FreeCAD MCP Server

Overview

The FreeCAD MCP Server bridges the gap between AI assistants and a powerful open‑source CAD platform. By exposing FreeCAD’s modeling engine through the Model Context Protocol, it allows conversational agents such as Claude to request geometry creation, perform boolean operations, and manage design documents—all within a single dialogue. This eliminates the need for manual file exchange or GUI interaction, enabling designers to iterate rapidly on complex assemblies directly from natural language prompts.

What sets this server apart is its focus on parametric and scriptable workflows. The toolset includes basic primitives (box, cylinder, sphere) that can be instantiated with precise dimensions. Boolean operations—union, cut, common—enable the assembly of multi‑part models without manual editing. Beyond these core actions, the server exposes a endpoint that runs arbitrary FreeCAD Python code in the current document context. This allows users to tap into FreeCAD’s full API, create custom constraints, or automate repetitive tasks that would otherwise require manual scripting. The ability to list objects and save documents further rounds out a complete design lifecycle within the AI conversation.

Developers can integrate this server into any MCP‑enabled workflow by adding a simple configuration entry. Once connected, an AI can generate a full CAD file from textual specifications: “Create a bearing housing with 20 mm inner diameter and 40 mm outer diameter” triggers a sequence of primitive creations, boolean cuts, and saves the resulting file. For more advanced use cases, the tool can be used to generate threaded bolts or apply parametric constraints, making the server suitable for rapid prototyping, educational demonstrations, and automated design pipelines.

Key features include:

• Cross‑platform support: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with automatic FreeCAD path detection.
• Rich geometry API: Create boxes, cylinders, spheres; perform unions, cuts, and common operations.
• Document management: Save, list, and inspect objects in the current FreeCAD session.
• Full scripting access: Execute any Python code within FreeCAD’s environment, unlocking the platform’s full power.
• Simple integration: One‑line MCP client configuration and no runtime dependencies beyond Node.js.

Real‑world scenarios that benefit from this server are abundant. Rapid prototyping teams can generate parts on demand, educational settings can let students explore CAD concepts through conversational prompts, and continuous integration pipelines can automate design verification by feeding test cases into the server. By embedding FreeCAD directly inside an AI assistant, designers gain a fluid, iterative workflow that turns ideas into executable models with minimal friction.