openscad

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Create versioned OpenSCAD (.scad) files for 3D printing, render previews, and compare iterations. Use this when designing or iterating on 3D models.

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Sourceiancanderson/openscad-agent
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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add iancanderson/openscad-agent openscad

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter
openscad3d-printing3d-model-designversion-managementworkflow

SKILL.md Content

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OpenSCAD Design Skill

Create versioned OpenSCAD files, render previews, and compare iterations for 3D printing designs.

Workflow

1. Determine the Next Version Number

Before creating a new .scad file, find existing versions:
bash
.claude/skills/openscad/scripts/version-scad.sh <name>
This returns the next version number and filename. For example, if 
piano_001.scad
exists, it returns 
piano_002
.

2. Create the Versioned .scad File

Write the OpenSCAD code to the versioned filename (e.g., 
piano_002.scad
).

3. Render the Preview

bash
.claude/skills/preview-scad/scripts/render-scad.sh <name>_<version>.scad --output <name>_<version>.png
This creates a PNG with the matching version number (e.g., 
piano_002.png
).

4. Compare with Previous Version

Read both the current and previous PNG images to visually compare:
  • Current: 
    piano_002.png
  • Previous: 
    piano_001.png
    (if exists)
Evaluate what changed and whether the new version better matches requirements.

5. Iterate

If the design needs improvement:
  1. Analyze what's wrong
  2. Create the next version (e.g., 
    piano_003.scad
    )
  3. Render and compare again

File Naming Convention

<model-name>_<version>.scad  ->  <model-name>_<version>.png
Examples:
  • phone_stand_001.scad
    -> 
    phone_stand_001.png
  • phone_stand_002.scad
    -> 
    phone_stand_002.png
  • gear_001.scad
    -> 
    gear_001.png
Use underscores in model names, and always use 3-digit zero-padded version numbers.

Example Session

User asks for a piano model:
  1. Check for existing versions:
    bash
    .claude/skills/openscad/scripts/version-scad.sh piano
    Output: 
    piano_001
    (no existing files)
  2. Write 
    piano_001.scad
    with initial design
  3. Render preview:
    bash
    .claude/skills/preview-scad/scripts/render-scad.sh piano_001.scad --output piano_001.png
  4. Read 
    piano_001.png
    to inspect the result
  5. If improvements needed, create 
    piano_002.scad
    , render to 
    piano_002.png
  6. Read both 
    piano_001.png
    and 
    piano_002.png
    to compare iterations

Render Options

See 
/preview-scad
for full rendering options:
  • --size <WxH>
    - Image dimensions (default: 
    800x600
    )
  • --camera <x,y,z,tx,ty,tz,d>
    - Camera position
  • --colorscheme <name>
    - Color scheme (default: 
    Cornfield
    )
  • --render
    - Full render mode (slower, more accurate)
  • --preview
    - Preview mode (faster, default)

Next Steps

Once the design looks correct in PNG previews:
  1. Export to STL: Use 
    /export-stl
    to convert the final version to STL format
  2. The export includes geometry validation to catch printability issues

Full Pipeline

/openscad → /preview-scad → /export-stl (with validation)

Tips

  • Start simple and add complexity in iterations
  • Use meaningful model names that describe the object
  • Keep each version's changes focused on specific improvements
  • Document what changed between versions in your response to the user
  • Only export to STL once the preview looks correct
  • Always run slice-check before considering a model print-ready