Automate CAD Conversion: cadconvert CLI, MCP Server & AI Agents

July 2, 2026 • ContentaSoft Team

Most engineers meet 3D CAD Converter through its Windows wizard: drop in STEP, IGES, or STL files, pick an output format, click Convert. But the wizard is only one way to drive it. The same conversion engine — 15+ formats, mesh repair, tessellation control, assembly support — also ships with a full command-line interface called cadconvert, a built-in MCP server, and an installable Claude Code skill.

This post walks through all three: scripting with the cadconvert CLI, wiring the MCP server into Claude Desktop or Claude Code, and letting an AI agent convert CAD files from plain English. The CLI has no --json flag — for AI agents, use the MCP server instead. Full CLI and MCP reference lives at https://github.com/brunojanvier77/ContentaSoft.

The cadconvert CLI: the same engine, scriptable

The executable is cadconvert.exe and installs together with the desktop app — same installer, same license. You will find it in C:\Program Files\ContentaSoft\3D CAD Converter\; add that folder to your PATH and it is available from any terminal.

"C:\Program Files\ContentaSoft\3D CAD Converter\cadconvert.exe" formats

List supported formats, convert a single file, batch-process a folder, or watch an incoming directory — all from the terminal:

Convert a STEP file to STL with controlled tessellation:

cadconvert convert -i model.step -o model.stl --tessellation 0.01

Batch-convert an entire folder to printable STL with 8 parallel workers:

cadconvert batch -i ./models -o ./printable -f stl -w 8

Watch a folder and auto-convert incoming files to 3MF:

cadconvert watch -i ./incoming -o ./converted -f 3mf

Inspect a file before converting:

cadconvert info part.step

The --tessellation value controls mesh density for STEP/IGES exports — lower values mean finer meshes and larger files. Start with 0.01 for 3D printing and adjust based on your slicer.

Real automation recipes

1. The print-prep batch pipeline

Point batch at a folder of supplier STEP files and export everything to STL overnight:

cadconvert batch -i ./models -o ./printable -f stl -w 8

2. The self-running watch folder

The watch command monitors an incoming folder and converts every new CAD file automatically:

cadconvert watch -i ./incoming -o ./converted -f 3mf

The MCP server: hand the engine to an AI agent

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the open standard AI assistants use to call external tools. Because the CLI has no --json mode, the MCP server is the intended path for AI agents — you start it with one command:

cadconvert serve

It exposes tools for format detection, single and batch conversion, file info, and preset listing — and it works during the free trial (10 lifetime conversions, then register).

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json to connect Claude Desktop:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cadconvert": {
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\ContentaSoft\\3D CAD Converter\\cadconvert.exe",
      "args": ["serve"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code skill: CAD conversion in plain English

If you use Claude Code, install the /contenta-cad skill — it teaches the agent the CLI commands, tessellation settings, batch patterns, and format matrix:

Then describe the job in your own words — “convert every STEP in this folder to STL for printing” or “watch my incoming folder and convert new files to 3MF”. The skill builds the right cadconvert commands and reports back.

git clone https://github.com/brunojanvier77/ContentaSoft.git
cp -r ContentaSoft/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/

Everything is documented on GitHub

The complete reference lives in a public GitHub repository: accurate CLI documentation for every command and option, the full MCP server reference, and installable Claude Code skills for 3D CAD Converter and the other ContentaSoft products. github.com/brunojanvier77/ContentaSoft

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the CLI cost extra?

No. The CLI, the MCP server, and the Claude Code skill ship in the same installer as the desktop app and are covered by the same $179 one-time license.

What happens after the 10 free conversions?

The CLI and MCP server work for the first 10 lifetime conversions without a license. After that, conversion is blocked until you register with cadconvert register -k YOUR-KEY -e your@email.com.

Same engine, three interfaces

Whether you prefer the wizard, a PowerShell script, or a Claude agent, 3D CAD Converter runs the same local conversion pipeline. Grab the installer, try a batch from the CLI, or wire up MCP and let an agent handle the rest. github.com/brunojanvier77/ContentaSoft