Agentic hardware-design landscape (verified 2026-10-24)

Refreshed 2026-10-31 (issue #96): agent toolkits since 10-24 (text-to-cad 0.8 break, OrcaSlicer 2.5 MCP, build123d sheet metal, snap-fit skills), compliant mechanisms (snap fits, flexures, allowable strains, FDM anisotropy from datasheets) and FEA and process tools (large-deflection contact solvers, orientation optimisers, sheet metal, 37 candidate deterministic checks).

Scope: public tools that let frontier-model agents (Claude Code first; Codex, Cursor, Gemini) design 3D-printed, sheet-metal, laser-cut, CNC and molded parts, enclosures around real PCBs, and KiCad boards. Method: stars, SPDX licence and last push come from gh api repos/OWNER/REPO on this date; capabilities come from each repo's README, manifests or source as read. (u) = unverified (README claim or third-party page not checked in source). Machine-readable copy: landscape.json.

1. Capability matrix

Clients: CC = Claude Code plugin/skill, MCP = MCP server, Cx = Codex, Cu = Cursor, Ge = Gemini, App = standalone app.

Project	Licence	Stars	Push	Clients	Kernel / tool	Processes	DFM rules cited	Materials / cost	Render loop	Drawings	Vendor / slicer	Evals
earthtojake/text-to-cad	MIT	22,951	10-25	CC, Cx, Cu, Ge, Grok, MCP, skills.sh	build123d 0.11 / OCP 7.9	FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, metal PBF (mesh); sheet, CNC, molding (review); laser (DXF); URDF/SDF	Yes: Hubs, Protolabs, ISO/ASTM 52910	No (SendCutSend specs fetched live)	Yes (headless snapshots + viewer)	Yes, PDF	OrcaSlicer, Bambu Connect/Studio, SendCutSend, step.parts	None in repo
amagine-ai/Amagine3D	Apache-2.0	6,259	10-22	App (OpenAI-compatible key, Codex SDK)	build123d, OCP, Manifold	FDM enclosures, multi-part	(u)	(u)	Yes (5-view)	(u)	none seen	none
Adam-CAD/CADAM	GPL-3.0	5,328	10-15	App (web)	OpenSCAD	general	No	No	Yes	No	none	Showcase prompts only
KittyCAD/modeling-app + KittyCAD/mcp	MIT / MIT	1,321 / 10	10-25	App; MCP (needs `ZOO_API_TOKEN`)	KCL on Zoo's closed cloud engine	general	(u)	(u)	Yes	(u)	none	none
Pan-Chera/Multi-Agent-CAD (MAC)	MIT	1,048	10-17	App + web UI	build123d	FDM parts, assemblies, URDF	No	No	Yes + judge agent	No	none	Own 10-prompt / 141-feature set
OzAILabs/Claude-To-Print	MIT	4	08-15	CC skills (from MAC)	build123d	FDM, multicolour 3MF	No	No	Yes	No	Bambu	none
jdilla1277/agentcad	Apache-2.0	173	10-23	CLI, MCP, skill	build123d (CadQuery mode)	general	No	No	Yes, diffing	No	none	CADGenBench runs
pzfreo/build123d-mcp	Apache-2.0	130	10-15	MCP	build123d	general	No	No	Yes	SVG/DXF export	none	CADGenBench (pipeline)
flowful-ai/cad-skill	PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0	692	07-14	CC skill	CadQuery	FDM	No	No	Yes	No	Prusa/Bambu mentions	none
Svetlana-DAO-LLC/cad-agent (was clawd-maf)	Custom "CAD Agent License"	53	02-17	MCP	build123d	FDM	No	No	Yes	No	none	none
MikeSuiter/claude-build123d-starter	MIT	1	06-08	CC template	build123d	FDM, CNC, laser (u)	No	No	Live preview	No	none	none
neka-nat/freecad-mcp	MIT	3,040	10-25	MCP	FreeCAD (LGPL, external)	general, FEM (u)	No	No	Screenshots	(u)	none	none
jhacksman/OpenSCAD-MCP-Server	MIT	208	09-07	MCP	OpenSCAD	FDM	No	No	Preview images	No	none	none
altendky/onshape-mcp	Apache-2.0	20	10-24	MCP	Onshape (closed SaaS)	general	No	No	(u)	(u)	none	none
faust-machines/fusion360-mcp-server	MIT	131	10-06	MCP (CC, Cu, Cx docs)	Fusion (closed)	general	No	No	(u)	(u)	none	none
ahujasid/mcp-for-blender	MIT	32,261	10-24	MCP, Cx plugin	Blender (mesh, not B-rep)	visual only	No	No	Yes	No	Poly Haven, Sketchfab, paid generators	none
mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server	MIT	2,933	10-01	MCP	KiCad 9+ (kicad-python + SWIG `pcbnew`)	PCB	KiCad DRC	JLCPCB parts + prices	Snapshots	No	JLCPCB, DigiKey, Freerouting	none
mixelpixx/Konnect (obhox/kicad-mcp is a fork)	AGPL-3.0	1,399	10-25	KiCad plugin + MCP, CC skills	KiCad 10 IPC (Rust)	PCB	design-review audits (u)	(u)	(u)	No	Freerouting	none
oaslananka/kicad-mcp-pro	MIT	149	10-25	MCP, CC plugin skills, Cx/VS Code config	KiCad 10.0.x (kicad-cli/IPC; no SWIG)	PCB	8 fab profiles with source URLs	Fab pricing coefficients	3D render PNG	No	JLCPCB; Nexar/DigiKey/Mouser with keys	`evals/`, `benchmarks/` dirs
Seeed-Studio/kicad-mcp-server	No LICENSE file (MIT only in pyproject)	168	10-22	MCP	KiCad 8-10 (`pcbnew`)	PCB analysis, device tree	KiCad ERC/DRC	PartReel registry	No	No	PartReel	none
lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp	MIT	529	2025-10-17	MCP	KiCad 9	PCB	DRC	BOM	(u)	No	none	none; stale
aklofas/kicad-happy	MIT	1,499	10-25	CC plugin, Cx, Copilot, Gemini/Antigravity, GitHub Action	KiCad file parsing, SPICE	PCB review, EMC, Gerber	EMC rules ref	BOM, distributors	No	No	JLCPCB, PCBWay, DigiKey, Mouser, LCSC, element14	none
American-Embedded/kistack	MIT text (GitHub: NOASSERTION)	411	10-24	skills.sh	KiCad	schematic, layout, Gerber review	prose	No	No	No	none	none
i2cjak/Backplane	MIT (ships a KiCad fork)	731	10-25	App; multi-harness agents	KiCad fork + FreeCAD viewers	PCB + case	No	No	Yes	No	none	none
copperheadhq/copperhead	Apache-2.0	627	10-24	CLI, agent-install prompt	KiCad s-expr + kicad-cli	PCB	ERC/DRC	parts (u)	(u)	No	none	none
punkfab/circuit-skills	No licence	10	10-06	CC skills, Cx plugin	kipy, build123d, ngspice	PCB + `pcb-enclosure-fit`	No	No	Blender renders	No	Freerouting	PCBWorld harness

Building blocks: gumyr/build123d (Apache-2.0, 3,519), CadQuery (Apache-2.0 in LICENSE file; GitHub shows NOASSERTION, 5,990), gumyr/bd_warehouse (Apache-2.0, ISO fasteners and threads), partcad/partcad (Apache-2.0, 509), sargo-devel/Cables (LGPL-3.0 FreeCAD cable-routing workbench), wireviz/WireViz (GPL-3.0, 2D harness documents). rjwalters/kicad-tools (MIT) keeps a long, licence-annotated survey of KiCad and agent tools in its README.

2. Deep dive: earthtojake/text-to-cad (v0.7.26, 2026-10-20)

What it is. A plugin monorepo. skills/ holds the product. packages/cadgen is the PyPI runtime, MIT, with build123d, OCP, a build daemon, STEP/GLB/3MF/DXF output, a viewer backend and an MCP server. apps/ holds the viewer, the MCP app, the docs site and api.texttocad.dev. It is mostly one maintainer: earthtojake has 1,136 commits, then bots and a few contributors.

Skills (each is MIT and carries its own LICENSE):

Skill	What it does	Code it runs
cad	build123d models with `@step/@stl/@threemf/@glb` decorators; `read_step`/`read_scene`; face/edge refs; snapshots; viewer	cadgen via pinned `uvx`
step-parts	Search and download catalog STEP files (screws, bearings, standoffs, boards), with sha256 check	`download_step_part.py` → `api.step.parts`
engineering-drawing	Third-angle views, hidden lines, measured dimensions, hole callouts, ISO title block → PDF	`cadgen.eng_drawing`
dxf	2D profiles, flat pattern of already flat plates, kerf offset	`cadgen.flatten`
dfam-check	Mesh wall thickness (ray-cast), overhang, support volume, 6 axis orientations; limits table per FDM/SLS/SLA/PBF/MJF	`dfam_tool.py` (trimesh)
dfm	Guided sheet/CNC/molding review with a cited rule per finding; only molding is measured (draft, undercuts, projected area)	`mold_tool.py`
sendcutsend	Preflight of DXF/STEP against SendCutSend's live catalog and specs JSON	fetches `cdn.sendcutsend.com`
gcode	Writes complete OrcaSlicer presets and slices headless	`orca_presets.py` (stdlib)
bambu-labs	Hands off to Bambu Connect (`bambu-connect://` link) or Bambu Studio; never controls the printer	none
urdf / srdf / sdf	Robot and simulator descriptions, with validation	cadgen

Install (Claude Code): claude plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad#latest then claude plugin install text-to-cad@earthtojake. The latest branch holds only the plugin, one commit per release.

Security review.

.claude-plugin/plugin.json declares only skills and mcpServers. It has no hooks, commands or agents. .githooks/pre-commit is for development only.
Claude Code starts the MCP server with uvx --no-config --managed-python --python 3.13 --from cadgen==0.7.26 cadgen mcp. The first start downloads a managed CPython and cadgen. cadgen is pinned exactly, but its dependencies are ranges with no hash lock: build123d <0.12, cadquery-ocp-novtk 7.9, ezdxf, matplotlib, pillow, shapely, playwright==1.64.0. The wheel bundles Node/browser JS and a native file tracer (filetrace.c). The first snapshot downloads a Playwright browser.
Telemetry is on by default. It sends counts, a random install ID, the OS and agent app, and crash types to api.texttocad.dev, which stores them in PostHog; the server derives country from IP. The README says names, paths, contents and prompts are never sent; I did not audit the payload code line by line. Turn it off with uvx cadgen telemetry off, DO_NOT_TRACK=1 or CADGEN_TELEMETRY=0.
Daily update check to api.texttocad.dev/v1/versions. Turn it off with CADGEN_UPDATE_CHECK=0.
The viewer binds 127.0.0.1 with no authentication (per its SECURITY.md). Any local process can read files under the opened folder and trigger builds.
The dfam-check and dfm skills pip install unpinned requirements.txt files into the active project environment.
Model scripts are arbitrary Python run by the daemon, which is normal for code-CAD.

Coverage of our J501 workflow:

J501 capability	text-to-cad today
Vendor STEP ingestion	Yes (`read_step`, `read_scene`, refs). Viewer fails on large PCB STEP: open #626, "exceeds viewer memory envelope"
Clearance vs 5000+ carrier solids	Primitives only: `cadgen.geometry.closest_points` and `overlap_volume`. The `interference` module was retired; the caller writes pair selection. No broad-phase or report
Schematic ingestion	No. PCB support is open PR #518 (KiCad 11 nightly, vendored kipy)
Enclosure around a real board	Generic examples only (`electronics_enclosure_base.py`)
Connector windows from board STEP	No
Standoffs / fastener stack length	Catalog parts via step-parts. Stack-length checks exist only as model-specific scripts in `models/tendon_hand`, not as a skill
Cable routing, bend radius	No
Renders	Yes
PDF check sheet	Drawings yes; no check-sheet or evidence PDF
Review / evidence site, STL/3MF/Bambu links	Local unauthenticated viewer; 3MF export and Bambu handoff yes; no publishable evidence page
DfAM	Walls and overhangs measured; hole size, min feature and bridge are "not checked" (per `process-limits.md`)
Sheet-metal unfold	No; proposal #614

Kernel note: text-to-cad uses build123d. Our J501 code is CadQuery. Both use OCP, so shapes interoperate through .wrapped.

3. KiCad MCP servers: install and security, then a recommendation

	kicad-mcp-pro	mixelpixx KiCAD-MCP-Server	Seeed kicad-mcp-server	kicad-happy (skills)
Install	`uvx kicad-mcp-pro`. The shipped `.mcp.json` is unpinned, so each launch runs latest PyPI	`git clone`; `npm install` runs `prepare` → `npm run build`; pip requirements	`pip install -e .` into KiCad's Python	CC marketplace plugin
KiCad	10.0.x primary (10.0.7 verified), 8.x deprecated, 9 dropped, 11 preview; SWIG forbidden by test	9.0+; mixes kicad-python IPC and SWIG `pcbnew`	8-10, `pcbnew`	file parsing
Tools	387 public; default profile = 24 read-only; writes need a profile	244 registered	analysis, ERC/DRC, device-tree code	review scripts
Network	JLCPCB public catalog by default; other distributors only with keys; telemetry off by default (opt-in OpenTelemetry)	JLCPCB, DigiKey; README advertises paid "Nimrod" service	PartReel downloads (host allowlist)	datasheets, distributors
Hygiene	CodeQL, OpenSSF Scorecard, gitleaks, SECURITY.md; one maintainer (1,029 commits), repo created 2026-05-31	active; new development moved to AGPL Konnect	no LICENSE file	plugin.json declares no hooks
Deps of note	—	pymupdf (AGPL) at runtime	fastmcp	—

Recommendation: use kicad-happy for review and kicad-mcp-pro for edits and exports. Both are MIT. kicad-mcp-pro targets KiCad 10 with no SWIG, is read-only by default, ships cited fab profiles, and is the most active. Pin its version (kicad-mcp-pro==4.4.0) and keep the default profile until edits are needed. Use mixelpixx only if KiCad 9 is required. Treat Seeed as all-rights-reserved until it commits a LICENSE file. Konnect and obhox/kicad-mcp are AGPL: run them only as external programs.

4. Mechanical + PCB co-design (ECAD to MCAD)

KiCad itself: kicad-cli pcb export step takes --board-only, --no-components, --component-filter and --no-dnp. There are also brep, glb, stl, xao, dxf (use Edge.Cuts for the outline) and ipc2581. KiCad 10's CLI has no IDF export. The KiCad 9/10 IPC API needs the GUI and cannot plot or export; KiCad 11 adds headless operation (KiCad dev docs, CLI docs). kicad-python on PyPI is MIT, version 0.8.0, KiCad 9+.
text-to-cad: PR #518 (open) adds @pcb boards-as-code with DRC on every build. #616 (pcb-dfm skill) merged into a feature branch stacked on #518. PR #345 (closed, not merged) was a KiCad 10 fixture in which a USB-C connector is blocked by an enclosure wall and then fixed by a source-level cutout. That is exactly our pattern.
punkfab/circuit-skills: a pcb-enclosure-fit skill co-registers the board STEP with a build123d shell and gates placement on connectors, cutouts and holes. It has no licence, so ideas only.
Backplane: KiCad and FreeCAD viewers that show a case assembly beside the agent. MIT; install is curl | sh.
Amagine3D: designs the enclosure around internal components from requirements. It does not read KiCad files.
kicadStepUp (AGPL per its README): FreeCAD workbench that syncs board outlines and models both ways. External only.
Gap: no project closes the loop from KiCad outline, connectors and holes, to enclosure, to clearance report, and back-annotation onto the board.

5. Knowledge sources

Domain	Source	Licence / terms	Already embedded in
DfAM	ISO/ASTM 52910 / 52911-1	paid standard: cite, don't copy	text-to-cad `process-limits.md` (MIT summary citing Hubs, Formlabs, HP MJF, EOS)
Sheet / laser	SendCutSend specs JSON + catalog: 178 materials, k-factor, bend radius, bend deduction, minimum hole and bridge (inches)	vendor data, no licence stated: fetch live and cite	text-to-cad `sendcutsend`
Sheet / CNC / molding	Hubs and Protolabs guides	copyrighted pages: cite	text-to-cad `dfm` references
PCB fab	JLCPCB, PCBWay, Eurocircuits, OSH Park, NextPCB capability pages	vendor terms	kicad-mcp-pro `dfm_profiles/*.json` (MIT, with source URLs and pricing coefficients); kicad-happy jlcpcb/pcbway skills
PCB design	IPC-2221/2222, IPC-7351	paid: cite only	text-to-cad PR #518 skill cites IPC-2221 widths
Materials	FreeCAD `.FCMat` cards	CC-BY-3.0 (some older cards LGPL)	FreeCAD
Polymers	OpenPoly	CC BY 4.0 (research data)	none
Fasteners	bd_warehouse	Apache-2.0	none
Cost	kicad-mcp-pro `dfm_calculate_manufacturing_cost` (area, layers, vias); slicer time and grams from OrcaSlicer G-code	MIT; OrcaSlicer AGPL (external)	kicad-mcp-pro

No open, cited cost model for FDM, sheet metal or CNC turned up in any agent tool (gap). MatWeb has no bulk export; MakeItFrom's terms are (u).

6. Benchmarks and evals

Benchmark	What it measures	Licence / access
CADGenBench (Hugging Face, 2026)	Drawing → STEP generation, plus STEP editing; validity gate, shape, interface and topology scores; 81 fixtures (per pzfreo submission); ground truth private	Apache-2.0 code; HF leaderboard. Best fit for measuring our agent
Text2CAD (NeurIPS'24)	Text → sequential CAD	CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
CADPrompt / CADCodeVerify (ICLR'25)	200 prompts → CadQuery; point-cloud distance, compile rate	repo has no licence
CAD-Recode (ICCV'25)	point cloud → CadQuery	CC BY-NC 4.0
cadrille	multimodal reconstruction	Apache-2.0
Text2CAD-Bench	600 examples, 4 levels, novice and expert prompts	paper CC BY 4.0; data licence (u)
P3D-Bench (arXiv 2606.11152), CADBench (2605.10873), BenchCAD (2605.10865), RealCADBench (2609.03773), CAD Arena	various	(u)
PCBWorld (arXiv 2607.05915)	KiCad-grounded routing for agents and RL; 679 real boards; 8 engine-checked metrics	BSD-3-Clause
PCB-Bench (ICLR'26), OmniRouting (2608.04434)	LLM placement and routing	(u)

No benchmark covers enclosure fit around a real board, DFM correctness or fastener/cable checks. Our J501 session could seed one: the vendor STEP is fetched by URL and hash, never committed.

7. Recommendation

Adopt now

text-to-cad plugin pinned to a release, with CADGEN_TELEMETRY=0, DO_NOT_TRACK=1 and CADGEN_UPDATE_CHECK=0 in the environment. It provides the CAD runtime, drawings, DfAM, slicing, Bambu and SendCutSend.
kicad-happy (review) plus kicad-mcp-pro pinned (edits and exports), and kicad-cli pcb export step for the board model.
build123d-mcp or agentcad as an optional inspection loop; both are Apache-2.0 and have CADGenBench evidence.
CADGenBench as the regression eval for generic CAD skill.

Thin add-on repo (cad-agent, MIT)

enclosure-around-board skill: board STEP/KiCad → keep-outs, connector windows, standoffs.
Scalable vendor-assembly clearance report: bounding-box/BVH broad phase, then closest_points.
Fastener stack length (bd_warehouse) and cable route with bend-radius check.
Evidence site and PDF check sheet.
knowledge/ with cited rules, materials and cost. Upstream does not cover any of these. Their contract favours caller-written checks, and their roadmap is PCB, FEA and CAM.

Contribute upstream to text-to-cad

DfAM hole, min-feature and bridge measurement (documented as unmeasured).
Help with sheet-metal unfold (#614).
Large-PCB-STEP viewer memory fix (#626); our J501 carrier is a reproducer.
A PCB-to-enclosure fit fixture and recipe once #518 lands (successor to #345).
An inspection-and-validation.md recipe for many-body clearance with a broad phase.

Licence constraints

Incorporate code only from MIT, BSD or Apache-2.0 projects, with attribution: text-to-cad, build123d, CadQuery, bd_warehouse, agentcad, build123d-mcp, MAC, kicad-mcp-pro, kicad-happy, KiStack, kicad-python, PCBWorld, CADGenBench.
Never copy code from: flowful-ai/cad-skill (PolyForm Noncommercial), Svetlana cad-agent (custom licence), circuit-skills and Seeed (no LICENSE file), or Text2CAD and CAD-Recode data (NC).
External programs only: CADAM (GPL-3.0); Konnect and obhox/kicad-mcp (AGPL-3.0); kicadStepUp, OrcaSlicer and pymupdf (AGPL); FreeCAD and Cables (LGPL); WireViz and freerouting (GPL); KiCad (GPL).
Vendor data (SendCutSend JSON, fab capability pages) is fetched and cited at run time, not redistributed.