Text-to-CAD

What it is

A free, MIT-licensed plugin that gives your coding agent local workflows for generating 3D models as STEP, GLB, STL or 3MF files. It is not a mesh generator: the model is a plain Python script (build123d on Open CASCADE) that the agent writes, with STEP as the main output. You can also ask it for design-for-manufacturing checks, engineering drawings and printability checks (DfAM Check measures wall thickness, overhangs, support volume and build orientation).

Setup

1. CAD runs through uv. Check you have it, and install it from uv's installer if it is missing.

   uv --versionCopy

2. Easiest: send this message to your agent.

   Install text-to-cad from https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cadCopy

3. Claude Code, manual install (then restart the app; the first start downloads CAD's runtime, so you need a network connection):

   claude plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad#latestCopy
   claude plugin install text-to-cad@earthtojakeCopy

4. Codex: install from Codex's plugin directory (the README links it), or use the manual commands:

   codex plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad --ref latestCopy
   codex plugin add text-to-cad@earthtojakeCopy

5. Any other agent, skills only (install the plugin or the skills in an app, not both):

   npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad#latestCopy

6. Ask for a part, for example the README's own example prompt: "Design a 50 mm aluminum L-bracket with two M5 holes".

7. Windows 11: read the Smart App Control note below before step 3.

Cheat sheet

• Repository and README and the docs site.
• Windows 11 catch: Smart App Control blocks the unsigned native module the CAD kernel uses, and every cadgen command then fails with ImportError: DLL load failed while importing OCP. Either turn Smart App Control off (Settings › Privacy & security › Windows Security › App & browser control › Smart App Control settings; once off, it can only be turned back on by reinstalling Windows) or run the CAD skills under WSL.
• The repo has real examples to read first, such as models/examples/src/l_bracket.py (an 80 × 50 × 58 mm L-bracket), a spur gear, a shaft collar and a phone holder.
• DfAM Check and DFM are checks you ask for. The DFM skill's own docs say it is not a manufacturing certification engine, so treat the results as a guided review.
• Anonymous usage analytics are off until you accept; DO_NOT_TRACK=1 keeps them off. The step.parts skill sends your search terms to step.parts, the same author's hosted parts catalog. The plugin also checks for a new version once a day (anonymous, on by default); CADGEN_UPDATE_CHECK=0 turns that off.
• The README does not publish speed or accuracy numbers, so check each part yourself.
• Costs: the plugin is free. Your agent's own usage applies.

Axo's take

AXO

Haven't run it myself: this page comes from the project's README and docs. Try it if your 3D printer only prints other people's designs. Windows 11 users: check Smart App Control first.