diff --git a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_basic.cpp b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_basic.cpp
index 3c94fe1a..3384e3ef 100644
--- a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_basic.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_basic.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,16 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNgOCCBasic(py::module &m)
     .def("__sub__", [](gp_Pnt p1, gp_Pnt p2) { return gp_Vec(p2, p1); }) 
     .def("__add__", [](gp_Pnt p, gp_Vec v) { return p.Translated(v); }) // gp_Pnt(p.X()+v.X(), p.Y()+v.Y(), p.Z()+v.Z()); })
     .def("__sub__", [](gp_Pnt p, gp_Vec v) { return p.Translated(-v); }) // gp_Pnt(p.X()-v.X(), p.Y()-v.Y(), p.Z()-v.Z()); })
+    .def("__getitem__", [](const gp_Pnt& p, int index)
+    {
+      if(index == 0)
+        return p.X();
+      if(index == 1)
+        return p.Y();
+      if(index == 2)
+        return p.Z();
+      throw std::out_of_range("Point index must be in range [0,3)!");
+    })
     ;
   
   py::class_<gp_Vec>(m, "gp_Vec", "3d OCC vector")
diff --git a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
index defe7b34..b6b68eb1 100644
--- a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
@@ -972,14 +972,22 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNgOCCShapes(py::module &m)
     .def("Reversed", [](const TopoDS_Shape & shape) {
         return CastShape(shape.Reversed()); })
 
-    .def("Extrude", [](const TopoDS_Shape & shape, double h) {
+    .def("Extrude", [](const TopoDS_Shape & shape, double h,
+                       optional<gp_Vec> dir) {
         for (TopExp_Explorer e(shape, TopAbs_FACE); e.More(); e.Next())
           {
             Handle(Geom_Surface) surf = BRep_Tool::Surface (TopoDS::Face(e.Current()));
-            gp_Vec du, dv;
-            gp_Pnt p;
-            surf->D1 (0,0,p,du,dv);
-            BRepPrimAPI_MakePrism builder(shape, h*du^dv, true);
+            gp_Vec edir;
+            if(dir.has_value())
+              edir = *dir;
+            else
+              {
+                gp_Vec du, dv;
+                gp_Pnt p;
+                surf->D1 (0,0,p,du,dv);
+                edir = du^dv;
+              }
+            BRepPrimAPI_MakePrism builder(shape, h*edir, true);
 
             for (auto typ : { TopAbs_EDGE, TopAbs_VERTEX })
               for (TopExp_Explorer e(shape, typ); e.More(); e.Next())
@@ -992,7 +1000,7 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNgOCCShapes(py::module &m)
             return builder.Shape();
           }
         throw Exception("no face found for extrusion");
-      }, py::arg("h"), "extrude shape to thickness 'h', shape must contain a plane surface")
+    }, py::arg("h"), py::arg("dir")=nullopt, "extrude shape to thickness 'h', shape must contain a plane surface, optionally give an extrusion direction")
     
     .def("Extrude", [] (const TopoDS_Shape & face, gp_Vec vec) {
         return BRepPrimAPI_MakePrism (face, vec).Shape();