cad-studio
Native macOS CAD studio powered by Claude: describe a part, get a printable model.
What it does and how it connects
CAD Studio is a native macOS CAD studio powered by the coding agent on the user's Mac, Claude Code or Codex, with build123d. The user describes a part and the agent writes a parametric model.py, runs it with build123d, and hands back a 3D model, an ISO technical drawing and files ready for the slicer. Every change is a new version the user can go back to.
The app includes a live 3D viewer with orbit, zoom, pan, grid, wireframe and multi-color 3MF parts, distance measurement and section cuts, mechanism animation with a physics simulation and per-frame collision checks, multi-part models in assembled, exploded or print-plate views, a floating parameter panel with sliders, and ISO technical drawings with one sheet per part as a multi-page PDF. Reference images, sketches, PDFs and STEP or STL files can be attached to the chat, and export covers STEP, 3MF, STL, the PDF drawing and model.py as one ZIP.
CAD Studio runs the user's installed agent in headless mode inside the project folder, with a CAD system prompt that asks for a single parametric model.py. Generations use the user's Claude Code or Codex plan; the README notes a simple part takes one to two minutes and a complex mechanism can take half an hour. Requirements are macOS 15 or later, Claude Code or Codex signed in, and uv or Python 3.10 to 3.13. The app is not notarized, so the first launch needs an Open Anyway click in System Settings.
Alternatives
Compare side by side- tau
A browser-based, multi-kernel CAD platform with a natural-language interface, rather than a native macOS studio driven by the user's own coding agent.
- kernelCAD-web
Agent-native CAD that keeps the design as editable .kcad.ts source with hosted MCP access, rather than a native macOS studio driven by the user's own coding agent.
- voice-to-3d-print
AI-first parametric CAD from chat or voice through to 3D-print preparation, rather than a native macOS studio driven by the user's own coding agent.
- cad-cae-copilot
An MCP-capable CAD and CAE workbench that writes real build123d geometry and continues into simulation, rather than a native macOS studio driven by the user's own coding agent.
- Varen-AI-CAD
An AI CAD modeling agent that plans a BOM, asks structured questions and builds an assembled STEP, rather than a native macOS studio driven by the user's own coding agent.
Sources
Not verified
- Pricing: none stated on the repo; generations use the user's own Claude Code or Codex plan.
- Real user voices: no real linked post read for this page.
- Related Error Index entries: no matching entry verified (the live error map has no CAD Studio entries).
Last verified November 6, 2026. Listings are informational. The evidence score measures public, verifiable evidence and is not an endorsement or a compatibility claim.