freecad-mcp

FreeCAD MCP - AI-Powered CAD

Control FreeCAD with Claude AI through natural language!

Create 3D models, add features, and automate CAD workflows using conversational AI.

See It In Action

Watch FreeCAD MCP model a house from a simple text command:

demo-house-modeling.mp4

"Ask FreeCAD to model a house" - and watch it create walls, roof, windows, and door automatically!

** New!** Easy 2-command installation with automatic updates!

Requirements

Before installation, make sure you have:

• FreeCAD 1.0+ - Download here
• Node.js & npm - Download here
• Claude Code - npm install -g claude-code (recommended)

Python 3.9+ is included with FreeCAD automatically

⚡ Super Easy Install

Quick Install

Windows:

python -m pip install --user mcp
npm install -g freecad-mcp-setup@latest
npx freecad-mcp-setup setup

macOS/Linux:

pip install mcp
npm install -g freecad-mcp-setup@latest
npx freecad-mcp-setup setup

That's it! The installer automatically:

• ✅ Cross-platform: Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows
• ✅ Detects your OS and FreeCAD installation
• ✅ Downloads latest FreeCAD MCP from GitHub
• ✅ Installs the AI Copilot workbench to correct location
• ✅ Downloads and registers MCP bridge server
• ✅ Provides clear next steps for testing

Updating

To update to the latest version:

Windows:

npm update -g freecad-mcp-setup
npx freecad-mcp-setup setup

macOS/Linux:

npm update -g freecad-mcp-setup
npx freecad-mcp-setup setup

The installer will automatically download and install the latest FreeCAD MCP files!

How to Use

Step 1: Start FreeCAD

1. Launch FreeCAD
2. The AI Copilot service starts automatically

Step 2: Open Claude

In a new terminal/command prompt:

claude

Step 3: Verify Connection

Ask Claude:

Check FreeCAD connection

You should see confirmation that FreeCAD tools are available.

Step 4: Start Creating!

Just ask Claude to design anything - watch the demo video above to see it model a house!

️ Using Claude Desktop?

The installer works with Claude Code by default. For Claude Desktop users, after running the installer, you'll need to manually configure:

Add to your Claude Desktop config:

macOS/Linux:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "freecad": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/Users/yourusername/.freecad-mcp/working_bridge.py"]
    }
  }
}

Windows:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "freecad": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["C:\\Users\\yourusername\\.freecad-mcp\\working_bridge.py"]
    }
  }
}

Config file locations:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Manual Installation (Developers)

For developers who prefer full control:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/contextform/freecad-mcp.git
cd freecad-mcp

# Install dependencies
python3 -m pip install mcp

# Install FreeCAD workbench (choose your OS):
# macOS:
cp -r AICopilot ~/Library/Application\ Support/FreeCAD/Mod/

# Linux:
# cp -r AICopilot ~/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/

# Windows:
# cp -r AICopilot %APPDATA%\FreeCAD\Mod\

# Register MCP server with full path
claude mcp add freecad python3 "$(pwd)/working_bridge.py"

What You Can Do

Create 3D Objects:

Create a 50x30x20mm box with 5mm fillets
Make a cylinder with 25mm radius and 60mm height

Parametric Features:

Add a 3mm fillet to Pad001
Create a 6mm counterbore hole at position (20,10)
Make a linear pattern of 5 copies spaced 30mm apart

Advanced Operations:

Create a PartDesign pad from Sketch001 with 15mm length
Add a mirror of Feature001 across the XZ plane
Take an isometric screenshot at 1200x800

️ Available Operations

• PartDesign (13 ops): Pad, Revolution, Fillet, Chamfer, Holes, Patterns
• Part (18 ops): Primitives, Booleans, Transforms, Advanced shapes
• View Control (14 ops): Screenshots, Zoom, Selection, Document management
• Python Execution: Custom FreeCAD scripts for complex operations

Troubleshooting

Installation Problems:

# Re-run the installer (fixes most issues)
freecad-mcp setup

# Force update to latest version  
freecad-mcp setup --update

# Get help
freecad-mcp --help

Common Issues:

Problem	Solution
"FreeCAD not found"	Install FreeCAD 1.0+ from freecad.org
"Claude Code not found"	Run npm install -g claude-code
"npm command not found"	Install Node.js from nodejs.org
MCP registration failed	Manual setup: claude mcp add freecad python3 ~/.freecad-mcp/working_bridge.py

Testing Connection:

1. Launch FreeCAD first (AI service auto-starts)
2. Run claude in terminal
3. Ask Claude: "List available tools"
4. Should see mcp__freecad__* tools listed ✅

️ Uninstall

To completely remove FreeCAD MCP and restore defaults:

Windows:

# Remove from Claude
claude mcp remove freecad

# Remove FreeCAD workbench
rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\FreeCAD\Mod\AICopilot"

# Remove MCP files
rmdir /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\.freecad-mcp"
del "%USERPROFILE%\.freecad-mcp-version"

# Uninstall npm package
npm uninstall -g freecad-mcp-setup

macOS/Linux:

# Remove from Claude
claude mcp remove freecad

# Remove FreeCAD workbench
rm -rf ~/.local/share/FreeCAD/Mod/AICopilot  # Linux
# rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/FreeCAD/Mod/AICopilot  # macOS

# Remove MCP files
rm -rf ~/.freecad-mcp
rm -f ~/.freecad-mcp-version

# Uninstall npm package
npm uninstall -g freecad-mcp-setup

Claude Desktop users: Also remove the "freecad" section from your claude_desktop_config.json file.

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Ready to design with AI? Install and start creating!