Skip to content

Repository files navigation

AutoCAD Skills: mechanical CAD that proves its work

AutoCAD Skills

Production-minded mechanical CAD skills for Codex, Claude Code, and compatible Agent Skills runners.

Validate Release License: MIT Agent Skills

English · 简体中文 · Skill source · Releases

Why this exists

AI-generated CAD can look convincing while still being wrong: endpoints nearly touch, views describe different parts, components pass through each other, a plot marked 1:1 was actually fit-to-page, or a successful tool call created the wrong coordinates.

This project turns those failure modes into explicit gates. It requires parameter authority, requested-versus-actual readback, semantic topology, cross-view proof, physical plausibility boundaries, plot-scale truth, and human release authority.

A successful command is not a successful design review. A clean geometry DRC is not a complete product-design review.

What it covers

Area Built-in expectations
GB/T mechanical drafting First-angle default when unspecified, line hierarchy, dimensions, views/sections, Chinese text, title blocks, threads, gears, splines, springs, bearings
AutoCAD and MCP Readiness discovery, strict typed requests, atomic staging, handle readback, requested/actual/diff, bounded recovery, deterministic fallback
2D and 3D Parametric parts, assemblies, mechanisms, projected views, shared 2D skeletons, section truth, exchange/re-import evidence
Semantic DRC/DFM Dangling and near-miss endpoints, unintended crossings, unowned lines, open material boundaries, occlusion, view-source consistency, interference and process checks
Consumer products People/scenario brief, three concept options, purchased-part envelopes, mains/moving-part safety architecture, ergonomics, cables and stability
Product definition GPS/GD&T, tolerance stacks, inspection planning, BOM/configuration/revision authority, release manifests and evidence boundaries

The current package is mechanical-drafting-gbt. Its English runtime baseline and Chinese maintenance mirror are checked together.

Quick start

Install with the bundled installer

git clone https://github.com/beiming183-cloud/AutoCAD-skills.git
cd AutoCAD-skills

# Codex personal skill: $CODEX_HOME/skills or ~/.codex/skills
python scripts/install_skill.py --target codex

# Claude Code personal skill: ~/.claude/skills
python scripts/install_skill.py --target claude-user

For a project-scoped Claude Code installation:

python scripts/install_skill.py --target claude-project --project /path/to/your/project

The installer refuses to overwrite an existing skill. Use --dry-run to inspect the destination first.

Install directly in Codex

Ask Codex to install this repository path:

Install the skill from:
https://github.com/beiming183-cloud/AutoCAD-skills/tree/main/skills/mechanical-drafting-gbt

Codex installs repository skills under $CODEX_HOME/skills. Claude Code discovers personal skills under ~/.claude/skills/ and project skills under .claude/skills/, as documented in the Claude Code Skills guide.

Try it

After installation, ask your agent something concrete:

Audit this two-view gearbox drawing. Prove both views come from the same
parameter source, classify every dangling endpoint and unintended crossing,
and verify the title-block scale against the plotted PDF.
Create three low-cost enclosure concepts for this desktop mains-powered
product. Define users, scenarios, port count, actions and cable directions.
Do not enter detailed CAD until I select a concept and the safety architecture
and purchased-part envelopes are documented.
Model this shaft parametrically under GB/T conventions, then generate the
drawing and inspection plan. Keep every unsupported fit, material and surface
requirement as TBD instead of guessing.

See the consumer-product gate example and sample DRC result.

The release gates

Evidence-gated mechanical CAD release workflow

Stable checks include:

  • E_POSTCONDITION_MISMATCH: stop when created geometry does not match the request.
  • DANGLING_ENDPOINT, NEAR_MISS_CONNECTION, INTERIOR_CROSSING: classify topology per entity, never by a blanket explanation.
  • VIEW_SOURCE_CONSISTENCY: principal views must share an authoritative model or parameter skeleton.
  • PLOT_SCALE_CONSISTENCY: numeric title-block scale must match the actual PDF transform.
  • CONSUMER_CONCEPT_GATE, MAINS_SAFETY_GATE, PRODUCT_DESIGN_REVIEW: geometry validity cannot bypass product definition and safety architecture.

Compatibility and scope

Runner/environment Status Notes
Codex Supported Standard SKILL.md, progressive references, no account coupling
Claude Code Supported Uses the Agent Skills open format; copy to personal or project skills
Other Agent Skills runners Portable baseline Runtime-specific metadata is optional; verify local discovery rules
AutoCAD/MCP bridges Capability-dependent The skill maps to exposed safe tools and does not invent missing operations
CAD kernels and structured DXF tools Supported fallback Use only when geometry and postconditions can be independently verified

This repository does not bundle AutoCAD, an MCP server, a CAD kernel, electrical certification, or automatic manufacturing approval. Agent-generated manufacturing artifacts remain candidate after human review until an authorized external process approves them.

Repository layout

AutoCAD-skills/
├── README.md / README.zh-CN.md
├── assets/                         # project and social-preview visuals
├── examples/                       # concrete prompts and machine-readable evidence
├── scripts/                        # installer and repository validator
├── .github/                        # CI and contribution templates
└── skills/
    └── mechanical-drafting-gbt/    # clean, portable runtime Skill package
        ├── SKILL.md
        ├── SKILL.zh-CN.md
        ├── references/
        └── scripts/

Validate locally

python scripts/validate_repo.py

The validator checks skill frontmatter, English/Chinese mirror drift, stable rule IDs, Markdown links, JSON examples, private paths, placeholder text, and a temporary installation round trip. GitHub Actions runs the same command on every push and pull request.

Upgrading from v1.x

The runtime skill moved from the repository root to skills/mechanical-drafting-gbt/ in v2. Existing installed copies continue to work. For a clean update, preserve any local customization, move the old installed directory aside, and install from the new subdirectory. The installer intentionally does not overwrite existing files.

FAQ

Does this control AutoCAD by itself?

No. It defines the workflow and verification contract. Actual operations depend on the AutoCAD/MCP/COM/script tools available in your environment.

Does a passing DRC certify the drawing or product?

No. The result is limited to the rules, representation and evidence actually evaluated. Safety, performance and manufacturing release require the applicable engineering and authorized human review.

Why require three consumer-product concepts?

Only new concepts and major form-factor changes require comparison. An already approved concept can be reused when its revision and decision authority are recorded.

Can I contribute another CAD workflow or standard?

Yes. Keep rules traceable, measurable and vendor-neutral; add English and Chinese coverage when changing mirrored core behavior.

Contributing

Read CONTRIBUTING.md, open a focused issue, or submit a pull request with a realistic failure case and validation evidence. Please do not submit invented standards, unverifiable manufacturing values, or checks that turn missing evidence into a pass.

If this skill prevents one plausible-looking but incorrect drawing from shipping, consider starring the repository. It helps other CAD and AI-agent users find the project.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.

Releases

Packages

Contributors

Languages