How do I use solidworks-mcp?

This server does not currently have a deployable release on Glama. Follow the repository's setup instructions to install and configure it for your MCP client, including any required credentials and local dependencies.

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solidworks-mcp

by tmkaio

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solidworks-mcp

License: MIT Python 3.10+

MCP server that connects Claude Desktop to SolidWorks via COM API, enabling automated analysis of sheet metal parts for the tooling and stamping industry.

What it does

A tooling engineer can open Claude Desktop and say:

"Open bracket.step, tell me the thickness, all hole diameters, number of bends, and export the flat pattern as a DXF."

Claude calls the MCP tools to:

Open the STEP in SolidWorks
Detect sheet metal, read thickness + K-factor
Enumerate and group all holes by diameter
Count and characterise each bend (angle, radius, length)
Flatten the part and export the flat pattern as DXF
Return a structured analysis report

Time saved: 60–90 minutes of manual inspection → ~60 seconds.

Related MCP server: solidworks-mcp-python

Try it without SolidWorks

Most of this project needs a licensed SolidWorks install, but analyze_step_standalone runs anywhere CadQuery does. Against the test fixture in this repo:

pip install -e .
conda install -c cadquery cadquery   # see docs/INSTALL.md for the pip route
python -c "
from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
from solidworks_mcp.solidworks_bridge import SolidWorksBridge
from solidworks_mcp.tools.analysis import register
import json
mcp = FastMCP('demo'); register(mcp, SolidWorksBridge())
fn = mcp._tool_manager._tools['analyze_step_standalone'].fn
print(json.dumps(fn(file_path='tests/fixtures/sample_part.step'), indent=2))
"

Actual output for sample_part.step — a 100 x 60 x 2 mm plate with four Ø6 mm through holes (abridged; the full result also carries file_path, the individual bounding-box bounds, and a units note):

{
  "file_size_kb": 33.48,
  "volume_mm3": 11773.81,
  "surface_area_mm2": 12564.6,
  "bounding_box": {
    "dimensions_mm": [100.0, 60.0, 2.0]
  },
  "center_of_mass_mm": { "x": 0.0, "y": 0.0, "z": 1.0 },
  "face_count": 10,
  "face_types": { "PLANE": 6, "CYLINDER": 4 },
  "estimated_thickness_mm": 2.0,
  "is_likely_sheet_metal": true
}

The four holes show up as the four cylindrical faces, and thickness is inferred from the smallest bounding-box dimension.

Prerequisites

Requirement	Version
Windows	10 or 11 (64-bit)
Python	3.10, 3.11 or 3.12
SolidWorks	Standard 2022 or newer (must be installed and licensed)
Claude Desktop	latest

SolidWorks must be installed and activated on the same machine as this server. The COM API requires the full application — SolidWorks PDM or Viewer are not sufficient.

Quick Install

REM 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/tmkaio/solidworks-mcp.git
cd solidworks-mcp

REM 2. Create a virtual environment
python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activate

REM 3. Install the package
pip install -e .

REM 4. (Optional) Install CadQuery for standalone STEP analysis
conda install -c cadquery cadquery

Configure Claude Desktop

Copy claude_desktop_config.example.json and merge into your Claude config:

Location: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "solidworks": {
      "command": "C:\\path\\to\\solidworks-mcp\\.venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
      "args": ["-m", "solidworks_mcp.server"],
      "env": {
        "PYTHONPATH": "C:\\path\\to\\solidworks-mcp\\src",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "INFO"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. A hammer icon (🔨) should appear in the chat toolbar.

See docs/INSTALL.md for a step-by-step guide.

Example conversation

You: Open C:\parts\door_hinge.step and give me a full analysis.

Claude: [calls open_file, get_part_info, analyze_holes, analyze_bends]

        The door hinge is a sheet metal part:
        - Thickness: 2.00 mm (K-factor: 0.44)
        - Bounding box: 120 x 80 x 45 mm
        - Mass: 312 g
        - 12 holes: Ø6mm x 4, Ø8mm x 4, Ø12mm x 4
        - 3 bends: 90° x R2mm (two) and 45° x R3mm (one)
        - Complexity: medium

You: Export the flat pattern as DXF to C:\output\hinge_flat.dxf

Claude: [calls flatten_part, export_dxf, unflatten_part]
        Flat pattern exported: C:\output\hinge_flat.dxf (18.4 KB)
        Flat dimensions: 310 x 80 mm

Available tools

Connection

Tool	Description
`solidworks_connect`	Connect to SolidWorks (start if not running)
`solidworks_status`	Check connection state and active document
`solidworks_disconnect`	Release COM references

Files

Tool	Description
`open_file`	Open STEP, SLDPRT, IGES, etc.
`close_file`	Close active document
`save_file`	Save / Save As
`list_open_documents`	List all open files

Analysis

Tool	Description
`get_part_info`	Mass, volume, material, sheet metal flag
`get_bounding_box`	L x W x H + diagonal
`count_features_by_type`	Feature histogram
`analyze_holes`	All holes grouped by diameter
`analyze_bends`	All bends with angle/radius/length
`get_geometry_stats`	Executive summary + complexity rating
`generate_part_report`	Full JSON + Markdown report
`analyze_step_standalone`	No SolidWorks needed — uses CadQuery
`get_moments_of_inertia`	Ixx/Iyy/Izz + products of inertia
`analyze_faces`	Face type breakdown (planar/cylindrical/etc.)

Sheet Metal

Tool	Description
`is_sheet_metal`	True/False check
`get_sheet_metal_properties`	Thickness, K-factor, bend radius
`convert_to_sheet_metal`	Convert imported solid to sheet metal
`flatten_part`	Activate flat pattern
`unflatten_part`	Return to folded state

Export

Tool	Description
`export_dxf`	Flat pattern -> DXF (for laser / NC)
`export_step`	Part -> STEP AP214
`export_stl`	Part -> STL
`export_pdf`	Document -> PDF
`take_screenshot`	Viewport -> PNG

Custom Properties & Materials

Tool	Description
`get_custom_properties`	Read all custom properties from active document
`get_custom_property`	Read a single named property
`set_custom_property`	Create or update a custom property
`delete_custom_property`	Remove a custom property
`set_material`	Assign a material from the SolidWorks library
`get_material_databases`	List available .sldmat material databases

Configurations

Tool	Description
`list_configurations`	List all configurations with active flag
`get_active_configuration`	Details of the current active configuration
`switch_configuration`	Activate a different configuration
`add_configuration`	Create a new configuration (copy of existing)
`delete_configuration`	Remove a configuration
`get_configuration_properties`	Config-specific custom properties

Measurements

Tool	Description
`measure_distance`	Distance between two named entities
`measure_entity`	Length/area/coordinates of a single entity
`get_face_properties`	Area, normal, centroid of a face by index
`measure_minimum_distance`	Minimum clearance between two entities
`get_section_properties`	Cross-section Ixx/Iyy/area/centroid

Feature Management

Tool	Description
`list_features`	List FeatureManager tree (with type filter)
`get_feature_info`	Type, suppression state, error for a feature
`suppress_feature`	Suppress a feature in a configuration
`unsuppress_feature`	Restore a suppressed feature
`get_feature_dimensions`	Parametric dimensions on a feature
`rebuild_model`	Force rebuild (standard or full)
`get_feature_error`	Describe a feature rebuild error

Drawings

Tool	Description
`create_drawing_from_part`	Create new drawing from active part/assembly
`add_drawing_view`	Add standard/isometric view to drawing
`list_drawing_views`	List all views on the drawing
`get_drawing_info`	Sheet count, scale, paper size
`set_drawing_scale`	Change drawing sheet scale

Assemblies

Tool	Description
`get_assembly_components`	List all components (top-level or recursive)
`get_component_count`	Quick component count
`get_assembly_bom`	Bill of Materials with quantities
`list_assembly_mates`	List all mate constraints
`get_component_info`	Mass, path, bbox for a named component
`get_assembly_mass`	Total assembly mass and centre of mass

Modeling (build geometry)

Tool	Description
`new_part`	New empty part from the default part template
`start_sketch`	Open a sketch on the Front / Top / Right plane
`sketch_line`	Line, mm in the sketch frame
`sketch_rectangle`	Corner rectangle
`sketch_circle`	Circle by centre and diameter
`sketch_polygon`	Closed polyline — blank outlines, notch punches, carriers
`finish_sketch`	Close the sketch and return its name
`extrude`	Boss-extrude a sketch (blind or mid-plane)
`cut_extrude`	Cut a sketch — through all (both sides) or blind
`rename_feature`	Label a feature, e.g. `St2 - Pierce holes`
`delete_feature`	Remove a feature to redo a modeling step

Sketch entities are created with snapping and automatic relations turned off, so geometry lands exactly at the coordinates given. Planes are picked by position, not name, so localized installs work too.

These are the "hands" for letting Claude design — e.g. lay out a progressive-die strip station by station, reasoning like an engineer — instead of only inspecting existing models.

Limitations

Assembly support is read-only. Components, BOM, mates and mass can be read; creating mates or inserting components is not supported.
Modeling covers flat prismatic work (sketch, extrude, cut). Sheet-metal forming features (base flange, sketched bend) are not exposed yet, and sketch dimensions cannot be driven parametrically after creation.
STEP files import as "dumb" solids. convert_to_sheet_metal must run before bend analysis will return anything.
No strip-layout logic in the server itself — the modeling tools draw what an agent decides; the design reasoning lives in the agent.
Windows only, and requires a licensed local SolidWorks install — the COM API needs the full application. The one exception is analyze_step_standalone, which runs anywhere via CadQuery.

Roadmap

Version	Feature
v0.2	✅ Modeling tools — sketch, extrude, cut, delete
v0.3	Sheet-metal forming features (base flange, sketched bend) for formed strip stations
v0.4	Force calculations (cut, bend, draw)

Beyond that: formability and undercut detection, GD&T annotation on generated drawings, and nesting integration are all plausible directions, but nothing is committed.

Development

The test suite mocks the COM layer, so no SolidWorks licence is required to run it:

pip install -e ".[dev]"
ruff check src tests
pytest -v

On Windows that is the whole story: all 54 tests run. CI runs the same two commands on Linux, installing the pure-Python dependencies directly rather than via pip install -e ., because pywin32 has no Linux wheel.

Two groups skip themselves rather than fail when a dependency is absent:

the connect() / disconnect() tests patch pythoncom and win32com.client by name, so they need pywin32 and run on Windows only;
analyze_step_standalone needs CadQuery.

Everything else — the COM call contract, hole and bend extraction, unit conversion, feature traversal — runs everywhere.

Logs

Server logs: %USERPROFILE%\.solidworks-mcp\logs\server.log

Claude Desktop logs: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\

License

MIT

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Maintenance

ActivityMaintained

ResponsivenessNo issues

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MIT

solidworks-mcp

What it does

Try it without SolidWorks

Prerequisites

Quick Install

Configure Claude Desktop

Example conversation

Available tools

Connection

Files

Analysis

Sheet Metal

Export

Custom Properties & Materials

Configurations

Measurements

Feature Management

Drawings

Assemblies

Modeling (build geometry)

Limitations

Roadmap

Development

Logs

License

Maintenance

Resources

Related MCP Connectors

Related MCP Servers

SolidWorks MCP Server

solidworks-mcp-python

SolidWorks MCP Server

SolidWorks MCP Server