3D Primitives

cube

Create a box (rectangular prism) in the first octant. When center is true, the cube is centered at the origin.

Syntax:

Python

cube(size=1, center=False)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`size`	number or `[x, y, z]`	`1`	A single number creates a cube; a list creates a box with those dimensions
`center`	bool or string	`False`	`True` centers on origin; a 3-char string controls per-axis centering

PythonSCAD extensions:

The center parameter accepts a 3-character string where each character controls centering on one axis (X, Y, Z):

|, 0, _, or space: center on this axis
<, [, (, or -: align to negative side (default, same as center=False)
>, ], ), or +: align to positive side

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

cube(10).show()

cube([10, 20, 30]).show()

cube([10, 20, 30], center=True).show()

# Per-axis centering: center X and Y, keep Z at bottom
cube([10, 20, 30], center="||<").show()

OpenSCAD reference: cube

sphere

Create a sphere centered at the origin.

Syntax:

Python

sphere(r=1)
sphere(d=2)
sphere(func, fn=..., fa=..., fs=...)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`r`	number or function	`1`	Radius of the sphere, or a Python function `f(v) -> radius`
`d`	number	—	Diameter (alternative to `r`; cannot specify both)
`fn`	int	—	Number of segments for full circle
`fa`	float	—	Minimum angle per segment
`fs`	float	—	Minimum segment size

PythonSCAD extensions:

The r parameter can be a Python function that receives a 3D direction vector and returns a radius, creating a deformed sphere:

Python

from pythonscad import *

def rfunc(v):
    cf = abs(v[0]) + abs(v[1]) + abs(v[2]) + 3
    return 10 / cf

sphere(rfunc, fs=0.5, fn=10).show()

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

sphere(10).show()

sphere(d=20).show()

sphere(5, fn=100).show()

OpenSCAD reference: sphere

cylinder

Create a cylinder or cone centered on the Z axis. The base sits on the XY plane unless center is true.

Syntax:

Python

cylinder(h=1, r=1, center=False)
cylinder(h=1, r1=1, r2=1, center=False)
cylinder(h=1, d=2, center=False)
cylinder(h=1, d1=2, d2=2, center=False)
cylinder(h=1, r=1, angle=360)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`h`	number	`1`	Height of the cylinder
`r`	number	`1`	Radius (both top and bottom)
`r1`	number	—	Bottom radius (for cones)
`r2`	number	—	Top radius (for cones)
`d`	number	—	Diameter (alternative to `r`)
`d1`	number	—	Bottom diameter
`d2`	number	—	Top diameter
`center`	bool	`False`	Center vertically on origin
`angle`	float	`360`	Arc angle in degrees (PythonSCAD extension)
`fn`	int	—	Number of segments
`fa`	float	—	Minimum angle per segment
`fs`	float	—	Minimum segment size

PythonSCAD extensions:

The angle parameter creates a partial cylinder (pie/wedge shape):

Python

from pythonscad import *

cylinder(r=5, h=6, angle=90).show()

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

cylinder(h=10, r=5).show()

cylinder(h=10, r1=5, r2=2).show()

cylinder(h=10, d=8, center=True).show()

# High-resolution cylinder
cylinder(h=10, r=5, fn=100).show()

OpenSCAD reference: cylinder

polyhedron

Create a 3D solid from a list of vertices and face indices.

Syntax:

Python

polyhedron(points, faces, convexity=2)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`points`	list of `[x, y, z]`	—	Vertex coordinates
`faces`	list of index lists	—	Each face is a list of vertex indices (counterclockwise when viewed from outside)
`convexity`	int	`2`	Maximum number of front/back faces a ray can intersect
`triangles`	list	—	Deprecated alias for `faces` (triangles only)
`colors`	list	—	Per-face colors

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

pts = [
    [0, 0, 0], [10, 0, 0], [10, 10, 0], [0, 10, 0],
    [0, 0, 10], [10, 0, 10], [10, 10, 10], [0, 10, 10]
]
faces = [
    [0, 1, 2, 3],  # bottom
    [4, 5, 6, 7],  # top
    [0, 1, 5, 4],  # front
    [1, 2, 6, 5],  # right
    [2, 3, 7, 6],  # back
    [3, 0, 4, 7],  # left
]
polyhedron(pts, faces).show()

You can also reconstruct a solid from its mesh data:

Python

from pythonscad import *

c = cube(10)
pts, tris = c.mesh()
polyhedron(pts, tris).show()

OpenSCAD reference: polyhedron

rounded_cube

Create a cube or box with uniformly rounded edges and corners. This is a PythonSCAD-only helper (not part of upstream OpenSCAD).

The given size is the outer extent of the solid, including the rounding. You must specify exactly one of r (radius) or d (diameter); supplying both or neither raises TypeError.

By default, rounded_cube() is positioned like cube(size), with its minimum corner at the origin. center=False and center=None both keep that behavior; set center=True to center the generated shape's bounding box on the origin.

Syntax:

Python

rounded_cube(size, r)
rounded_cube(size, r=..., center=False, fn=..., fa=..., fs=...)
rounded_cube(size, d=..., center=False, fn=..., fa=..., fs=...)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`size`	number or `[x, y, z]`	—	Outer edge length for a cube, or outer box dimensions
`r`	number	—	Rounding radius. Cannot be used with `d`
`d`	number	—	Rounding diameter. Cannot be used with `r`
`center`	bool or `None`	`False`	If `True`, center the generated shape's bounding box on the origin. If `False` or `None`, place it in the positive octant
`fn`	int	—	Number of segments for the rounding sphere
`fa`	float	—	Minimum angle per rounding-sphere segment
`fs`	float	—	Minimum rounding-sphere segment size

Examples:

Python

from pythonscad import *

rounded_cube(20, r=2).show()

rounded_cube([30, 20, 10], d=4).show()

rounded_cube([30, 20, 10], r=2, center=True).show()

rounded_cube(20, r=2, fn=100).show()