simplecadapi 2.0.0b4

A simplified OCP-native CAD modeling Python API

SimpleCADAPI

SimpleCADAPI is an OCP-native Python SDK for building CAD models with clear, functional operations and replayable model graphs. It wraps OpenCascade geometry in a compact public API for creating solids, applying features, tagging semantic intent, querying topology, exporting manufacturing files, and translating recorded models into FreeCAD workflows.

Current beta: simplecadapi==2.0.0b4.

What It Provides

• OCP-native shape types: Vertex, Edge, Wire, Face, and Solid.
• Functional modeling operations for primitives, profiles, extrude, revolve, loft, sweep, booleans, transforms, patterns, fillets, chamfers, and shells.
• Replayable modeling with GraphSession, export_model_json(...), import_model_json(...), and replay_model_json(...).
• Expression parameters with var(...), arithmetic expressions, and serialized expression graphs.
• QL selectors for geometry grounding, topology queries, and stable feature selections.
• Semantic tags through apply_tag(shape, tag) and list_tags(shape).
• STEP/STL export and FreeCAD translation helpers for script or .FCStd output.

Install

pip install simplecadapi

With uv:

uv add simplecadapi

For local development from this repository:

uv sync --group dev

Quick Start

from pathlib import Path

import simplecadapi as scad

out = Path("out")
out.mkdir(exist_ok=True)

base = scad.make_box_rsolid(60.0, 36.0, 8.0, bottom_face_center=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0))
hole = scad.make_cylinder_rsolid(5.0, 14.0, bottom_face_center=(0.0, 0.0, -3.0))
slot = scad.make_box_rsolid(18.0, 8.0, 14.0, bottom_face_center=(14.0, 0.0, -3.0))

part = scad.cut_rsolid(base, hole, slot)
boss = scad.make_cylinder_rsolid(8.0, 7.0, bottom_face_center=(-18.0, 0.0, 8.0))
part = scad.union_rsolid(part, boss)
part = scad.apply_tag(part, "role.demo.bracket")

print("volume", round(part.get_volume(), 3))
print("faces", len(part.get_faces()))
print("tags", scad.list_tags(part))

scad.export_step(part, str(out / "bracket.step"))
scad.export_stl(part, str(out / "bracket.stl"))

Replayable Modeling

Use GraphSession when a model should be inspectable, serializable, replayable, or translated into another CAD environment.

import simplecadapi as scad
from simplecadapi import ql as Q

with scad.GraphSession() as session:
    body = scad.make_box_rsolid(40.0, 24.0, 10.0, bottom_face_center=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0))
    cutter = scad.make_cylinder_rsolid(4.0, 16.0, bottom_face_center=(0.0, 0.0, -3.0))
    drilled = scad.cut_rsolid(body, cutter)

    bottom_circle = (
        Q.edges()
        .where(Q.curve_type("circle"))
        .order_by(Q.center_axis("z"))
        .take(1)
        .exactly(1)
    )
    final = scad.chamfer_rsolid(drilled, bottom_circle, 0.6)

model_json = scad.export_model_json(session)
rebuilt = scad.replay_model_json(model_json)

print("recorded_nodes", session.graph.node_count)
print("replayed_outputs", len(rebuilt))

Modeling Mental Model

• Start from design intent: reference axes, critical profiles, and the features that produce the final solid.
• Build from lower-dimensional geometry to higher-dimensional geometry: profile wires/faces first, then solid features such as extrude, revolve, loft, and sweep.
• Keep operations functional. Create new values with public functions such as make_rectangle_rface(...), extrude_rsolid(...), cut_rsolid(...), and fillet_rsolid(...).
• Use tags for semantic intent and selection anchors, for example role.mounting.surface, anchor.datum.primary, or group.fasteners.
• Store numeric and geometric facts in metadata or graph payloads, not in tags.
• Use QL to ground selections by geometry facts rather than relying on topology iteration order.
• When an indexed topology pick is intentional, pass the index to the plural child-geometry getter, such as get_edges(index), get_faces(index), get_wires(index), or get_vertices(index), so replayable graph workflows preserve the pick as a geo select node.
• Use model JSON as the interchange boundary for replay, tests, and FreeCAD translation.

FreeCAD Translation

Recorded model JSON can be translated into a FreeCAD Python script:

script = scad.translate_model_json_to_freecad_script(model_json)

If FreeCAD or FreeCADCmd is available, the same model JSON can be written as an .FCStd file:

scad.translate_model_json_to_fcstd(model_json, "bracket.FCStd")

Examples

Run examples from the source checkout:

uv run python examples/01_basic_modeling.py
uv run python examples/02_graph_replay.py
uv run python examples/03_expressions.py
uv run python examples/05_loft_sweep_revolve.py
uv run python examples/06_parametric_gear_model.py
uv run python examples/07_serialization_operation_tree.py

Documentation

• Public API reference: docs/api/
• Core type and modeling notes: docs/core/
• Serialization and replay details: docs/core/serialization/README.md
• Operation graph JSON spec: docs/core/operation_graph_json_spec.md

Development

uv sync --group dev
uv run python -m pytest test tests
python3 -m compileall src/simplecadapi

License

MIT, see LICENSE.