diff --git a/cq_editor/widgets/cq_utils.py b/cq_editor/widgets/cq_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cad702f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cq_editor/widgets/cq_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+import cadquery as cq
+from cadquery.occ_impl.assembly import toCAF
+
+from typing import List, Union
+from imp import reload
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+from OCP.XCAFPrs import XCAFPrs_AISObject
+from OCP.TopoDS import TopoDS_Shape
+from OCP.AIS import AIS_InteractiveObject, AIS_Shape, AIS_ColoredShape
+from OCP.Quantity import \
+    Quantity_TOC_RGB as TOC_RGB, Quantity_Color
+    
+from PyQt5.QtGui import QColor
+
+def find_cq_objects(results : dict):
+
+    return {k:SimpleNamespace(shape=v,options={}) for k,v in results.items() if isinstance(v,cq.Workplane)}
+
+def to_compound(obj : Union[cq.Workplane, List[cq.Workplane], cq.Shape, List[cq.Shape], cq.Sketch]):
+
+    vals = []
+
+    if isinstance(obj,cq.Workplane):
+        vals.extend(obj.vals())
+    elif isinstance(obj,cq.Shape):
+        vals.append(obj)
+    elif isinstance(obj,list) and isinstance(obj[0],cq.Workplane):
+        for o in obj: vals.extend(o.vals())
+    elif isinstance(obj,list) and isinstance(obj[0],cq.Shape):
+        vals.extend(obj)
+    elif isinstance(obj, TopoDS_Shape):
+        vals.append(cq.Shape.cast(obj))        
+    elif isinstance(obj,list) and isinstance(obj[0],TopoDS_Shape):
+        vals.extend(cq.Shape.cast(o) for o in obj)
+    elif isinstance(obj, cq.Sketch):
+        if obj._faces:
+            vals.append(obj._faces)
+        else:
+            vals.extend(obj._edges)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f'Invalid type {type(obj)}')
+
+    return cq.Compound.makeCompound(vals)
+
+def to_workplane(obj : cq.Shape):
+
+    rv = cq.Workplane('XY')
+    rv.objects = [obj,]
+
+    return rv
+
+def make_AIS(obj : Union[cq.Workplane, List[cq.Workplane], cq.Shape, List[cq.Shape], cq.Assembly, AIS_InteractiveObject],
+             options={}):
+
+    shape = None
+
+    if isinstance(obj, cq.Assembly):
+        label, shape = toCAF(obj)
+        ais = XCAFPrs_AISObject(label)
+    elif isinstance(obj, AIS_InteractiveObject):
+        ais = obj
+    else:
+        shape = to_compound(obj)
+        ais = AIS_ColoredShape(shape.wrapped)
+   
+    if 'alpha' in options:
+        ais.SetTransparency(options['alpha'])
+    if 'color' in options:
+        ais.SetColor(to_occ_color(options['color']))
+    if 'rgba' in options:
+        r,g,b,a = options['rgba']
+        ais.SetColor(to_occ_color((r,g,b)))
+        ais.SetTransparency(a)
+
+    return ais,shape
+
+def export(obj : Union[cq.Workplane, List[cq.Workplane]], type : str,
+           file, precision=1e-1):
+
+    comp = to_compound(obj)
+
+    if type == 'stl':
+        comp.exportStl(file, tolerance=precision)
+    elif type == 'step':
+        comp.exportStep(file)
+    elif type == 'brep':
+        comp.exportBrep(file)
+
+def to_occ_color(color) -> Quantity_Color:
+    
+    if not isinstance(color, QColor):
+        if isinstance(color, tuple):
+            if isinstance(color[0], int):
+                color = QColor(*color)
+            elif isinstance(color[0], float):
+                color = QColor.fromRgbF(*color)
+            else:
+                raise ValueError('Unknown color format')
+        else:
+            color = QColor(color)
+
+    return Quantity_Color(color.redF(),
+                          color.greenF(),
+                          color.blueF(),
+                          TOC_RGB)
+
+def get_occ_color(ais : AIS_ColoredShape) -> QColor:
+    
+    color = Quantity_Color()
+    ais.Color(color)
+    
+    return QColor.fromRgbF(color.Red(), color.Green(), color.Blue())
+
+def reload_cq():
+    
+    # NB: order of reloads is important
+    reload(cq.types)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.geom)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.shapes)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.shapes)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.importers.dxf)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.importers)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.solver)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.assembly)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.sketch_solver)
+    reload(cq.hull)
+    reload(cq.selectors)
+    reload(cq.sketch)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.svg)
+    reload(cq.cq)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.utils)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.dxf)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.amf)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.json)
+    #reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters.assembly)
+    reload(cq.occ_impl.exporters)
+    reload(cq.assembly)
+    reload(cq)
+    
+    
+def is_obj_empty(obj : Union[cq.Workplane,cq.Shape]) -> bool:
+    
+    rv = False
+    
+    if isinstance(obj, cq.Workplane):
+        rv = True if isinstance(obj.val(), cq.Vector) else False
+        
+    return rv