vcad-step-import

# vcad STEP Import Import geometry from STEP files (AP203/AP214) using the vcad MCP tools. STEP files are the standard interchange format exported by Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Onshape, CATIA, and other CAD software. ## Available Tools | Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | `import_step` | Import geometry from a .step/.stp file | | `inspect_cad` | Analyze imported geometry (volume, area, bbox) | | `export_cad` | Re-export to STL or GLB | | `open_in_browser` | View imported model in vcad.io | ## import_step ```json { "filename": "part.step", "name": "imported_part", "material": "steel" } ``` Parameters: - `filename` — path to the STEP file (.step or .stp) - `name` — part name (default: filename without extension) - `material` — material key: `"steel"` (default, density 7850 kg/m3), `"aluminum"` (2700), or `"default"` Returns an IR document with `ImportedMesh` nodes containing triangulated geometry, plus a summary: ```json { "document": { ... }, "summary": { "bodies": 3, "total_triangles": 15420, "total_vertices": 8210 } } ``` ## Workflow ### Import → Inspect → Export ``` 1. import_step(filename: "bracket.step") → Get IR document + body count 2. inspect_cad(ir: <document>) → Volume, surface area, bounding box, mass 3. export_cad(ir: <document>, filename: "bracket.stl") → STL file for 3D printing ``` ### Import → View in Browser ``` 1. import_step(filename: "housing.step") → Get IR document 2. open_in_browser(document: <VCode>) → Shareable vcad.io URL ``` Note: `open_in_browser` works best with smaller models. Very large imports may exceed URL length limits — use `export_cad` instead. ## Supported Formats | Format | Support | |--------|---------| | AP203 | Full | | AP214 | Full | | AP242 | Partial (geometry only) | Common sources: Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Onshape, CATIA, Creo, Inventor, FreeCAD, Rhino. ## What Gets Imported STEP import produces triangulated meshes (ImportedMesh nodes), not parametric BRep. This means: - Geometry is viewable and exportable - Volume and area measurements work - Boolean operations with imported meshes are not supported - The parametric history from the source CAD is not preserved For parametric editing, recreate the geometry using `create_cad_document`. ## Tips - Use absolute paths if the file is not in the current working directory - Multi-body STEP files produce multiple ImportedMesh nodes (one per body) - Assign `"material": "steel"` or `"aluminum"` to get mass calculations from `inspect_cad` - Large STEP files (>50MB) may take several seconds to process