CheapCADTools

Pulleys, sprockets, spur, worm, bevel and planetary gears to ISO, DIN, AGMA and ASME: STL or STEP.

View on cheapcadtools.com

Hosted MCP Server

npx add-mcp 'https://cheapcadtools.com/mcp'

Installs into Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and more

Documentation

Design parts by asking your AI

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or another AI app to CheapCADTools once. Then describe the part, and it builds the design, checks it against the standards and hands you the files.

Connect once

Add CheapCADTools to your AI, sign in, and start designing.

https://cheapcadtools.com/mcp

Paste the setup prompt into your AI, or use an install button to open your desktop app.

When your app asks you to connect, sign in to CheapCADTools, choose a daily token limit, and press Approve.

Setup for Claude, ChatGPT & other apps

Claude: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector. Paste the server address above.

ChatGPT and other apps: Add the address in your app’s remote MCP connector settings. Availability depends on your app and account.

Claude Code: Run this command in your terminal, then use /mcp to sign in.

claude mcp add --transport http cheapcadtools https://cheapcadtools.com/mcp

An assistant that can edit its MCP settings can use the setup prompt. Otherwise, it can guide you through adding the connector. Manage access on your connected apps page.

Read or copy the setup prompt manually

Then just ask

Describe the part the way you'd describe it to an engineer: the belt or chain, the teeth, the shafts, how it should hold on. The AI looks up every setting the generator has, builds the design, and checks it against the ISO, DIN and ASME standards the generators follow. When a check finds a problem (a face too narrow for the belt, a chain too short for its sprockets), it applies the generator's own one-click Auto-fix. When you're happy, it gives you a download link for STL, STEP, DXF or SVG.

Every sample has an AI prompt button that copies the prompt for that exact design. It's the quickest way to see it work: paste one in, then ask for changes ("make the bore 6 mm", "add flanges to the big pulley").

What it costs

Designing and checking are free. Files cost the same tokens as on the website (see pricing), and the tokens are only taken when your download completes. The daily limit you set is a cap per AI app; change it, or disconnect an app, on your connected apps page.

What's connected today

The Timing Pulley Generator, the Sprocket Designer, the Gear Designer, the Worm Gear Designer, the Bevel Gear Designer and the Planetary Gear Designer: every belt profile, chain and tooth form, bore, hub, spoke and flange option they have.

For developers

Read the plain-text connection guide for the transport, OAuth discovery and first tool calls. Download a configuration for Cursor, VS Code or Claude Code; merge the CheapCADTools entry into your existing settings.

The connector drives each tool's public HTTP API: GET /tools/pulleys/api/v1/describe lists every parameter, with its units, limits and choices. POST …/check, …/quote and …/files take {"params": {…}}. A summary for AI crawlers is in /llms.txt.