Does cadAI Support Parametric Modeling and Exporting STL?
Yes for parametric modeling, and not yet settled for STL. cadAI is built for parametric modeling: set the parameters first, build the rough shape from primitives, drill holes, measure, preview, and check dimensions and tolerances by hand before export. Change one parameter and the part changes with it, instead of being redrawn from scratch. Export is different. The facts card lists no export format list, so whether STL appears in the export menu can only be checked on the page itself.
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, 5 connected intents
- Desktop, browser, and MCP, 3 forms with one kernel
- Pricing to be confirmed
What cadAI is made of
cadAI is not one standalone program. It is three forms plus one assistant, all running on the same kernel. The web version opens at cad.aiglade.cn and works in the browser, with nothing to install. Its core work is primitives, holes, conversion, measurement, and preview. The desktop version is local modeling with the same Rust kernel, for people who need local files. The MCP interface is for developers, and it lets an AI agent drive modeling directly. The AI assistant sits on top of these forms and takes one sentence at a time.
Tell the assistant to build a flanged plate disc, drill a ring of holes, then measure the spacing, and it runs those steps in order. What it produces is a draft, not a finished delivery. Delivery is preview, confirm, then export, and nothing skips the human confirmation step. That rule matters most when a parameter has just changed, because a changed parameter can move a hole without anyone noticing. Export runs through S-03 conversion, and the facts card does not list which formats conversion covers.
How parametric modeling works, and what export does not settle
Parametric modeling has three moves: set the parameters, build the rough shape, then add detail. For a flanged plate, the parameters are the outline, the thickness, the hole count, and the hole positions. Write them down first. Build the rough shape from a primitive: a flanged plate starts as a disc, and a bracket starts as a block. Then drill holes where they belong, with the count and position following the parameters, and measure the key dimensions before printing.
The benefit shows up when a parameter changes. Change the hole count from 6 to 8, and the hole positions move with it. Drawing directly means editing by hand, and a part is easy to change in one place and miss in another. Parametric modeling keeps the change in one place, the parameters, and lets the model follow.
Export is the last step, and it runs through S-03 conversion. It needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances first, and the model must not go straight to production. It follows preview and confirmation, so a draft is never exported without a human looking at it first. What is not settled is the format list. Whether STL or STEP is supported is unlisted, so this page writes neither as supported nor as missing. Chamfer is also not among the five connected intents, so this page does not write it as supported either.
Three kinds of choices
There are three kinds of choices, and the table shows them at a glance. This page compares categories only: it gives no version numbers, prices, or scores for any specific product.
| Choice | Install | Parametric modeling | Holes and measurement | Export formats | AI agent drive | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadAI web version | Opens in the browser | Yes, the part follows the parameters | S-02 holes, S-04 measurement | Check the export menu | MCP interface, an agent can drive modeling | Simple parts, flanged plates, brackets, dimension checks |
| Desktop CAD | Install local software | Yes | Yes | Usually several formats | Usually not offered | Complex curved surfaces, assemblies, CAM |
| General online tools | Opens in the browser | Mostly simple edits | Depends on the tool | Depends on the tool | Usually not offered | Light viewing and small edits |
Choose by the part first, then by the format you need. A flanged plate or a bracket, with no wish to install a large program, is enough for cadAI, provided the export menu lists the format you need. A part with complex curved surfaces, or work needing assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths, belongs in desktop CAD. Opening a model to look at it once is what general online tools are for. cadAI fits mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users who work on simple parts, and it does not fit work needing vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off.
From parameters to export in 6 steps
Take a flanged plate as the example, and walk through 6 steps:
- Open cad.aiglade.cn in the browser, with nothing to install and no large local program needed first.
- Start a new model and set the parameters first: outline, thickness, hole count, and hole positions.
- Build the rough shape from a primitive. A flanged plate starts as a disc.
- Drill the holes where they belong. Their count and position follow the parameters.
- Measure the key dimensions: the outline and the hole positions, before 3D printing.
- Look at the preview, check the export menu for the format you need, and check dimensions and tolerances by hand. Confirm the model, and only then export it.
Step 6, the hand check, is the one most often skipped by mistake. A parameter change moves holes, and a moved hole changes dimensions, so export without measuring again turns a wrong dimension into a wrong part. The kernel is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line, and cadAI runs on that kernel in all three forms.
cadAI in numbers
- 5 intents: S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview. Source: wiring layer record, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 forms: desktop, browser, and MCP, one kernel across all 3 forms. 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. 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: from opening the page to export, with a hand check before export. Source: this page, steps section. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 7 comparison rows: the three way comparison table in this page. Source: this page, comparison table. 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 5 intents: S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview. Parametric modeling is supported, and a changed parameter moves the part with it. The export format list is not stated in the facts card, so whether STL is supported can only be checked on the page itself, and every export needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances, because pricing is still to be confirmed and no price, tier, or free allowance is stated anywhere in this page.
FAQ
Q: Does cadAI support parametric modeling?
Yes. Set the parameters first, then build the model from them. For a flanged plate, write down the outline, the thickness, the hole count, and the hole positions, then build the rough shape from a primitive, drill the holes, measure, and preview. Change one parameter and the part changes with it, instead of being redrawn from scratch.
Q: Can cadAI export STL?
Check the export menu on the page. The facts card lists no export format list, so this page does not write STL as supported and does not write it as missing. If you need STL, open the page, look for STL in the export menu, and decide from what is actually there.
Q: If I change a parameter, do I need to redo the export?
You do not need to rebuild the model, but you do need to export again. A changed parameter moves the part, and the hole positions and dimensions may change with it. Measure again, check dimensions and tolerances by hand, and export a fresh file only after the check passes.
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 are not listed in facts.md: whether STL, STEP, and others are supported is to be checked on the page itself.
- Whether chamfer is supported is not written as a fact: chamfer is not among the 5 connected intents, so check the page itself.
- File size limits and browser performance with complex models are not given in facts.md.