Kiln

Describe it or draw it. Kiln makes it real.

Kiln turns a conversation with an AI agent into a printed object. One install, any printer, start to finish — design, slice, queue, monitor, and fulfill 3D print jobs through a unified MCP (Model Context Protocol) server and CLI.

What Kiln Does

An agent can go from intent to physical object with zero human intervention:

Agent: "Print this sensor mount"
  → Kiln validates the file
  → Checks printer readiness
  → Uploads G-code
  → Starts print
  → Monitors progress
  → Reports completion

Quick Start

1. Install

# From PyPI
pip install kiln3d

# From source (development)
pip install -e ".[dev]"

OS-specific walkthrough (Windows, WSL 2, Linux) at kiln3d.com/install.

2. Configure

# Option A: Environment variables
export KILN_PRINTER_TYPE=octoprint
export KILN_PRINTER_HOST=http://octopi.local
export KILN_PRINTER_API_KEY=your_api_key

# Option B: CLI auth (saves to ~/.kiln/config.yaml)
kiln auth --name my-printer --host http://octopi.local --type octoprint --api-key YOUR_KEY

3. Run

# CLI
kiln status
kiln print model.gcode

# MCP Server
kiln serve

4. Connect from Claude Desktop

Add to ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kiln": {
      "command": "kiln",
      "args": ["serve"],
      "env": {
        "KILN_PRINTER_TYPE": "octoprint",
        "KILN_PRINTER_HOST": "http://octopi.local",
        "KILN_PRINTER_API_KEY": "your_api_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Full documentation: kiln3d.com/docs.

Supported Printers

Eight backends. The name in backticks is the KILN_PRINTER_TYPE value.

Two backends need an extra: pip install 'kiln3d[elegoo]' and pip install 'kiln3d[usb]'. The rest work with a plain install. Bambu printers need LAN Mode and Developer Mode turned on plus a current access code (printer screen → Settings → Network); a restarted printer issues a new code and the old one stops working.

The full searchable list of tuned printer profiles is at kiln3d.com/printers.

Features

• 892 MCP capabilities for design intelligence, model generation, printability analysis, slicing, printing, monitoring, failure recovery, fleet management, and fulfillment
• 235 CLI commands with --json output for agent consumption
• Multi-printer fleet management with job queue and background scheduler
• Model marketplaces — search/download from MyMiniFactory, Cults3D (Thingiverse deprecated — acquired by MMF, Feb 2026)
• Slicer integration — PrusaSlicer and OrcaSlicer with auto-detection
• Text-to-model generation — Meshy AI, Tripo3D, Stability AI, OpenSCAD with auto-discovery registry
• Printability analysis — overhang detection, thin wall analysis, auto-orientation, support estimation, failure prediction, quality scorecard
• Mesh operations — mirror, hollow, center, scale-to-fit, merge, split, simplify, repair, non-manifold analysis — all pure Python, no external mesh libraries
• Print DNA — model fingerprinting, crowd-sourced print settings, intelligent settings prediction
• Marketplace publish — one-click publish to Thingiverse/MyMiniFactory with print "birth certificate"
• Revenue tracking — per-model creator analytics, 2.5% platform fee on Kiln-published models
• Print-as-a-Service — local vs fulfillment cost comparison, order lifecycle management
• Failure recovery — 9 failure types classified, automated recovery planning
• Multi-printer splitting — round-robin and assembly-based job distribution across fleets
• Generation feedback loop — failed print → improved prompt with printability constraints
• Smart material routing — intent-based material recommendations (45 brand-specific filament profiles across 11 material families, printer capability aware)
• Decoration engine — QR codes, photos, logos, text, SVGs, and brand assets embossed or debossed onto any model with one command (patent pending)
• Procedural textures — tiger stripe, marble, digital camo, snakeskin, wood grain, carbon fiber, honeycomb, lava — applied directly to any model for multicolor FDM printing (Pro)
• Product templates — one-command generation of coasters, keychains, ornaments, pet tags, pet bowls, bookmarks, magnets, jewelry trays, wall plaques, and ashtrays with built-in decoration support (Pro)
• Mid-print modification — decorate, add features, or swap material on a live print with atomic dual-artifact revert (patent pending, Pro)
• Resume interrupted prints — resume from the exact layer after cancel on any supported FDM printer, no wasted filament (patent pending, Pro)
• Design provenance — version tracking, regression detection, outcome-correlated genealogy across design iterations (patent pending, Pro)
• Cross-printer learning — fleet-wide outcome learning, predictive settings, closed-loop AI generation feedback where failed prints auto-improve future generations (patent pending)
• AMS auto-routing — automatic Bambu AMS tray detection, color/type identification, and slot routing when starting prints
• Community print registry — opt-in crowd-sourced settings and success rates
• Fulfillment services — outsource to Craftcloud through the hosted proxy, or use direct mode with your own provider credentials
• Safety first — pre-flight checks, G-code validation, temperature limits, optional auth
• Webhooks — HMAC-signed event notifications for job lifecycle
• OTA firmware updates — check, update, and rollback printer firmware

Features marked (Pro) need a paid tier — kiln3d.com/pricing.

Architecture

AI Agent (Claude, GPT, custom)
    |
    | CLI or MCP (Model Context Protocol)
    v
+------------------------------------------+
|                   Kiln                   |
|     design, validate, slice, monitor     |
+------------------------------------------+
    |
    | one PrinterAdapter interface, eight backends
    v
Your printer (see Supported Printers above)

Tools are written against that one interface rather than once per printer. Backends differ in what the hardware exposes, so PrinterCapabilities reports what a given machine actually supports.

Development

pip install -e ".[dev]"
cd kiln && python3 -m pytest tests/ -v

License

AGPL-3.0-or-later. Commercial licensing is available for companies that need proprietary use — see kiln3d.com/pricing.