CadQuery 2 Documentation

CadQuery is an intuitive, easy-to-use Python library for building parametric 3D CAD models. It has several goals:

• Build models with scripts that are as close as possible to how you’d describe the object to a human, using a standard, already established programming language

• Create parametric models that can be very easily customized by end users

• Output high quality CAD formats like STEP, AMF and 3MF in addition to traditional STL

• Provide a non-proprietary, plain text model format that can be edited and executed with only a web browser

See CadQuery in Action

This Getting Started Video will show you what CadQuery can do. Please note that the video has not been updated for CadQuery 2 and still shows CadQuery use within FreeCAD.

Quick Links

• QuickStart

• CadQuery CheatSheet

• API Reference

Table Of Contents

• Introduction
  • What is CadQuery
  • CadQuery is a library, GUIs are separate
  • Why CadQuery instead of OpenSCAD?
  • Where does the name CadQuery come from?
• Installing CadQuery
  • Install via conda
  • Install via pip
  • Adding a Nicer GUI via CQ-editor
  • Adding CQ-editor to an Existing Environment
  • Jupyter
  • Test Your Installation
• QuickStart
  • Prerequisites: CadQuery and CQ-editor installation
  • What we’ll accomplish
  • Start With A single, simple Plate
  • Add the Holes
  • More Holes
  • Filleting
  • Exporting
  • Done!
  • Want to learn more?
• Design Principles
  • Principle 1: Intuitive Construction
  • Principle 2: Capture Design Intent
  • Principle 3: Plugins as first class citizens
  • Principle 4: CAD models as source code makes sense
• Concepts
  • 3D BREP Topology Concepts
  • CadQuery API layers
  • Multimethods
  • Selectors
  • Workplane class
  • Assemblies
  • Assemblies with constraints
• Workplane
  • 2D Construction
  • 3D Construction
  • Selectors
  • Construction Geometry
  • The Stack
  • Chaining
  • The Context Solid
  • Iteration
  • An Introspective Example
• Sketch
  • Sketch tutorial
  • Workplane integration
• Assemblies
  • Assembly tutorial
  • Object locations
  • Constraints
  • Assembly colors
• Free function API
  • Tutorial
  • Primitives
  • Boolean operations
  • Shape construction
  • Operations
  • Placement
  • Text
• Visualization
  • Pure Python
  • Screenshots
  • Control points
  • Styling
  • Jupyter/JupterLab
• CadQuery Scripts and Object Output
• Examples
  • Simple Rectangular Plate
  • Plate with Hole
  • An extruded prismatic solid
  • Building Profiles using lines and arcs
  • Moving The Current working point
  • Using Point Lists
  • Polygons
  • Polylines
  • Defining an Edge with a Spline
  • Mirroring Symmetric Geometry
  • Mirroring 3D Objects
  • Mirroring From Faces
  • Creating Workplanes on Faces
  • Locating a Workplane on a vertex
  • Offset Workplanes
  • Copying Workplanes
  • Rotated Workplanes
  • Using construction Geometry
  • Shelling To Create Thin features
  • Making Lofts
  • Extruding until a given face
  • Making Counter-bored and Counter-sunk Holes
  • Offsetting wires in 2D
  • Rounding Corners with Fillet
  • Tagging objects
  • A Parametric Bearing Pillow Block
  • Splitting an Object
  • The Classic OCC Bottle
  • A Parametric Enclosure
  • Lego Brick
  • Braille Example
  • Panel With Various Connector Holes
  • Cycloidal gear
• API Reference
  • Sketch initialization
  • Sketch selection
  • Sketching with faces
  • Sketching with edges and constraints
  • Initialization
  • 2D Operations
  • 3D Operations
  • File Management and Export
  • Iteration Methods
  • Stack and Selector Methods
  • Selectors
  • Assemblies
• API Cheatsheet
• Selectors Reference
  • Combining Selectors
  • Filtering Faces
  • Filtering Edges
  • Filtering Vertices
  • User-defined Directions
  • Topological Selectors
  • Using selectors with Shape and Sketch objects
  • Additional special methods
• CadQuery Class Summary
  • Core Classes
  • Topological Classes
  • Geometry Classes
  • Selector Classes
  • Class Details
• Importing and Exporting Files
  • Introduction
  • Importing DXF
  • Importing STEP
  • Exporting STEP
  • Exporting Assemblies to STEP
  • Exporting Assemblies to STEP with Metadata
  • Exporting Assemblies to glTF
  • Exporting SVG
  • Exporting STL
  • Exporting AMF and 3MF
  • Exporting TJS
  • Exporting VRML
  • Exporting DXF
  • Exporting Other Formats
• The CadQuery Gateway Interface
  • The Script Side
  • The execution environment side
  • More about script variables
  • Automating export to STL
  • Important CQGI Methods
  • Complete CQGI API
• Extending CadQuery
  • Using OpenCascade methods
  • Extending CadQuery: Plugins
  • The Stack
  • Preserving the Chain
  • Helper Methods
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Linking in your plugin
  • CadQueryExample Plugins
  • Plugin Example
  • Extending CadQuery: Special Methods
• Citing

Indices and tables

• Index

• Module Index

• Search Page