Can Open Source CAD Accuracy Be Used for Machining?
Not by origin alone. Accuracy is not decided by whether a tool is open source or commercial. Open source CAD does not mean poor accuracy, and commercial CAD does not mean accuracy is always enough. Whether a model can be used for machining depends on three things: whether the dimensions are right, whether the tolerances were checked, and whether the machining shop accepts the result. cadAI states its own rule plainly: check dimensions and tolerances by hand before export, and do not send a model straight to production. Work needing vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off is outside its scope. No accuracy error figures are given in the facts card, so this page writes none.
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
Accuracy is decided by 3 steps, not by origin
Accuracy comes from three steps, and skipping any one of them can break it. Step one is modeling: are the parameters right? For a flanged plate, that means the outline, the thickness, the hole count, and the hole positions, written down before building anything. Step two is measurement: were the key dimensions measured? The outline and the hole positions must both be measured, and 3D printing checks use the same measurement. Step three is the hand check before export: were the dimensions and tolerances checked by a person, and confirmed, before the file left the tool?
Open source and commercial differ in origin and support, not in these three steps. The kernel of cadAI is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line, and open source names that origin. It is neither a guarantee of accuracy nor a mark against it. Parametric modeling helps: change one parameter and the part follows it, so a hole moves with its parameter instead of being drawn off by hand. But a wrong parameter still makes a wrong model, and measurement and the hand check are what catch that error.
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 | Hand check before export | Vendor certification and sign off | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadAI web version | Opens in the browser | Yes, the part follows the parameters | S-02 holes, S-04 measurement | Yes, by hand, before export | Outside the scope | Simple parts, flanged plates, brackets, dimension checks |
| Desktop CAD | Install local software | Yes | Yes | Depends on the workflow | Depends on the product | Complex curved surfaces, assemblies, CAM |
| General online tools | Opens in the browser | Mostly simple edits | Depends on the tool | Depends on the tool | Usually outside the scope | Light viewing and small edits |
Choose by the destination of the model. A simple part for 3D printing, with a dimension check before printing, is enough for cadAI. A part with complex curved surfaces, or work needing assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths, belongs in desktop CAD. A model for machining needs one more question answered first: does the machining shop accept this workflow, and does it need vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off? If it does, cadAI does not fit, because that sign off is outside its scope. Opening a model to look at it once is what general online tools are for.
From modeling to the machining shop 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, and the rough shape comes before detail.
- Drill the holes where they belong. Their count and position follow the parameters, so a changed parameter moves them with it.
- Measure the key dimensions: the outline and the hole positions, and check them before 3D printing, while a fix is still cheap.
- Look at the preview, check dimensions and tolerances by hand, and only then export the model. Before sending it to a machining shop, ask the shop whether it accepts this workflow, and whether it needs vendor certification and sign off. Do not send a model straight to production.
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. Sending the file without asking the shop first is the same mistake at the next step: the part may be made, and made wrong, before anyone checks whether the workflow was accepted. The kernel is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line, and cadAI runs on that kernel in all three forms.
Who cadAI fits, and where it stops
cadAI fits mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users who work on simple mechanical parts: flanged plates and brackets built by parameters, dimension checks before 3D printing, and light CAD work without a large desktop program. It does not fit parts with complex curved surfaces, or work needing assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths. It does not fit work needing vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off, or anyone who wants to send a model straight to production. Whether chamfer is supported is not among the five connected intents, so this page does not write it as supported.
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. Accuracy is decided by modeling, measurement, and the hand check before export, not by whether the tool is open source, and work needing vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off is outside its scope, because pricing is still to be confirmed and no price, tier, or free allowance is stated anywhere in this page.
FAQ
Q: Can open source CAD accuracy be used for machining?
It depends on the workflow, not on the origin. Accuracy comes from three steps: set the parameters right, measure the key dimensions, and check dimensions and tolerances by hand before export. A model must not go straight to production, and work needing vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off is outside the scope of cadAI.
Q: Does open source mean poor accuracy?
No. Open source names the origin of the kernel, not a guarantee of accuracy. Commercial CAD does not mean accuracy is always enough either. Parametric modeling helps, because a hole moves with its parameter instead of being drawn off by hand, but a wrong parameter still makes a wrong model, and measurement and the hand check are what catch it.
Q: Can I send a model straight to the machining shop?
No, not directly. Check dimensions and tolerances by hand, confirm the model, and only then export it. Before sending it, ask the shop whether it accepts this workflow, and whether it needs vendor certification and production grade accuracy sign off. If it needs that sign off, change the workflow first.
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.
- Accuracy error figures are not given in facts.md: no error or tolerance numbers are written here, and no tolerance standard is listed.
- Whether chamfer is supported is not written as a fact: chamfer is not among the 5 connected intents, so check the page itself.
- Export formats are not listed in facts.md: whether STL, STEP, and others are supported is to be checked on the page itself.