Guide · Agent skill

How to use the 3D & CAD Matrix agent skill

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The 3D & CAD Matrix is an agent skill, a folder of instructions that an AI agent such as Claude reads when it needs to work on 3D tasks. It is a routing guide: it tells the agent which 3D tools are installed on your machine, and how to choose between local tools and paid cloud services for modeling, photogrammetry, rendering and preparing files for 3D printing. This guide shows you how to install it, trigger it with normal requests, and understand what it needs and what it does not do.

3D & CAD MatrixHKUDS/CLI-Anything · Apache-2.0 Download the skill

Quick start

1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. The skill file is SKILL.md.
2Place the skill folder. Move the unzipped skill into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
3Install the matrix helper. Run cli-hub matrix install 3d-cad, then cli-hub matrix info 3d-cad to see its details.
4Run preflight. Run cli-hub matrix preflight 3d-cad --json to see which tools and API keys are available.
5Make a natural request. Describe your 3D goal, the files you have and whether the work must stay offline.
6Approve any paid step. If a cloud option is needed, confirm the credentials and the files that will be sent before the agent proceeds.

What the skill makes the agent do

The skill covers 3D modeling, CAD, point clouds, rendering, GPU debugging and fabrication. It maps each kind of task to a set of providers, such as Blender or trimesh for mesh modeling, FreeCAD or CadQuery for parametric CAD, Meshroom or colmap for turning photos into a 3D mesh, and PrusaSlicer or CuraEngine for slicing a mesh into G-code.

The file is mostly a catalogue and instructions. It does not perform the 3D work by itself. The agent uses it to check what is available, pick a sensible option and then run the relevant tool.

Mesh and parametric modeling: Blender, FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, trimesh, CadQuery, build123d
Point clouds: CloudCompare, Open3D, PDAL, laspy, PyVista
Photogrammetry: Meshroom, colmap, OpenMVG with OpenMVS
Rendering: Blender Eevee for fast previews and Cycles for final renders
GPU debugging: RenderDoc, apitrace, vulkaninfo
Print slicing: PrusaSlicer, CuraEngine, slic3r

Install the skill from the download ZIP

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page. The skill ships as a single file, SKILL.md. Unzip it so that the skill folder sits inside your skills directory. For a personal install, use ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, use the .claude/skills/ folder inside that project.

If you use the Claude apps instead of a local folder, you can upload the skill under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.

Personal install: place the unzipped skill in ~/.claude/skills/
Project install: place it in the project's .claude/skills/ folder
Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload

Install the cli-hub helper and check your tools

The skill depends on the cli-hub command-line tool. Install the matrix for this skill with the command below, then read its details. Then run the preflight check, which reports which tools and API keys are available. Preflight is an availability report only; it does not choose a provider for you.

The skill also includes a manual check you can run if you need extra probes or use an older cli-hub version. It tests for Python packages such as trimesh, cadquery and open3d, and for binaries such as blender, freecad and colmap.

cli-hub matrix install 3d-cad
cli-hub matrix info    3d-cad
cli-hub matrix preflight 3d-cad --json

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need a special command to use the skill. Describe the 3D task in plain language and mention the goal, the files you have and any constraints such as working offline. The agent will read the skill when the request matches its scope.

Good requests name the outcome. For example, you might ask the agent to model a bracket in FreeCAD and export it, to clean a scanned point cloud in CloudCompare, or to prepare a model for printing on a Prusa printer. Mention if you need the work done offline, because most of the matrix is offline-first, with rendering and photogrammetry as the exceptions.

Ask for a printable part: "Design a parametric phone stand in FreeCAD and prepare it for printing."
Ask for a preview: "Make a quick Eevee render of this Blender scene."
Ask for a game asset: "Export this model to glTF for my game engine."

Understand credentials and paid services

Some options need API keys or paid accounts. These are POLYCAM_API_KEY, LUMA_API_KEY, ONSHAPE_ACCESS_KEY, FUSION360_TOKEN and OCTANE_TOKEN. The skill says to use paid or metered APIs only when the credentials are already present or you explicitly agree. If a paid option is unavailable, the agent should ask you to set the variable and offer to fall back to a free local tool. Reply skip to use the fallback.

Safety notes: scripts and network access

This skill runs scripts and uses the network. The preflight step runs Python snippets and checks for command-line tools on your system. Cloud options send your files to external services such as Polycam, Luma, Onshape, Fusion 360 and Octane. Before you approve a paid or cloud step, check which files would be uploaded and whether you are comfortable with that.

Keep credentials out of shared documents. Only set the API key variables for services you intend to use.

Review the scripts in the skill before running them.
Do not upload confidential designs to cloud APIs without approval.
Use the offline options when your files must stay on your machine.

Know the limits

The skill names several gaps. Texturing does not have a strong agent-native path that approaches Substance quality. Fabrication slicing has no agent-native harness, although the native slicers can be scripted. Agent-driven sculpting is impractical beyond Blender scripts.

Some listed capabilities, such as Onshape, Fusion 360, Polycam, Luma and Octane, work only through paid online APIs.

Texturing: no strong agent-native path
Slicing: scriptable native tools, but no dedicated agent harness
Sculpting: limited to Blender scripts

What people use it for

Designing a parametric part in FreeCAD and exporting it for 3D printing
Cleaning and registering a scanned point cloud in CloudCompare or Open3D
Building a mesh from a set of photos with Meshroom or colmap
Making fast Eevee previews and final Cycles renders in Blender
Exporting a finished model to glTF for a game engine

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the 3D & CAD Matrix agent skill?

Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it so the skill folder sits in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills. Then run cli-hub matrix install 3d-cad to set up the helper.

What do I need to run this skill?

You need the cli-hub command-line tool and Python, with optional packages such as trimesh, cadquery, open3d and pyvista. You also need native programs for the tasks you plan to do, such as Blender, FreeCAD, Meshroom, colmap, PrusaSlicer or RenderDoc. Paid cloud options need API keys, but they are optional.

Is the 3D & CAD Matrix skill free?

The skill's listed local tools, such as Blender, FreeCAD, trimesh and OpenSCAD, are marked free in its provider tables. Cloud services such as Onshape, Fusion 360, Octane, Polycam and Luma are paid or metered. The skill itself is released under the Apache-2.0 licence.

Does the skill do the 3D work itself?

No. The file is mostly a catalogue and set of instructions. It helps the agent check which tools are installed and choose between local tools and paid services. The actual modeling, rendering or slicing is done by the underlying software.

Can I use this skill offline?

Most of the matrix is offline-first, so local tools work without internet access. Rendering and photogrammetry have some cloud options, and the Onshape, Fusion 360, Polycam, Luma and Octane options only work through online APIs. If your project must stay offline and you have no cloud keys, use the local providers.

What are the alternatives if this skill does not fit?

The skill names its own gaps. For texturing and sculpting, it does not offer a strong agent-native path, so you would use a dedicated application directly. For slicing, you can script the native slicers yourself. Choose a different tool if you need a complete texturing or fabrication workflow driven by an agent.

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Our verdict

Use this skill if you want an agent to drive Blender or FreeCAD for modeling and rendering, to help choose a 3D print slicer, or to keep a checklist of local tools for game-ready assets. Pick something else if you need agent-driven texturing, sculpting or a complete slicing workflow, or if your project must stay offline without cloud keys.

Download the skill