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Use OpenSCAD · fradser | DecimalAI

design mediaby fradser

Use OpenSCAD

fradser/use-openscad

Source fradser/dotclaude ↗License MIT

Writes OpenSCAD code and drives the `openscad` command-line compiler to produce STL/3MF/AMF/DXF/SVG/PNG outputs from parametric `.scad` models. This skill should be used when the user asks to design a 3D-printable part, generate a laser-cut 2D plate, render a preview image of a CAD model, export STL for 3D printing, batch-render parametric variants, or convert between mesh formats. Invoked via "/hardware:use-openscad".

SkillScore82Maintained

Automatic

Coding pack

Last verified 8/29/2026

What it changes

Passed 16 of 19 test cases with the skill, and 12 of 19 without it.

Without skill64%

With skill82%

Checks it passed that the model alone missed

The CLI command runs openscad --help.
The command targets openscad.com rather than openscad.exe.
The shell snippet checks for or runs a Docker container using the image openscad-cli or OPENSCAD_DOCKER_IMAGE.

and 1 more in the full report

4 fixed14 passed either way4 still failing0 broke

Pass-rate lift: +18 pp
Tokens: +80%
Agent turns: 0%
Response time: -24%

Model gemini-3.6-flashMeasured 8/29/2026v118 of 22 cases passed with skill · 19 comparable

Tokens, turns and time describe resource use, not a dollar price.

Use this skill

Save it into your project's skills folder. Claude Code picks it up in its next session.

curl -fsSL --create-dirs -o .claude/skills/fradser-use-openscad/SKILL.md https://app.decimal.ai/s/fradser-use-openscad/SKILL.md

Want it pinned and updatable? pip install "decimalai>=0.15", then decimalai skills add fradser-use-openscad, and start Claude Code with claude --plugin-dir "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/.agents"

1 · One-time — install the CLI (docs ↗)

pip install "decimalai>=0.15"

2 · Get the skill — writes .agents/skills/fradser-use-openscad/ and pins it in .decimal/skills.lock

decimalai skills add fradser-use-openscad

No CLI? Get the same file — curl · raw file

curl -fsSL --create-dirs -o .claude/skills/fradser-use-openscad/SKILL.md https://app.decimal.ai/s/fradser-use-openscad/SKILL.md

Raw file: /s/fradser-use-openscad/SKILL.md ↗ · machine-readable summary at /s/fradser-use-openscad.json ↗

Safety checks: 3 of 3 passed

Code scan CleanIntent PassedContent Clean

See it in action

One of 4 test cases the skill fixed. Same model, same prompt, with and without the skill.

1 of 4

Prompt

Since CLI exit codes and flags vary between releases, what CLI flag should be invoked to inspect the locally available CLI flags directly from the executable?

What was checked, without and with the skill
Checked	Without skill	With skill
The CLI command runs openscad --help.	Missed	Passed

case-18 · gemini-3.6-flash · 8/29/2026 · answers are capped and redacted

What's inside

The instructions your model reads when the skill loads.

SKILL.md94 lines5 files

Use OpenSCAD

Design parametric 3D and 2D parts in OpenSCAD and compile them to fabrication outputs with the openscad CLI. OpenSCAD is a functional code-based CAD language — modules and functions, CSG booleans, extrusion — ideal for an agent to write and iterate.

Process

Understand what the user wants (a printable part, a laser-cut plate, a preview image, a mesh conversion) and pick the target format (STL/3MF/AMF for 3D printing, DXF/SVG for 2D cutting, PNG for preview).
Locate and verify the binary (see "Locating the binary"). Run openscad_run --version first to confirm it works.
Author the .scad model using references/language.md for syntax. Make dimensions -D variables when the user wants parametric control from the command line.
Compile with the right flags from references/cli.md. Use references/workflows.md for end-to-end recipes and references/design.md for printability rules.
After STL/3MF export, scan stderr for manifold warnings (see CRITICAL rules) before declaring success.

CRITICAL operating rules

Mesh exports (STL/3MF/AMF/DXF/SVG) always get full CGAL geometry — --render is NOT needed for them. --render only affects PNG image export (without it, PNG uses OpenCSG preview). A plain openscad -o out.stl model.scad produces a complete mesh. For STL, explicitly pass --export-format binstl (ASCII is the current default; binary is the planned future default). After export, scan stderr for manifold warnings — see below.
macOS binary is not on PATH. It lives at /Applications/OpenSCAD.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenSCAD. On Linux try openscad or openscad-nightly; on Windows invoke openscad.com (the wrapper, not openscad.exe). On remote servers, use the Docker image (see hardware/scripts/docker/openscad/). MUST confirm with openscad_run --version before building a pipeline.
Exit codes are not officially documented. Empirically non-zero on compile/parse error, zero on success even with warnings; --hardwarnings makes the first warning fatal. Do NOT assume — for CI gating, run with --hardwarnings and treat any non-zero exit as failure. When unsure of a flag, run openscad --help and read the actual list.
Variables are immutable within a scope. Reassigning in the same scope replaces-at-origin (the first assignment is never executed, a warning is emitted); braces create inner scopes that do not leak outward. Use is_undef(x), not x == undef. -D var=val constants from the CLI override top-level program values.
use libraries, do not include them. include <lib.scad> is literal copy-paste that runs top-level geometry and confuses error line numbers; use <lib.scad> suppresses top-level geometry and exposes only functions/modules. Use use for any library file.
String -D values need shell quoting. -D 'mode="parts"' (bash) — the inner quotes are part of the OpenSCAD expression. Numeric -D w=60 needs no quotes.
Scan stderr after mesh export. Capture 2>&1 and grep for manifold, self-intersect, degenerate, warning — OpenSCAD prints mesh problems to stderr even when the exit code is zero. See references/workflows.md.

Command map

User wants	Flags	Reference
STL for 3D printing	`--export-format binstl -o out.stl`	`references/cli.md`
3MF / AMF	`-o out.3mf`	`references/cli.md`
2D DXF / SVG (laser cut)	`-o out.dxf`	`references/cli.md`
Preview PNG	`--preview --imgsize W,H --viewall --autocenter` (`--render` for accurate non-preview)	`references/cli.md`
Parametric variants	`-D var=val` (repeatable)	`references/cli.md`
Batch render	shell loop over `-D` values	`references/workflows.md`
Mesh conversion (STL→3MF)	`import()` in a re-export `.scad`	`references/workflows.md`
Language syntax	modules, functions, CSG, extrusion	`references/language.md`
Printability rules	walls, overhangs, clearance	`references/design.md`

Locating the binary

# Resolve the OpenSCAD binary — local binary or Docker container

Track record

Benchmark

16 / 19

test cases passed, vs 12 / 19 without

Adoption

Users: 0
Times used: 0

Safety and source details

SkillSafety

✓ 3 of 3 passed

Code scan15 of 15 checks clean

0 critical · 0 warning · 0 info — scanner v4 — 8/10/2026

View 15 scanner checks

live_secretremote_code_executionreverse_shelldata_exfiltrationssrf_metadataagent_snoopinganti_refusaldestructive_commandsobfuscated_unicodeunicode_homoglyphopaque_blobsuspicious_urltool_overreachtrigger_abuseprompt_injection_phrasing

IntentSafe

LLM judge · does the skill do what it claims

ContentClean

LLM judge · policy & harmful-content review

Source

Imported

fradser / dotclaude

hardware/skills/use-openscad/SKILL.md

View on GitHub ↗

License MITImported 8/10/2026Version v1Bundled 4 files

Other skills for the same job

Published skills whose descriptions closely match this one, with their headline benchmark lift.

dicklesworthstone/openscadCreate and render OpenSCAD 3D models. Generate preview images from multiple angles, extract customizable parameters, validate syntax, and export STL files for 3D printing platforms like MakerWorld.Close match+39 pp pass-rate lift

More skills from the same source and nearby in the registry, with their headline benchmark lift.

Ready to supercharge your AI agents?

See it in action

What's inside

Use OpenSCAD

Process

CRITICAL operating rules

Command map

Locating the binary

Track record

Benchmark

Adoption

SkillSafety

Source

Other skills for the same job

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