ShapeBridge is an advanced deterministic pipeline designed to transform STEP files into an intermediate representation (IR) while facilitating integration with the MCP server for use in Claude Code and Desktop. Currently in Phase 2, the project focuses on sophisticated feature recognition specifically tailored for manufacturing processes and advanced geometry analysis.

Key Features

Manufacturing Feature Recognition (Phase 2)

ShapeBridge enhances CAM workflows by automatically detecting and recognizing a variety of manufacturing features, including:

• Hole Detection: Identification of through holes, blind holes, counterbores, and countersinks.
• Pocket & Slot Recognition: Automatic detection of machined depressions in the model.
• Boss & Protrusion Identification: Recognition of cylindrical and rectangular bosses.
• Fillet & Chamfer Detection: Accurate edge feature recognition powered by curvature analysis.
• Pattern Recognition: Detection of linear and circular arrays of repetitive features.
• Thread Feature Detection: Identification of internal and external threads.
• Feature Metadata in IR: Export of all detected features directly to STEPGraph-IR format.

Advanced Geometry Analysis (Phase 1)

Prior to the feature recognition enhancements, ShapeBridge provided extensive geometry analysis tools, allowing users to:

• Compute the Center of Mass with density support.
• Evaluate the Moment of Inertia with a complete inertia tensor analysis.
• Perform Surface Classification for per-face surface type identification (e.g., plane, cylinder).
• Conduct Curvature Analysis to understand the maximum, minimum, mean, and Gaussian curvature for each face.
• Generate Geometry Warnings to flag high curvature, degenerate geometry, and manufacturability issues.

Core Infrastructure (Phase 0)

ShapeBridge has established a robust foundation with capabilities including:

• STEP File Loading: Efficiently importing STEP files using pythonOCC and the fallback of FreeCAD.
• STEPGraph-IR: Creation of a deterministic graph-based intermediate representation.
• Tessellation & Export: Generation of high-quality meshes with support for GLB/GLTF export.
• Topology Analysis: Thorough assessment of face, edge, and vertex counts along with bounding box computations.

Real-World Application

A live demonstration example showcases ShapeBridge's capability, analyzing a typical mounting bracket to extract 37 detected features such as holes, pockets, and bosses. Processed in under 100ms on an Apple M1 chip, this tool not only aids in automatic CAM toolpath generation but also assists in manufacturability assessments, cost estimation for machining operations, and feature extraction for design validation.

Integration and Usage

ShapeBridge seamlessly integrates with Claude Code and Desktop via the Model Context Protocol (MCP) framework. Users can easily load STEP files, generate summaries, and export views directly from their command-line interface.

Performance Insights

ShapeBridge demonstrates impressive performance metrics, with processing times varying based on model complexity:

• Small models (<100 faces): <1 second
• Medium models (100-1000 faces): 1-5 seconds
• Large models (1000+ faces): 5-30 seconds

Development efforts are continuously ongoing, with detailed documentation available to guide users through the features and functionalities. Learn more about ShapeBridge’s progression and capabilities by exploring the project documentation and participating in the community discussions.