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Getting Started with ForgeAI

Prerequisites

  1. Windows 10/11 - ForgeAI uses COM API which is Windows-only
  2. SolidWorks 2018+ - Installed and activated
  3. Python 3.10+ - Download from python.org
  4. Claude Desktop - Download from Anthropic

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/MichaelT025/ForgeAI.git
cd ForgeAI

2. Create Virtual Environment

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

For development:

pip install -r requirements-dev.txt

4. Configure Environment (Optional)

Copy the example environment file:

copy .env.example .env

Edit .env to customize settings (most defaults work fine).

Verify Installation

Test Python Environment

python -c "import mcp; import win32com.client; print('Dependencies OK')"

Test SolidWorks Connection

Run the connection test script:

python scripts/test_connection.py

Configure Claude Desktop

ForgeAI uses the MCP stdio transport to communicate with Claude Desktop. You can configure it automatically or manually.

Automatic Configuration (Recommended)

Run the included installation script:

python scripts/install_mcp.py

Manual Configuration

If you prefer to configure it manually, edit your Claude Desktop configuration file:

  • Path: %AppData%\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the forgeai server to the mcpServers section:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "forgeai": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "core.mcp_server"],
      "cwd": "C:\\\\path\\\\to\\\\ForgeAI\\\\src"
    }
  }
}

Note: Replace C:\\\\path\\\\to\\\\ForgeAI\\\\src with the actual absolute path to your cloned repository's src folder.

Next Steps

Once installation is complete:

  1. Restart Claude Desktop
  2. Start a new conversation and ask "Can you connect to SolidWorks?"
  3. Try creating a simple part: "Create a new part and make a 100x50mm rectangle on the Front Plane"
  4. See the Architecture for more technical details

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No module named 'win32com'"

  • Install pywin32: pip install pywin32
  • Run post-install: python Scripts/pywin32_postinstall.py -install

"SolidWorks not found"

  • Ensure SolidWorks is installed
  • Check Windows registry for COM registration
  • Try running SolidWorks manually first

MCP Connection Issues

  • Verify Claude Desktop configuration
  • Check stdio transport is configured correctly
  • Review logs in logs/forgeai.log

For more help, open an issue on GitHub.