The Future of CAD: Programming 3D Parts Instead of Clicking
The traditional workflow of computer-aided design is about to get disrupted. Instead of clicking through GUI menus for hours to create a simple robot part, a new approach treats 3D models as code—complete with version control, automated testing, and seamless AI integration.Enter vcad, a parametric CAD tool built in Rust that lets engineers write 3D parts the same way they write software. Created by developer campedersen, the tool addresses a fundamental frustration in modern manufacturing: the tedious cycle of opening CAD software, clicking through menus, exporting files, discovering errors, and starting over."I wanted to write my parts the way I write firmware," explains campedersen on their blog. "In Rust. With types. With version control. With the ability to change one number and regenerate everything."The tool's elegance lies in its simplicity. A complex part with mounting holes and bolt patterns can be created in just twelve lines of code. Boolean operations use intuitive mathematical operators—minus signs for cuts, plus signs for unions, ampersands for intersections. This makes constructive solid geometry (CSG) feel like basic arithmetic.What sets vcad apart is its parametric nature. Change a single variable—bolt count, radius, wall thickness—and the entire part regenerates automatically. No manual adjustments, no undo operations, just recompilation. This approach transforms CAD from a manual craft into a programmable process.The tool leverages the manifold geometry engine, ensuring watertight meshes from boolean operations, while Rust's zero-cost abstractions provide performance without garbage collection delays. Beyond basic STL export for 3D printing, vcad can generate glTF scenes with physically-based rendering materials, enabling photorealistic visualization.Perhaps most significantly, vcad is designed specifically for AI coding agents. The comprehensive documentation includes API tables, copy-pasteable recipes, and integration guides that allow AI systems to generate parts, export them, and even create rendered previews—all within a single conversation. Every render showcased by campedersen was generated this way, with Claude AI handling the entire pipeline from geometry creation to final visualization.This represents a broader shift toward code-first design tools. While traditional CAD files are essentially binary data, code-based parts can be tested, reviewed, versioned, and integrated into continuous integration pipelines. The approach promises to make 3D design more collaborative, reproducible, and accessible to the growing ecosystem of AI development tools.Released under an MIT license, vcad is still in early development at version 0.1, with plans for advanced features like fillets, chamfers, and an interactive web interface. However, the core foundation—primitives, booleans, transforms, and export—provides everything needed to transition from clicking to typing in 3D design.As AI agents become more sophisticated and manufacturing becomes increasingly automated, tools like vcad represent the future of design: programmable, testable, and seamlessly integrated with the broader software development ecosystem.
