bdbox
bdbox is a workshop for build123d models with live preview and interactive parameters.
See the documentation site for full project details!
Why?
I discovered build123d after modeling with OpenSCAD. build123d has some great advantages over OpenSCAD:
- Better geometry (STEP file export) than OpenSCAD's mesh of vertexes
- Common CAD operations like
chamferandfilletare simple - build123d models are Python programs, whereas OpenSCAD uses its own modeling language
Comparatively, build123d's development experience was lacking. OpenSCAD previews a model on save or hotkey, makes exporting a model render simple, and even provides a GUI for setting toplevel variables! I started with some self-made tooling to work around these drawbacks, but having to remember how to use and maintain it resulted in me working on models less.
I built bdbox to be the missing tool I wanted: Let models just define
their geometry plus optional parameters, and let bdbox handle everything
else!
See more background info in the documentation!
Installation
Install user-wide with uv or pipx for use across all
projects:
uv tool install bdbox
pipx install bdbox
Install in any environment where pip is available:
pip install bdbox
Installation in projects
Install in a project, such as with uv or poetry:
uv add bdbox
poetry add bdbox
bdbox detects and automatically uses virtual environments also containing
bdbox.
This enables running via bdbox model.py instead of uv run bdbox model.py,
for example.
Works with any build123d model
Use bdbox with any existing build123d script:
# mymodel.py
from build123d import Box
result = Box(10, 10, 10)
Export geometry files:
bdbox mymodel.py export # Export STEP files to current directory
bdbox mymodel.py export output/ # Export STEP files to output/
bdbox mymodel.py export -f stl # Export STL files to current directory
View your model using the web UI, which includes OCP CAD Viewer and an interactive parameters panel:
bdbox mymodel.py view
Module paths work too:
bdbox mypackage.mymodule view
bdbox mypackage.mymodule export
See more about actions in the documentation!
Add parameters
Declare typed parameters with defaults and constraints:
from bdbox import Float, Int, Params, Preset, show
from build123d import Box
class P(Params):
width = Float(10.0, min=5, max=100)
length = Float(20.0, min=5, max=100)
thickness = Int(2, min=1, max=10)
presets = (
Preset("small", width=5.0, length=8.0),
Preset("large", width=80.0, length=40.0, thickness=5),
)
result = Box(P.width, P.length, P.thickness)
show(result)
Or inherit from Model for reusable, importable models:
from bdbox import Float, Int, Model, Preset
from build123d import Box
class MyModel(Model):
width = Float(10.0, min=5, max=100)
length = Float(20.0, min=5, max=100)
thickness = Int(2, min=1, max=10)
presets = (
Preset("small", width=5.0, length=8.0),
Preset("large", width=80.0, length=40.0, thickness=5),
)
def build(self):
return Box(self.width, self.length, self.thickness)
Parameters become CLI flags automatically:
python mymodel.py # Run with default values
python mymodel.py view # View with live reload and parameter panel
python mymodel.py --width 50 # Override a field value
python mymodel.py --preset large # Apply a named preset
python mymodel.py --help # Usage info with all parameters
Export geometry files using the built-in export action:
python mymodel.py export # Export STEP files to current directory
python mymodel.py export -f stl # Export STL files to current directory
See more about parameters in the documentation!
License
Copyright (C) 2026 Stephen Kent and contributors
Licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 or later
(LGPL-3.0-or-later).
Project template
This project is generated and maintained with copier-python.
1 maintainer
Metadata
1 maintainer
Release files for bdbox 0.30.0
For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.
Source distribution (sdist)
| File | Size | Uploaded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| bdbox-0.30.0.tar.gz | 430.1 kB | Details |
Built distribution (wheel)
| File | Interpreter | ABI | Platform | Reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bdbox-0.30.0-py3-none-any.whl | Python 3 | none | any | Details |
Total release size: 789.0 kB
Release files / bdbox-0.30.0.tar.gz
| Download URL | bdbox-0.30.0.tar.gz |
|---|---|
| Size | 430.1 kB |
| Tags | Source |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
de3aad6ff586f70252f1192fc66b59b5c8608d91608baec8ba5f3b5aa42cf2fb
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
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|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
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Transparency logRelease files / bdbox-0.30.0-py3-none-any.whl
| Download URL | bdbox-0.30.0-py3-none-any.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 358.9 kB |
| Tags | Python 3 |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
43ede0328dd687a20651cfadbb21bfc20548b29c27a232f46c673abe6cf562c3
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
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|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Oct 11, 2026.
Transparency log
