macOS, Linux or WSL on Windows. For a direct install on Windows 11, the README suggests turning off Smart App Control for the whole system, and once it's off you have to reinstall Windows to turn it back on; we don't recommend this. By default the tools send a random install ID, version, OS and error details to the operator, which says file names, file contents and prompts aren't sent; you can turn this off with uvx cadgen telemetry off, and we suggest you do. It checks for updates online at most once a day, and part-search terms go to step.parts. The SendCutSend and Bambu Lab Skills only check files locally or hand them to the official software, and you place orders or press Print yourself; outside manufacturing services may charge, so check their sites. The code is MIT-licensed.

Based on the project's public documentation. Not tested by AI Inspiration World.