mcp server
manifold3d-mcp
Text-to-CAD and AI 3D modeling for 3D printing. Create editable parametric models with GitHub Copilot or Claude Code, then preview and export 3MF/GLB.
Set up
Runs on your computer. Pick your agent and operating system.
This project does not publish an install method we can turn into a config. Follow the README instead.
README
synced Oct 26, 2026Manifold 3D — AI 3D modeling for 3D printing
Describe a part. Refine it in 3D. Export 3MF for printing or GLB for sharing.
Manifold 3D brings AI 3D modeling to GitHub Copilot and Claude Code. Your assistant writes parametric TypeScript, validates the geometry, and opens an interactive preview. Use it for code-driven parametric CAD and 3D printing projects, from phone stands and organizers to keycaps and terrain models.
From prompt to model
Phone stand in Copilot Canvas, with the cable slot widened to 22 mm. Compare the 14 mm and 22 mm slots and reproduce the model.
View the parametric phone stand source.
Ask for a phone stand with a cable slot. In Copilot's native Canvas, select the slot and ask to make it wider without changing the stand's footprint. Review the updated model, then choose Export → 3MF for printing.
The MCP plugin offers the same modeling engine in a browser Viewer, with annotations for feedback. See the full workflow.
Install
You need Node.js 24 or later and one of the hosts below. Plugins bundle the runtime and Viewer; no separate npm install is needed.
| Choose your experience | Plugin | Host |
|---|---|---|
| Native Canvas with selection-to-chat | manifold-extension | Copilot CLI / Copilot app with Canvas support |
| MCP tools and browser Viewer | manifold | Copilot CLI or Claude Code |
Copilot — native Canvas
copilot plugin marketplace add zhicwan/manifold3d-mcp
copilot plugin install manifold-extension@manifold3d-mcp
For the MCP/browser experience instead, use the same marketplace and install:
copilot plugin install manifold@manifold3d-mcp
Claude Code — MCP/browser (run inside Claude Code)
/plugin marketplace add zhicwan/manifold3d-mcp
/plugin install manifold@manifold3d-mcp
The plugins can be installed separately. Native Canvas requires a compatible Copilot host; it is not part of the MCP plugin. For standalone MCP, updates, and migration, see the usage guide.
Try your first prompt
Use Manifold to design a parametric phone stand in millimeters: 80 mm wide,
85 mm deep, with a 6 mm base, a backrest tilted 20 degrees from vertical,
and a centered 14 mm front cable slot. Keep the key dimensions as named
parameters. Validate the script, preview the model, and inspect a rendered
view before showing me the result.
Then try: “Widen the cable slot to 22 mm; keep everything else unchanged.”
Give dimensions and fit requirements when known, or start with the idea and intended use. The skill proceeds directly for clear simple models and clarifies consequential unknowns for fitted or functional parts. Printing guidance follows the selected process: FDM/FFF, resin or polymer SLS. You do not need to write TypeScript yourself; keep the source so trial measurements can guide later parameter changes.
Examples and questions
- Browse the samples: a cube, revolved vase, gyroid, keycap set, magnetic photo frame, and more.
- Read the usage guide: installation, local scripts, annotations, Viewer shortcuts, and model export.
Is this the Manifold library?
No. This project adds assistant tools, validation, and a Viewer around manifold-3d, the underlying geometry library.
Is it a traditional CAD editor or a separate AI model?
Neither. Your existing assistant generates code; the Viewer lets you inspect geometry and point out changes. It is not a sketch-and-constraint CAD editor.
What can I export, and is it ready to print?
The Viewer exports 3MF for slicers and GLB for viewers and model interchange. The 3MF is a unit-aware model, not a Bambu Studio project with plates, filament profiles, or toolpaths. Validation checks the script and geometry, not manufacturing or use safety. Check dimensions, clearances, wall thickness, materials, and slicer settings before printing.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md for setup and checks, AGENTS.md for repository guidance, and the Extension README for technical Canvas integration.
License and upstream
Apache License 2.0 — Copyright 2026 Zhicheng Wang.
See NOTICE for upstream attribution.
This project uses and adapts portions of elalish/manifold (Apache-2.0):
packages/modeling/src/sandbox/garbage-collector.ts- Documentation under
skills/shared/references/