About OpenSCAD

OpenSCAD is a solid 3D CAD modelling software that enables the creation of CAD models through a scripting file. The domain specific language designed for this purpose allows the creation of fully parametric models by combining and transforming available primitives as well as custom objects.

About this tutorial

This tutorial assumes zero programming or CAD knowledge and is designed to guide you step by step through examples and exercises that will quickly build your understanding and provide you with the right tools to create your own models. Emphasis is placed on parametric design principles that will allow you to rapidly modify your creations and build your own library of reusable and combinable models.

The majority of presented examples and solutions to exercises are available as separate OpenSCAD scripts here.

As of 29-11-2019 this tutorial as well as all accompanying material were completely developed as a Google Season of Docs project.

Useful links

OpenSCAD's website

Download OpenSCAD

Syntax cheat sheet

The OpenSCAD Language Manual for use later as a reference.

Tutorial chapters

• Chapter 1
  1. A few words about OpenSCAD
  2. Getting started with the Tutorial
  3. Basic information about the OpenSCAD environment
  4. Creating your first object
  5. Creating a slightly different cube
  6. Adding more objects and translating objects
  7. The cylinder primitive and rotating objects
  8. Completing your first model
  9. Creating a second model

• Chapter 2
  1. Scaling parts or the whole model
  2. Quick quiz
  3. Parameterizing parts of your model
  4. Parameterizing more parts of your model
  5. Challenge
  6. Parameterizing your own models

• Chapter 3
  1. The sphere primitive and resizing objects
  2. Combining objects in other ways

• Chapter 4
  1. Defining and using modules
  2. Parameterizing modules
  3. Defining default values of module’s parameters
  4. Separating the whole model into modules

• Chapter 5
  1. Creating and utilizing modules as separate scripts
  2. Using a script with multiple modules
  3. Using the MCAD library
  4. Creating even more parameterizable modules
  5. Challenge

• Chapter 6
  1. OpenSCAD variables
  2. Conditional variable assignment
  3. More conditional variable assignments
  4. Conditional creation of objects – If statement
  5. Challenge

• Chapter 7
  1. Creating repeating patterns of parts/models – For loops
  2. Creating more complex patterns
  3. Challenge
  4. Creating patterns of patterns – Nested for loops

• Chapter 8
  1. Rotationally extruding 3D objects from 2D objects
  2. Challenge
  3. Linearly extruding 3D objects from 2D objects

• Chapter 9
  1. Doing math calculations in OpenSCAD
  2. Creating any 2D object with the polygon primitive
  3. Challenge
  4. Creating more complex object using the polygon primitive and math
  5. Another challenge