text-to-cad
An open source plugin that gives AI coding agents local workflows for generating 3D CAD models from text, with design for manufacturing checks and engineering drawings.
Summary rewritten from the vendor site because the catalog version did not match it.
What it does and how it connects
text-to-cad is an open source plugin and skill library that gives AI coding agents 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 3D printing, sheet metal, and CNC fabrication services. It is supported by Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, and Grok, and any agent that supports the skills framework.
It works by having the agent write each model as a Python script with build123d, built on the Open CASCADE geometry kernel. Running the script builds the model through the text-to-cad server into an .xbf document plus whatever STEP, GLB, STL, or 3MF files the script declares, and a CAD viewer in the agent app or browser follows every rebuild. In the Codex app the plugin adds a CAD tab beside each thread that the agent drives.
Beyond modeling, the twelve skills cover finding off-the-shelf STEP parts, dimensioned engineering drawing PDFs, DXF profiles and cut layouts, URDF robot descriptions, SendCutSend pre-upload checks, DfAM printability measurements, DFM reviews for sheet metal, CNC machining, and injection molding with measured evidence and cited rules, OrcaSlicer G-code slicing, and Bambu Lab printing. It runs entirely locally with no backend required, and it is MIT licensed. It is not Zoo's commercial Text-to-CAD product, which is a separate product with the same name.
Alternatives
Compare side by side- freecad-mcp (neka-nat)
The most widely used FreeCAD MCP server, with an addon plus server split and FEM analysis, rather than a text-to-CAD plugin built on build123d.
- PartCAD
A package manager for parametric CAD parts versioned through git, rather than a text-to-CAD plugin that writes build123d scripts.
- FrontierCAD (Normal)
A CAD benchmark from Normal Research's CAD Arena that scores how well AI agents recreate real parts across CAD tools, rather than a plugin that generates CAD.
- RealCADBench
A benchmark for intent-to-program CAD modeling from real industrial design intents, scored on FreeCAD Python output, rather than a plugin that generates CAD.
- PartForge evals
A standing CAD-agent evaluation of hard CAD tasks rerun against each model release, published as model comparisons, rather than a plugin that generates CAD.
Sources
Not verified
- The directory record names the builder as Lord Bean (@lifeisameeme) and states no public repo or product page could be located; the live repo found is earthtojake/text-to-cad with website texttocad.dev, and no Lord Bean authorship was confirmed in the sources read.
- No independent user voice found: no real linked post read for this page.
- Pricing: none stated on the repo; the repo states the CAD tooling is free and the chosen AI agent or model provider may have separate subscription or API costs.
Last verified November 6, 2026. Listings are informational. The evidence score measures public, verifiable evidence and is not an endorsement or a compatibility claim.