3D CAD Conversion From the Command Line
Script STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ and glTF conversions — batch a folder, watch a hotfolder, or wire it into your pipeline.
The same engine as the desktop app, driven by a clean CLI. Convert one file, batch hundreds in parallel, auto-convert dropped files, inspect geometry, and list every supported format — all offline, no subscription, no upload.
Download Free TrialFree trial: 10 conversions with every feature. No credit card required. Windows 10/11.
Pick multiple output formats once and batch the whole folder — same options apply to every file.
Manual Conversion Doesn't Scale
Without 3D CAD Converter
- Clicking through a GUI for every part in a release
- No way to plug CAD conversion into a build or PLM pipeline
- Cloud converters that upload your proprietary geometry to a server
- Per-seat SDK licenses just to automate a few format conversions
With 3D CAD Converter
- One command converts a file; one command converts a whole folder
- Drop a watch-folder on a network share and files convert themselves
- Exit codes and logs make it safe to call from scripts and CI
- Everything runs locally — nothing leaves your machine
The Commands
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
cadconvert convert | Convert a single 3D file to a target format, with tessellation, repair and unit options. |
cadconvert batch | Convert an entire folder (optionally recursive) in parallel across multiple workers. |
cadconvert watch | Watch a folder and auto-convert every new 3D file that lands in it. |
cadconvert info | Print format, units, part count, triangle and vertex counts, and bounding box for a file. |
cadconvert formats | List every supported format with its extensions and import/export capability. |
Real Commands You Can Copy
Convert one STEP file to a fine-quality STL cadconvert convert -i model.step -o model.stl --tessellation 0.01 Batch a folder to OBJ across 8 parallel workers cadconvert batch -i ./models -o ./out -f obj -w 8 Auto-convert anything dropped into ./incoming to 3MF cadconvert watch -i ./incoming -o ./converted -f 3mf Inspect geometry, units and triangle count cadconvert info assembly.step List every supported format cadconvert formats
Built for Automation
Convert a whole directory tree at once, with a configurable number of parallel workers to use all your cores.
Point the watcher at a hotfolder or network share; new files are converted the moment they finish writing.
Set the target format, mesh quality (a preset or a deflection), repair, units, up axis, polygon reduction and binary output from the command line.
The same binary runs an MCP server, so AI agents and assistants can convert and inspect CAD files as a tool.
MCP Server — Let Claude & AI Agents Convert CAD
Run cadconvert serve and the same conversion engine becomes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. AI assistants like Claude can then convert, inspect, and detect 3D files through plain-language requests — no scripting, fully offline.
| MCP Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
convert_cad | Convert a 3D file between any supported formats, with quality, unit and repair options |
get_file_info | Get detailed file info — format, vertices, faces, bounding box, units and assembly tree |
detect_format | Detect the format of a 3D file without a full parse |
list_formats | List every supported input and output format with its capabilities |
Add it to your AI client in one block — no API key, nothing leaves your machine:
// claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"cadconvert": { "command": "cadconvert", "args": ["serve"] }
}
}
Example prompt: “Convert every STEP file in this folder to STL at fine quality, then tell me which one has the most faces.”
How It Works
Install Once
Install 3D CAD Converter; the cadconvert command is bundled — no separate package to manage.
Run a Command
Convert a file, batch a folder, or start a watch session with a single line.
Automate It
Drop the commands into a script, scheduled task or CI step and let conversions run unattended.
Output file naming patterns
Control exactly how converted files are named with a token-based pattern, in the wizard's Output settings or via the CLI/profile JSON.
| Token | Meaning |
|---|---|
{name} | Source file name, without extension |
{format} | Target format name (e.g. stl, obj, gltf) |
{date} | Today's date (yyyy-MM-dd) |
{date:FORMAT} | Today's date in a custom .NET date format, e.g. {date:yyyyMMdd} |
{counter} | Sequential number across the batch (1, 2, 3...) |
{counter:FORMAT} | Sequential number with custom zero-padding, e.g. {counter:000} to 001, 002 |
{parent_folder} | Name of the source file's parent folder |
{ext} | Original source file extension, without the dot |
{hash} | 8-character hash of the source file path (useful for de-duplicating flattened batches) |
Example 1 -- timestamped output: {name}_{date:yyyyMMdd} bracket.step → bracket_20260705.stl Example 2 -- folder-prefixed, zero-padded counter: {parent_folder}-{name}-{counter:000} assemblies/bracket.step → assemblies-bracket-001.stl
Unknown tokens are rejected with a validation error before the batch starts, so a typo in a naming pattern never silently produces wrong file names mid-run.
Stop Paying Annual Subscriptions
| Tool | Price | Model |
|---|---|---|
| CAD Exchanger | Subscription (annual renewal) | |
| Okino / proprietary SDK | Subscription (annual renewal) | |
| 3D CAD Converter | $179 | ✔ Pay once, own forever |
Free trial: 10 conversions with every feature. No credit card required. Windows 10/11.