● SG-Lib 5.6 (2026) · MATLAB Toolbox

Design CAD, mechanisms and robots with natural language and generative AI

SG-Lib is a MATLAB toolbox for solid-geometry modelling, FE-based optimization and multi-body simulation — enabling automated design of robots, mechanisms and 3D-printable geometry from a simple conversation.

Developed since 2010 at the Technical University of Munich, Germany.

Compiled for MATLAB 2024b•Tested in English & German•On GitHub
New

SG-Lib 5.6 (2026) is released — it adds the Claude interface and the batch-pool automation shown below, on top of the existing ChatGPT / MATLAB interface. GitHub is the download source.

SG-Lib is a free, non-commercial toolbox for research and teaching. We say this openly so our community and students know what to expect and are not disappointed.

ChatCAD in action

From a single prompt to a printable part

With SG-Lib 5.5 and the OpenAI / MATLAB interface, 3D-printable geometries, mechanisms and robots can be created through natural-language conversation. Click a demo to watch the video.

Single-prompt coffee mug▶

Single-prompt coffee mug

One sentence to a printable mug geometry.

⇩ download video
Heat-sink from blueprint▶

Heat-sink from blueprint

Parametric heat-sink generated by conversation.

⇩ download video
Spur gear▶

Spur gear

Correct gear design driven by an LLM.

⇩ download video

What is the Solid Geometry Library Toolbox?

SG-Lib is a toolbox for MathWorks MATLAB (some tasks require additional MATLAB toolboxes). Its goal is to automate the design process for building robots — rigid bodies, joints and kinematics, gear design and shape optimization via computer-aided optimization (CAO) or topology optimization (TO) for small and large displacements.

It also includes components for simulating multi-body systems, automatically generating control code for Arduino-family µCs and for 2D/3D area cameras, plus a port for processing medical CT/MRI image data. The library has grown since 2010 and is expected to be developed further until at least 2035.

Prof. Tim C. Lueth · Technical University of Munich, Germany

% Verify licence and draw a circle
>> VLFLlicense, PLcircle(10)

% Generate a printable solid
>> sg = VLFLtransA(...)
>> SGwriteSTL(sg, 'part.stl')

% ...or just describe it in plain English
>> SGofCPLcommand('c 4,h 5')
How it fits together

Architecture

SG-Lib is a MATLAB toolbox built on MATLAB and Python and using the Manifold library for watertight boolean geometry. Since version 5.6 the toolbox can be driven by a generative AI — such as ChatGPT, and preferably Claude — through functions like executepool4claude.

SG-Lib system architecture: generative AI drives the SG-Lib MATLAB toolbox, which runs on MATLAB and Python and uses the Manifold boolean library
Why generative AI in robot design

Faster, more efficient, more adaptable designs

✦

Design innovation

Explores a wide space of possibilities and produces designs engineers might not have conceived.

⚙

Optimization

Accounts for materials, weight distribution and energy efficiency to outperform traditional designs.

⚡

Faster prototyping

Rapidly generates and iterates designs, accelerating research and development.

◇

Complex structures

Creates intricate geometries that are difficult or impossible to build by hand.

⤢

Scalability

AI-generated designs scale up cleanly for mass production across industries.

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Medical & devices

From manipulators and mechanisms to medical robots and CT/MRI data processing.

Get SG-Lib 5.6 (2026)

The newest release is compiled for MATLAB 2024b and ships with complete HTML documentation. Free for educational, non-profit use.