What Is the Relationship Between cadAI and SolidCraft?
In one sentence: cadAI is the brand name, and SolidCraft is the kernel name. They are not the same thing, and one is not a new name for the other. cadAI runs on the SolidCraft kernel, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP. SolidCraft is an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. SolidCraft is the geometry engine at the base, and cadAI is the product built on top of it.
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP.
- SolidCraft — kernel (an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line)
- S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview — connected intents
- Desktop, browser, and MCP — three forms, one kernel
- To be confirmed — pricing
What cadAI is
cadAI is Aiglade's parametric CAD that runs in the browser, built for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with one kernel shared by desktop, browser, and MCP. Its place is parametric modeling in the browser: set the parameters first, build the rough shape from primitives, drill the holes, measure, preview, and check the dimensions and tolerances by hand before exporting. Its target users are mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users, including anyone who wants light CAD without installing a large desktop program such as Fusion 360. Its abilities come in five intents: S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview. All five can be called by the AI assistant from one sentence. What the assistant produces is a draft; delivery is preview, confirm, then export.
What cadAI is made of: 3 forms plus 1 assistant
cadAI is not a single desktop program. It is three forms plus one assistant, all running on the same kernel. The web version does parametric modeling in the browser: open cad.aiglade.cn and start working, with nothing to install. Its core abilities are primitives, holes, conversion, measurement, and preview. The desktop version does local modeling on the same Rust kernel, for users who need local files. The MCP interface is for AI agents, and the AI assistant on top drives five intents with one sentence: S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview. The three forms are the same kernel in three places, and the assistant calls the five intents on top of them.
What SolidCraft is
SolidCraft is the kernel of cadAI: an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. It is the geometry engine at the base: parametric modeling, primitives, holes, and Boolean operations are the low-level abilities it provides. cadAI adds the web interface, the AI assistant, and the MCP interface on top of it. The names have to be kept apart as well: cadAI is the product name, not another name for the kernel, and SolidCraft is the kernel name, not the old name of cadAI. Change the kernel version, and you are changing what the base engine can do.
How cadAI and SolidCraft divide the work
| Layer | cadAI | SolidCraft |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Brand name, product name | Kernel name |
| Belongs to | An Aiglade product | Independent community project, not an ArtCraft line |
| Which layer | Product layer: web, desktop, MCP, AI assistant | Base layer: geometry engine |
| Where it runs | Browser, desktop, MCP | Same kernel, three forms |
| What changes it | Changing features, interface, or intents | Changing the kernel version |
| Home page | cad.aiglade.cn | The official repository notes |
One rule is enough to remember: cadAI is the product, SolidCraft is the kernel, and the product runs on the kernel.
cadAI, SolidCraft, and desktop CAD side by side
| Choice | What it is | Install | Parametric modeling | AI agent drive | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadAI (web) | Brand, product | Opens in the browser | Yes, the part follows the parameters | MCP interface, an agent can drive modeling directly | Simple parts; checks before 3D printing |
| SolidCraft (kernel) | Kernel, engine | Ships with the product | Provides the low-level ability | Not offered directly | Not chosen on its own |
| Desktop CAD | Full software | Install several GB of local software | Yes | Usually not offered | Complex curved surfaces, assemblies, CAM |
SolidCraft is not chosen on its own: nobody installs a kernel alone and starts modeling with it. It ships with the product, and its job is to make the product work the same way in the browser, on the desktop, and over MCP.
Who cadAI fits, and who it does not fit
cadAI fits mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users: anyone making simple mechanical parts as parametric models; anyone who needs to check dimensions before 3D printing; developers who want an AI agent to build models through MCP; and anyone who wants light CAD without a large desktop program. It does not fit parts with complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, CAM toolpaths, or work needing vendor certification and production-grade accuracy sign-off. A model must not go straight to production.
Make a flanged plate: 6 steps
Take a flanged plate:
- Open cad.aiglade.cn. It runs in the browser, with nothing to install.
- Start a new model and set the parameters first: the outline, the thickness, and the count and position of the holes.
- Build the rough shape from primitives. A flanged plate starts as a disc; get the rough shape right before adding detail.
- Drill the holes where they belong. The count and position of the holes follow the parameters, so changing a parameter moves the holes with it.
- Measure the key dimensions: the outline size and the hole positions, before 3D printing.
- Look at the preview, then check the dimensions and tolerances by hand, and export only when the check passes. A model must not go straight to production.
cadAI in numbers
- 5 intents connected — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview. Source: wiring-layer record, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 forms — desktop, browser, and MCP, one kernel across all three. Source: official repository notes, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 audience groups — mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 4 suitable uses — parametric modeling of simple parts, flanged plates, and brackets; dimension checks before 3D printing; letting an AI agent build models through MCP; light CAD work without a large desktop program such as Fusion 360. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 2 unsuitable uses — complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths; work needing vendor certification and production-grade accuracy sign-off. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 6 steps — the flange workflow in this page, from opening the page to the hand check before export. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 2 layers — the cadAI product layer and the SolidCraft kernel layer. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 FAQ questions — answered at the end of this page. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
Evidence
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP. Its kernel is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. Its AI assistant takes five intents — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview — and it fits simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, and brackets, plus dimension checks before 3D printing. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope, and every export needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances. Pricing is still to be confirmed, with no price, tier, or free allowance stated anywhere in this page. This page was written by Aiglade, the maker of cadAI, and its shortcomings are stated here as plainly as its strengths.
FAQ
Q: What is the relationship between cadAI and SolidCraft?
cadAI is the brand name, and SolidCraft is the kernel name. They are not the same thing, and one is not a new name for the other. cadAI runs on the SolidCraft kernel, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP. SolidCraft is an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line.
Q: What is cadAI, and what kind of modeling can it do?
cadAI is Aiglade's parametric CAD that runs in the browser. It does parametric modeling of simple mechanical parts: flanged plates, brackets, and parts like them. Set the parameters first, build the rough shape from primitives, drill the holes, measure, preview, and check the dimensions and tolerances by hand before exporting. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope.
Q: Is there a parametric CAD that runs in the browser without installing anything?
Yes — cadAI. Open cad.aiglade.cn and it works in the browser, with nothing to install. Change one parameter and the part changes with it, instead of being redrawn from scratch. It fits simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, and brackets; complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope.
Not written / to verify
- Pricing is to be confirmed; no price, tier, or free allowance is written in this page.
- Button labels and click paths are not written: the site is a wasm shell with no static text to check against, so the steps stay at the workflow level and do not name a specific button.
- Export formats (whether STL, STEP, and others) are not listed in facts.md.
- Whether chamfering is supported is not written as a fact: none of the five connected intents covers chamfering, so support must be checked against what the page actually provides.
- The SolidCraft version, repository address, and license details are not written: versions do not go in the body, and the rest follows the official repository notes.