An Open-Source CAD Framework Based on Point-Cloud Generation and Script-Based Rendering: Development and Application

Script-based computer-aided design (CAD) tools offer accessible, open, and highly customizable design environments, but their broader adoption is limited by the cognitive and computational difficulty of describing curved, irregular, or free-form geometries through code. Here, cognitive difficulty refers to challenges in curve interpretation, spatial reasoning, and mentally mapping geometric intent into parametric scripts, while computational difficulty relates to the mathematical effort, syntax precision, and debugging complexity required to generate valid geometries. Recent studies show that users frequently struggle with this combined burden, highlighting the need for more guided and intuitive workflows. This study presents a unified, open-source framework that addresses these challenges by enabling concept-to-CAD transformation through 2D point-based representations. The framework integrates an Interactive Point Cloud Modeling (IPCM) Layer with a set of modular systems for curve construction, point generation, transformation, and data formatting, together with script-based rendering functions for generating CAD geometry. These components allow users to generate geometrically valid digital models without navigating the heavy geometric calculations, strict syntax requirements, and debugging demands typical of script-based CAD workflows. Six structured case studies demonstrate the workflow across mechanical, artistic, and handcrafted forms, while additional examples highlight its applicability to cultural motif digitization, historical alphabet reconstruction, reverse engineering, and educational prototyping. These demonstrations also show that the framework can generate fabrication-ready outputs—including volumetric models, 2D profiles, and vector representations—highlighting its adaptability across diverse design and manufacturing contexts. All systems and functions are made publicly available, enabling the entire pipeline to be carried out using free and open-source tools. By providing a practical and reproducible basis for point-based modeling, the framework advances computational design practice and supports wider adoption of script-based CAD workflows.