Tools Overview¶

The SolidWorks MCP Server provides 90+ specialized tools for comprehensive CAD automation. Each tool is designed with enterprise-grade reliability, extensive error handling, and intelligent parameter validation.

Tool Categories¶

Tool Statistics¶

Total: 90+ Tools

Tool Design Principles¶

1. Intelligent Parameter Handling¶

Each tool automatically determines the optimal execution strategy:

@mcp.tool()
async def create_extrusion(
    sketch_name: str,
    depth: float,
    direction: str = "Blind",
    reverse_direction: bool = False,
    # 20+ additional parameters...
) -> dict[str, Any]:
    """Create an extrusion feature.

    Automatically routes to VBA generation for complex parameter sets.
    """

2. Comprehensive Error Handling¶

All tools include robust error handling with detailed feedback:

• Parameter Validation: Pydantic models ensure type safety
• SolidWorks Integration: Graceful handling of COM failures
• Fallback Strategies: Automatic retry with alternative approaches
• Detailed Logging: Complete audit trail of all operations

3. Security-First Design¶

Tools respect the configured security level:

# Example security enforcement
@security_check(level="elevated")
@mcp.tool()
async def batch_export(...):
    # Only available in development/restricted modes
    pass

@security_check(level="safe")  
@mcp.tool()
async def calculate_mass_properties(...):
    # Available in all security modes
    pass

Common Patterns¶

Async/Await Support¶

All tools are fully asynchronous for optimal performance:

# Non-blocking tool execution
result = await create_part("MyPart", template="Part Template")
mass_props = await calculate_mass_properties("current")

Result Standardization¶

Consistent return format across all tools:

{
    "status": "success",
    "message": "Operation completed successfully",
    "data": {
        "feature_id": "Extrude1",
        "geometry": {...},
        "properties": {...}
    },
    "execution_time": 0.234,
    "adapter_used": "VBA Generator"
}

Progress Tracking¶

Long-running operations provide real-time progress:

# Tools support progress callbacks
async def progress_callback(progress: float, message: str):
    print(f"Progress: {progress:.1%} - {message}")

result = await batch_process_files(
    files=file_list,
    on_progress=progress_callback
)

Tool Selection Guide¶

By Use Case¶

Getting Started¶

• Simple modeling: create_part(), create_sketch(), create_extrusion()
• Basic analysis: calculate_mass_properties(), measure_distance()
• File operations: save_document(), export_step()

Intermediate Usage¶

• Complex features: create_sweep(), create_loft(), create_pattern()
• Drawing creation: create_technical_drawing(), add_drawing_view()
• Batch operations: batch_export(), batch_process_files()

Advanced Automation¶

• Workflow orchestration: execute_workflow(), generate_vba_code()
• Template management: extract_template(), apply_template()
• Macro optimization: optimize_macro(), analyze_macro()

By Security Level¶

Development (All Tools)¶

Full access to all 90+ tools for maximum functionality.

Restricted (74 Tools)¶

Safe and moderate tools excluding system-level operations:

• ✅ All modeling and sketching tools
• ✅ Drawing tools and analysis
• ✅ Export and file management
• ❌ System VBA execution
• ❌ Advanced macro recording

Secure (45 Tools)¶

Read-only and analysis tools for production environments:

• ✅ Analysis and measurement tools
• ✅ Read-only property access
• ✅ Export operations
• ❌ Modeling modifications
• ❌ File system write access

Locked (15 Tools)¶

Minimal analysis tools for public interfaces:

• ✅ Mass properties and measurements
• ✅ Basic geometric analysis
• ❌ All modification operations
• ❌ File system access

Performance Characteristics¶

Operation Speed¶

Resource Usage¶

• Memory: 50-200MB per SolidWorks instance
• CPU: Varies by operation complexity
• Disk: Minimal for operations, substantial for exports
• Network: None (local SolidWorks integration)

Detailed Tool Categories¶

Modeling Tools¶

9 Tools | 3D modeling and part creation

Core Tools¶

Example Usage¶

# Create a new part
result = await create_part(
    name="Motor Housing",
    template="Part Template",
    units="millimeters"
)

# Add an extrusion
extrude = await create_extrude(
    sketch_name="Base Profile",
    depth=50.0,
    direction="Blind"
)

Sketching Tools¶

17 Tools | 2D geometry and constraints

Geometry Creation¶

Constraints & Dimensions¶

Example Usage¶

# Create and populate a sketch
sketch = await create_sketch(plane="Front")
await sketch_rectangle(
    center_x=0, center_y=0,
    width=100, height=50
)
await add_dimension(
    entity="Rectangle",
    dimension_type="width",
    value=100
)

Drawing Tools¶

:material-technical-draw: 8 Tools | Technical documentation

View Management¶

Annotations¶

Example Usage¶

# Create drawing with views
drawing = await create_drawing(
    template="A3 Landscape",
    part_path="Motor Housing.SLDPRT"
)
await insert_model_view(
    view_type="Isometric",
    scale=0.5
)

Analysis Tools¶

4 Tools | Engineering analysis and validation

Example Usage¶

# Analyze part properties
props = await calculate_mass_properties(
    entities=["Part1", "Part2"],
    include_hidden=False
)
mass = props.data["mass"]
volume = props.data["volume"]

Export Tools¶

7 Tools | File format conversion

Example Usage¶

# Export for 3D printing
await export_stl(
    file_path="Motor Housing.stl",
    resolution="Fine",
    units="Millimeters"
)

VBA Generation¶

10 Tools | Automatic VBA code generation

Template Management¶

6 Tools | Standardized workflows

Macro Recording¶

8 Tools | Macro automation

Drawing Analysis¶

10 Tools | Quality assurance

Automation Tools¶

8 Tools | Workflow orchestration

Best Practices¶

Tool Selection¶

1. Use the right tool: Choose the most specific tool for your task
2. Consider security: Select appropriate security level for deployment
3. Handle errors: Always check return status and handle failures
4. Monitor performance: Track execution times for optimization

Batch Operations¶

1. Group similar operations: Batch similar tasks for efficiency
2. Manage resources: Consider SolidWorks memory usage
3. Implement progress tracking: Provide user feedback for long operations
4. Error recovery: Handle partial failures gracefully

Security Considerations¶

1. Least privilege: Use the lowest security level that meets requirements
2. Validate inputs: Always validate user-provided parameters
3. Audit operations: Log all operations for compliance
4. Monitor access: Track tool usage patterns