SVG To 3D Forge

Use this skill when the user wants a local Mac workflow for creating simple vector assets and turning them into basic 3D model files without pretending there is a magic one-click CAD pipeline behind it.

Default product shapes:

• a compact menu-bar utility that keeps SVG scaffold, extrusion settings, and export actions in one calm surface
• a deterministic local helper that can scaffold simple SVG templates and extrude them through Blender into STL, OBJ, or GLB

Quick Start

1. Confirm whether the user wants a starter SVG, a 3D export from an existing SVG, or a real menu-bar utility surface.
2. Run python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py doctor to confirm Blender availability first.
3. Use python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py scaffold --preset badge --text AC --output badge.svg for a deterministic starter SVG.
4. Use python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py extrude --input badge.svg --output badge.stl --format stl to create a local mesh export.
5. Use --depth, --bevel, and --size to control extrusion thickness and export scale.
6. Use the SwiftUI starter in prototype/ when the user wants a reusable Mac utility shell around the same pipeline.

Accepted Inputs

• an existing SVG file with paths, shapes, or text already outlined the way the user wants
• a request for a simple scaffolded SVG asset such as a badge, coin, plaque, or keycap face
• desired output format: stl, obj, or glb
• extrusion depth, bevel, and approximate overall size
• whether the export is for quick visual mockups, slicer-ready prototypes, or app asset packaging

Workflow

Keep the boundary explicit

• Treat the SVG as the source of truth for the 2D asset.
• Use Blender locally for curve import, extrusion, mesh conversion, and export.
• If Blender is missing, stop with a clear dependency message instead of claiming the conversion worked.
• Keep the skill focused on simple vector-to-mesh work; do not present it as full mechanical CAD or a guarantee of print-ready topology.

Prefer deterministic vector starts

• Use the scaffold command when the user needs a simple starter mark rather than a blank file.
• Keep scaffolded SVGs template-driven and editable.
• Encourage users to convert decorative text to outlines in their design tool if exact typography matters before extrusion.

Validate the right thing

• Use STL for slicer or fabrication-oriented handoff.
• Use OBJ when another DCC tool needs a simple mesh file.
• Use GLB when the user wants a lightweight packaged 3D asset for viewers or web surfaces.
• If watertight geometry or tolerance matters, validate the result in Blender, a slicer, or CAD after export.

Local Helper

Use scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py for deterministic local workflows:

python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py doctor
python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py scaffold --preset badge --text AC --output badge.svg
python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py scaffold --preset keycap --text GO --subtitle layer --output keycap.svg
python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py extrude --input badge.svg --output badge.stl --format stl --depth 3.2 --bevel 0.25 --size 80
python skills/svg-to-3d-forge/scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py extrude --input mark.svg --output mark.glb --format glb --depth 2.0 --size 100 --keep-driver

The helper can:

• check for Blender and report the exact binary path it found
• scaffold editable SVG files from a few practical presets
• generate a Blender driver script and run it locally to import the SVG, extrude curves, join the meshes, scale them, and export the chosen model file

Guardrails

• Do not invent cloud conversion services, parametric CAD features, or automatic repair that the local toolchain does not provide.
• Keep the UI and workflow compact: source SVG, extrusion settings, output format, export.
• If the SVG is too complex, self-intersecting, or text-heavy, say so and recommend outline cleanup before extrusion.

Prototype

• SwiftUI starter files live in prototype/.
• The prototype sketches a menu-bar shell with SVG intake, preset scaffolds, extrusion controls, and a one-click export flow.

Example Prompts

• Use $svg-to-3d-forge to scaffold a simple badge SVG and export it as an STL with a shallow bevel for 3D printing.
• Use $svg-to-3d-forge to turn this existing logo SVG into a GLB file with clean local Blender export steps.
• Use $svg-to-3d-forge to build a compact macOS menu-bar utility for SVG scaffold, extrusion preview settings, and STL or GLB export.

Resources

• scripts/svg_to_3d_forge.py: local doctor, scaffold, and Blender export helper
• prototype/: menu-bar-first SwiftUI starter for a compact SVG-to-3D utility shell