Hardware Builder — OpenClaw Skill

What This Does

Multi-agent hardware design system. Give it a prompt ("autonomous drone", "weather station"), get back:

•BOM — parts list from 14,758-component database (prices in USD)
•PCB — circuit design + KiCad schematic + board layout
•Enclosure — parametric OpenSCAD 3D-printable files
•Assembly — step-by-step build guide with tools + time estimates
•Quote — full cost breakdown in USD

Quick Start

bash

# From the skill directory:
./install.sh

# Run a build:
make run PROMPT="autonomous drone"

# Start the web UI + API:
make serve
# → http://localhost:8000

Using as an Agent

REST API

bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/build \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"prompt": "camera for a kid"}'

A2A Protocol

bash

# Discover capabilities
curl http://localhost:8000/a2a/discover

# Build via A2A
curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/a2a/build \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"task": "hardware_build", "prompt": "garden weather station"}'

From Another OpenClaw Agent

If the Hardware Builder server is running, any OpenClaw agent can call it:

code

User: "Design me an autonomous drone"

Agent thinks:
  → POST http://localhost:8000/a2a/build {"task": "hardware_build", "prompt": "autonomous drone"}
  → Receives full project spec with BOM, PCB, enclosure, assembly, quote
  → Presents results to user

Requirements

•Python 3.12+
•Node.js 22+ (frontend build only)
•Anthropic API key (set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY env var)
•~8GB RAM for Opus model calls (or use run_staged.py for memory-constrained environments)

Configuration

Set your Anthropic API key:

bash

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

Or if running inside OpenClaw, it auto-loads from the auth profile at ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json.

Pipeline Stages

#	Agent	Model	Time	Output
1	Orchestrator	Opus	~10s	Structured requirements
2	Parts	Opus	~30s	BOM with prices
3	PCB	Opus	~120s	Circuit + schematic + layout
4	CAD	Opus	~60s	OpenSCAD body + lid
5	Assembly	Opus	~70s	Step-by-step guide
6	Quoter	None	<1ms	USD cost breakdown

Total pipeline: ~5 minutes per build

File Structure

code

src/agents/orchestrator.py    — Pipeline coordination + Claude API
src/agents/parts_agent.py     — FTS5 search + LLM BOM selection
src/agents/pcb/pcb_agent.py   — Circuit → schematic → layout
src/agents/cad/cad_agent.py   — OpenSCAD parametric generation
src/agents/assembler/         — Build guide generation
src/agents/quoter/            — Deterministic USD pricing
src/api/server.py             — FastAPI REST + A2A endpoints
src/db/schema.py              — SQLite schema + FTS5 helpers
frontend/                     — React + TypeScript CORTEX UI
schemas/                      — JSON Schema definitions
docs/                         — Architecture + protocol specs