Text to CAD: describe a mechanical part, get a manufacturable file
Volex Forge turns a plain-English description into a real, manufacturable CAD file. Type something like “a steel bracket 100 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm with four 8 mm mounting holes in the corners” and you get a 3D model you can rotate, measure, analyse and download as STEP, STL, DXF and 3MF — the formats CNC shops, laser cutters and 3D printers actually accept.
Previewing is free. Downloading the manufacturable files for a part you generate is £2.99, or unlimited on Pro (£29/month or £290/year).
What makes it different: it proves its work
Most AI CAD tools generate geometry and hope it is right. Volex Forge checks every part before showing it to you, and tells you exactly what was checked:
- Geometry is measured — the built solid is compared against the dimensions you stated.
- It must be a valid, watertight solid with the expected number of bodies and no self-interference.
- Assemblies are checked for interference — parts that should fit must not occupy the same space.
- FEA is cross-checked against textbook closed-form solutions, not just reported as a number.
- Anything it cannot prove, it declines — you get an honest “no” and a way forward instead of a wrong file.
These are geometry and physics checks. They are not confirmation that the shape matches the picture in your head — always look at the 3D view or the 2D drawing before you rely on a part.
Parts it can build today
Each of these is produced by a proven, deterministic template — built the same way every time, measured against your dimensions, and free to preview:
- Brackets — corner bracket, L-bracket, gusseted bracket
- Plates & panels — plate with hole, bolt-pattern plate, ribbed plate, countersunk plate
- Cylinders & bushings — hollow cylinder, spacer, flanged bushing, hex standoff, concentric pipe reducer
- Shafts — keyed shaft, stepped shaft
- Gears and drive components — spur gear, V-belt pulley, bolted flange
- Housings — open rectangular housing
- Frames — quadcopter / drone X-frame
- Multi-body assemblies — gear on shaft with key, journal bearing, doweled plate stack, bearing block, shaft coupling
Full detail on each: browse all part types. Anything outside these classes is handled by AI generation and put through the same verification. A description of a whole machine is broken down into buildable parts, one verified file at a time.
Engineering analysis built in
- Stress analysis (FEA) — safety factor, von Mises stress, deflection, mass, validated against beam theory.
- Thermal — conduction heat flow and thermal stress.
- Buckling — critical load and slenderness for columns.
- Cost estimate — material and machining time.
- Manufacturability (DFM) — size and proportion advisories for your intended process.
- 3D-print prep — overhang and support detection, plus a 3MF export.
Common questions
What file formats do I get?
STEP (solid CAD, for machining and further design), STL and 3MF (3D printing), and DXF (laser/waterjet flat profiles).
Can I edit a part after it is generated?
Yes — change dimensions numerically, or describe the change in plain English (“make it 20% longer”, “add 2 mm fillets”). Edits are rebuilt and re-verified.
Can I upload my own STEP file?
Yes. Uploaded geometry runs through the same pipeline — preview, body tree, interference check, FEA, thermal and cost — and downloads of your own uploaded part are free.
Do I need to know CAD?
No. You need to know what the part must do and roughly what size it is. Stating dimensions in millimetres gives the most accurate result.
Is it free to try?
Yes — describe a part and see the 3D preview free, with no subscription.