Text-to-CAD, explained
Practical guides for engineers and makers.
Generating real involute gears with AI (that actually mesh)
Why most “AI gears” are decorative, what it takes to generate involute gears that transmit torque, and how to describe a gear train so the teeth line up.
From AI model to native feature tree in FreeCAD or Fusion 360
A STEP file is a frozen solid. Exporting a native feature tree — sketches, pads, pockets — gives you a model you can edit like you built it yourself.
Text to 3D-printable model: getting files your slicer will love
Watertight meshes, sensible wall thickness, STL vs 3MF, and how to go from a plain-English description to a part on the print bed.
Parametric solids vs AI meshes: two engines, two jobs
Engineering parts want exact B-Rep solids; sculptural and decorative shapes want mesh generation. Knowing which engine fits which job saves hours.
How AI turns a 3D model into an orthographic engineering drawing
Projected views, automatic dimensioning, ISO vs ASME conventions, and what still belongs to a human drafter before anything gets built.
From a written brief to a DXF floor plan you can edit
Describing rooms in plain English and getting a vector floor plan back — how it works, what a concept plan is for, and importing DXF or PDF plans you already have.
How to turn a text description into a STEP file
A practical walkthrough of going from a plain-English part description to a real, editable AP242 STEP solid you can open in any CAD package.
STEP vs STL vs DXF: which CAD file format do you actually need?
STEP, STL and DXF solve different problems. A plain-English guide to picking the right CAD file format for machining, 3D printing and cutting.
Text-to-CAD in 2026: what AI can and can’t model yet
An honest look at where AI text-to-CAD is strong (parts, brackets, enclosures, 2D drawings) and where you still need a human in a full CAD suite.