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.”
Use it from your AI agent
3D CAD Converter ships an MCP server, so Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, VS Code and other agents that run on your PC can convert your CAD files through it. Your files stay on your computer.
In Claude Code, two commands:
/plugin marketplace add contentasoftware/contentasoft-cad-converter-plugin /plugin install contentasoft-cad-converter@contentasoft-cad-converter-plugin
In Cursor, Claude Desktop, VS Code or any other MCP client, add this server entry (needs Node.js 18 or newer):
// mcpServers
"cad-converter": { "command": "cmd", "args": ["/c", "npx", "-y", "@contentasoft/cad-converter-mcp"] }
Once 3D CAD Converter is installed, you can skip Node.js and point the client at the app's own CLI instead:
"cad-converter": { "command": "cadconvert", "args": ["serve"] }
It works during the free trial, with the same limits as the app. Plugin source on GitHub, launcher package on npm: GitHub · npm
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.