find-stl

What This Skill Does

The find-stl skill is a powerful automation utility designed to bridge the gap between creative concepts and physical realization. It provides a structured, deterministic pipeline for agents to interact with Printables, the industry-standard repository for 3D printing models. The tool operates in two primary phases: search and fetch. In the search phase, the agent queries the Printables database to retrieve a list of relevant models based on natural language descriptors, returning metadata like file IDs and model descriptions. In the fetch phase, the tool navigates the technical complexities of downloading files by resolving time-limited links via the Printables GraphQL API.

Crucially, this skill automates the administrative overhead of 3D printing projects. Upon successful download, the skill automatically generates a manifest.json file. This manifest acts as a digital receipt, containing the source URL, author information, license identifiers, individual file names, and cryptographic hashes to ensure file integrity. By encapsulating these steps into a singular agent-driven command, you can move from a simple concept to a local directory ready for slicing and printing in seconds.

Installation

To integrate this skill into your environment, use the OpenClaw hub CLI tool. Execute the following command in your terminal:

clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/ajmwagar/find-stl

Ensure that you have Python 3 installed in your path, as the skill relies on the local find_stl.py script to interface with the Printables API and manage file system operations.

Use Cases

• Prototyping: Rapidly gather various design iterations for a mechanical enclosure.
• Inventory Management: Organize and store model files with strict attribution compliance for professional or commercial projects.
• Automated Manufacturing: Integrate the agent into a larger workflow where a CAD analysis identifies a missing part, and the agent automatically sources a replacement STL file.
• Academic Research: Catalog existing design patterns for study while maintaining clean license metadata.

Example Prompts

1. "Find me the best rated STL files for a wall-mounted screwdriver organizer and download them to the folder ./project/tools."
2. "Search Printables for a replacement knob for a vintage radio, display the options, and then download the most popular one."
3. "Look for a 3D-printable bracket for a GoPro mount and ensure the manifest includes all author and license attribution."

Tips & Limitations

• License Compliance: Always verify the license type listed in the manifest.json before using models for commercial production. The skill preserves this metadata, but the user remains responsible for adhering to usage terms.
• Network Dependency: Because the skill communicates with the Printables GraphQL API, ensure you have stable network access.
• Time-Limited Links: The underlying Printables download links are ephemeral. If a download fails, the agent may need to re-query the API to generate a fresh session token or link. Always run the fetch command immediately after identifying the correct model ID to avoid link expiration.