VibeCad Model Author

Create or modify parametric 3D models for VibeCad Studio using OpenSCAD.

Project Context

VibeCad Studio is a browser-based parametric CAD workbench. Models are written in OpenSCAD (.scad files) and compiled to STL via openscad-wasm. Models are auto-discovered — no manual registration needed.

Model File Structure

Each model lives in src/models/<slug>/ with a single file:

src/models/<slug>/model.scad

scad
1// Description shown on the home page gallery
2length = 40; // [10:100]
3width = 30;  // [5:80]
4height = 20; // [5:60]
5
6cube([length, width, height]);

Conventions:

• First line: // comment becomes the model description for the gallery
• Parameters: name = value; // [min:max] or name = value; // [min:step:max] become UI sliders
• The folder name becomes the slug, which is auto-converted to a display name (example-box → Example Box)

Key Conventions

• Parameter names should be snake_case and descriptive (e.g. wall_thickness, not wt)
• All parameter values are numbers
• Use $fn for controlling curve resolution (32 is a good default)
• Keep models manifold (watertight) for 3D printing compatibility

OpenSCAD Quick Reference

3D Primitives

scad
1cube([x, y, z]);                    // box
2cube([x, y, z], center=true);       // centered box
3sphere(r=radius, $fn=64);           // sphere
4cylinder(h=height, r=radius, $fn=32); // cylinder
5cylinder(h=height, r1=bot, r2=top, $fn=32); // cone/frustum

2D Primitives (for extrusion)

scad
1square([w, h]);
2square([w, h], center=true);
3circle(r=radius, $fn=64);
4polygon(points=[[x1,y1], [x2,y2], ...]);
5text("hello", size=10);

Transformations

scad
1translate([x, y, z]) { ... }
2rotate([rx, ry, rz]) { ... }        // degrees
3scale([sx, sy, sz]) { ... }
4mirror([x, y, z]) { ... }
5color("red") { ... }
6color([r, g, b, a]) { ... }

Boolean Operations

scad
1union() { a(); b(); }               // combine shapes
2difference() { a(); b(); }          // subtract b from a
3intersection() { a(); b(); }        // keep overlap only

Extrusions

scad
1linear_extrude(height=h, twist=deg, scale=s) { 2d_shape(); }
2rotate_extrude(angle=360, $fn=64) { 2d_profile(); }

Hull & Minkowski

scad
1hull() { a(); b(); }                // convex hull
2minkowski() { a(); b(); }           // Minkowski sum (rounding)

Modules (reusable components)

scad
1module rounded_box(size, radius) {
2    minkowski() {
3        cube([size[0]-2*radius, size[1]-2*radius, size[2]/2]);
4        cylinder(r=radius, h=size[2]/2, $fn=32);
5    }
6}
7
8rounded_box([40, 30, 20], 3);

Loops & Conditionals

scad
1for (i = [0:5]) { translate([i*10, 0, 0]) cube(5); }
2for (a = [0:60:300]) { rotate([0, 0, a]) translate([20, 0, 0]) sphere(3); }
3if (wall > 0) { difference() { outer(); inner(); } }

Useful Patterns

scad
1// Hollow box (shell)
2difference() {
3    cube([outer_w, outer_d, outer_h]);
4    translate([wall, wall, wall])
5        cube([outer_w - 2*wall, outer_d - 2*wall, outer_h]);
6}
7
8// Rounded edges via minkowski
9minkowski() {
10    cube([w - 2*r, d - 2*r, h/2]);
11    cylinder(r=r, h=h/2, $fn=32);
12}
13
14// Circular pattern
15for (i = [0:n-1]) {
16    rotate([0, 0, i * 360/n])
17        translate([radius, 0, 0])
18            child_shape();
19}

Workflow

When creating a new model:

1. Read 1-2 existing models for reference patterns
2. Create the folder: mkdir -p src/models/<slug>/
3. Write src/models/<slug>/model.scad
4. Run node scripts/verify-model.js src/models/<slug>/model.scad to verify
5. If errors, fix and re-run until exit code 0

When modifying an existing model:

1. Read the current model.scad
2. Make the requested changes
3. Run node scripts/verify-model.js src/models/<slug>/model.scad to verify

Tips

• Start simple, iterate. A basic cube is better than a broken complex shape.
• OpenSCAD error messages include line numbers — use them to pinpoint issues.
• minkowski() is expensive — use it sparingly and with low-poly shapes.
• $fn controls facet count: higher = smoother but slower. 32 for cylinders, 64 for spheres.
• difference() subtracts all children after the first from the first child.
• Use center=true on primitives to simplify positioning.
• The dev server supports HMR — model changes appear live in the browser.

Existing Models for Reference