We love and hate OpenSCAD. As programmers, we like describing objects we want to 3D print or otherwise model. As programmers, we hate all the strange things about OpenSCAD that make it not like a normal programming language. Maybe µCAD (or Microcad) is the answer. This new entry in the field lets you build things programmatically and is written in Rust.

In fact, the only way to get it right now is to build it from source using cargo. Assuming you already have Rust, that’s not hard. Simply enter: cargo install microcad. If you don’t already have Rust, well, then that’s a problem

https://microcad.xyz/

It’s likely that many of you use some form of CAD package, but how many of you have decided you didn’t like the software on offer? [Marcus Wu] did, and instead of griping, he wrote his own CAD software. It’s called MakerCAD, it’s published under an MIT licence, and you can try it yourself.

It’s written in Go, and it’s superficially similar to OpenSCAD in that the interface is through code. The similarity is skin deep though, as it provides the user with constraint solving as described in the video

MakerCAD Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFXxCYjCpHU

An introduction to MakerCAD, a new “source CAD” for designing 3D parts.

Introducing MakerCAD
https://www.digitaltorque.com/articles/makercad-1/

https://github.com/marcuswu/makercad

https://hackaday.com/2016/12/24/open-source-parametric-cad-in-your-browser/

https://hackaday.com/2022/03/14/the-noble-effort-to-put-openscad-in-the-browser/

https://hackaday.com/2015/10/05/the-worst-cad-package-ever-is-still-handy/

Some people love tools in their browsers. Others hate them. We certainly do like to see just how far people can push the browser and version 0.6 of CHILI3D, a browser-based CAD program, certainly pushes.

The project’s GitHub repository shows an impressive slate of features, but also notes that things are changing as this is alpha software. The CAD kernel is a common one brought in via WebAssembly, so there shouldn’t be many simple bugs involving geometry.

https://chili3d.com/

https://github.com/xiangechen/chili3d

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kicad schematic-as-code typescript typecad

This project was created on 03/17/2025 and last updated 10 hours ago.
Description
TypeScript + KiCAD = typeCAD

- Write TypeScript code and build it into a KiCAD project
- Use all the normal software tools, but now for hardware
- Package your code into small packages
- Quickly combine known-working packages into larger projects

Instead of using the KiCAD schematic editor, you write code and build it into a KiCAD schematic.

typeCAD uses TypeScript. You don’t need extensive knowledge of TypeScript to get started.
If you’re familiar with any programming language, you can pick up the basics of TypeScript pretty quickly.
KiCAD

The normal flow in KiCAD is:
1. Create a project and schematic
2. Add components
3. Make connections
4. Lay out the board
typeCAD

typeCAD replaces steps 1-3. Instead of clicking and dragging to place components and make connections, TypeScript code is used.
This is how a schematic is created.

import { Schematic } from ‘@typecad/typecad’;

let typecad = new Schematic(‘typecad’);
typecad.create();

That code will create a KiCAD netlist named `typecad.net`, which you can then import into a KiCAD PCB file. No schematic file is created because it’s not needed.

A drag-and-drop CAD package that is an open source, local application alternative to TinkerCAD

https://hackaday.io/project/202791-cadoodle-doodle-in-cad

CaDoodle is a local drag-and-drop CAD application for Linux (Arm,x86), WIndows (X86), and Mac (Arm,x86) and ChromeOS. Users models are stored locally, and the application runs entirely locally. CaDoodle has a drag and drop interface that is cross-trainable with TinkerCAD.

1. Drag and drop shape
2. Group and ungroup
3. Solid and Hole status
4. Undo of operations
5. Stretch and move handles
6. Library of examples
7. Nearest Surface snappping

Key Improvements over Tinkercad

* Boolean operations such as Hull, Intersect, and XOR
* Inkscape as the sketching tool is much more powerful sketching tool
* Blender integration brings Sculpted elements easily into CaDoodle
* OpenSCAD scripts supported as file sources
* BowlerStudio scripts supported
* Gridfinity bins a 1st class object
* FreeCAD models supported as source models
* Export directly to STL, SVG, OBJ, Blender, FreeCAD

Download the installers here: https://cadoodlecad.com/

The bulk of the speakers were designed with OpenSCAD, with the parametric design allowing for easy adjustments to accommodate different drivers and enclosure volumes. A number of the panels of the speakers are curved as well, which is more difficult with traditional speaker materials like MDF but much easier with this 3D printed design.