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Pistonpusher

by Alexander Schellekens·Workflow

Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.

Why we like it

Pistonpusher earns its place for focusing squarely on a niche the developer openly calls a headache — working with pistons and actuators in Blender — with dedicated rig, snap, and geometry nodes tools rather than generic utilities.

What is Pistonpusher?

Pistonpusher is a Blender add-on built to cut down the overhead and planning that goes into working with pistons and actuators, covering the process from mesh to rig. Rather than assembling each mechanism by hand, it provides a set of assets, pre-made pistons, and tools for manipulating them.

At its core is a Quick Rig system that handles pistons, cables and hoses, cardan joints, springs, and armature editing. A Snap Points system plus dedicated snap and align tools help position parts, while HAPS — Hose Attachment Points — uses a geometry nodes solution for quick cylindrical extrusions on curved surfaces via normal and data transfers. General piston utilities round out the toolkit, along with Set bone as parent and Set child-of tools for handling rig relationships.

The add-on relies only on Python, so it's a safe bet across modern operating systems; it has been tested on Linux, developed on Windows, and remains untested on macOS. The code is released under the GPL, and documentation plus a demo video are available. It targets the latest stable Blender, version 5.0 and up.

Who is Pistonpusher best for?

Pistonpusher is best for blender artists building and rigging pistons and actuators, from mesh to rig.

How much does Pistonpusher cost?

Pistonpusher is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Quick Rig system covering pistons, cables and hoses, cardan joints, springs, and edit armature
  • Snap Points system for positioning parts
  • HAPS (Hose Attachment Points), a geometry nodes solution for quick cylindrical extrusions on curved surfaces using normal and data transfers
  • General piston utilities with snap and align tools
  • Set bone as parent tool
  • Set child-of tool
  • Included documentation

Tags

#pistons#actuators#rigging#quick rig#geometry nodes#snap tools#blender add-on

Frequently asked questions

Does Pistonpusher work with Blender 5.0?

Pistonpusher targets the latest stable Blender release and is listed here for version 5.0 and above, and it's marked as Blender Extension compatible. If you install it on a Blender version that isn't the latest, a warning may appear; that warning can be ignored when this store page indicates the version should be compatible. The add-on relies only on Python, so it doesn't lean on version-specific compiled components. For the current changelog and documentation, check the developer's page before installing.

Which operating systems does Pistonpusher support?

Pistonpusher relies only on Python, which makes it a safe bet on most modern operating systems, according to the developer. It has been tested on Linux and developed on Windows, so both platforms are covered. macOS is currently still untested, so mac users should treat compatibility as unconfirmed until the developer verifies it. Since there are no compiled dependencies beyond Python, the add-on avoids the platform-specific build issues that can affect other tools. Reach out through the developer's page or the linked forum post if you run into trouble.

What license does Pistonpusher use?

Pistonpusher ships all of its code under the GPL license. The assets it provides fall under a standard royalty-free license, with the single exception of the free piston, which is covered separately. That split matters if you plan to redistribute or build on the add-on: the code follows GPL terms, while the bundled piston and related assets carry their own royalty-free terms. For the exact wording and any updates, review the licensing details on the developer's page before using the assets in a commercial project.

Is Pistonpusher free?

Pistonpusher is listed as free in this catalog. Licensing and any cost can change over time, so check the developer's page for the current terms before you download. Note that the code is released under the GPL, and the bundled assets carry a royalty-free license, with the free piston handled as its own exception. If you have questions about what's included or how the assets may be used, the developer invites contact by email or through the linked BlenderArtists forum post.

Alternatives to Pistonpusher

Also in Workflow for Blender.

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