AI-Powered CAD Automation: 5 Time-Consuming Engineering Tasks to Eliminate

Computer-aided mechanical design (CAD) should primarily be a space for innovation and solving complex technical problems. Yet in many engineering departments, a significant portion of engineers’ time is still absorbed by repetitive documentation tasks and CAD data management.

According to a study published by All About Circuits, engineers spend an average of 40% of their time on manual tasks that could be automated. CAD automation is still too often perceived as a solution reserved for large industrial companies with extensive IT resources. In practice, it is a direct lever for productivity and competitiveness, regardless of the size of the engineering team.

MecAgent developed an AI CAD Copilot capable of turning natural language instructions into automation scripts executable in CAD software. Currently applied to several CAD Software, this approach is designed to scale across other mechanical design environments. Here are the 5 areas where AI-powered CAD automation is no longer optional, but essential.

1. Automate CAD Data Management to Eliminate Human Error

In any mechanical design environment, managing CAD files, metadata, and BOMs is critical. A renaming error, an incomplete BOM, or poorly filled properties can disrupt the entire production chain.

How MecAgent Handles CAD Data Automation

Using CAD software APIs, the Copilot can rename, clean, and reorganize files at scale while strictly following naming conventions and internal engineering standards.

Today, the Copilot ensures full consistency of metadata and BOMs without relying on repetitive manual interventions. Unlike a human operator, it applies rules consistently and reproducibly.

2. Automate CAD Drawing Creation to Reduce Time-to-Market

CAD drawing creation often represents the final bottleneck in a mechanical design project. Manually editing technical drawings, title blocks, annotations, or sheets is time-consuming and low-value work.

Time Savings Through CAD Drawing Automation

The MecAgent Copilot enables CAD drawing automation, particularly in CAD software, by updating at scale:

• title blocks

• annotations

• sheet names and structure

It can also automatically generate drawings for each part in an assembly, including a flattened view for sheet metal or a standard isometric view.

This automation drastically reduces time-to-market while maintaining engineering quality standards.

3. Natural Language-Driven CAD Component Library

In many engineering teams, searching for standard parts in complex libraries leads to significant time loss and encourages unnecessary duplication of models.

An Intelligent CAD Design Library

With MecAgent, engineers can interact with their CAD component library using natural language. They can request the insertion of a specific component or search for existing parts in the inventory.

Currently applied to CAD Software, this approach promotes reuse of CAD models, improves standardization in mechanical design, and strengthens the overall consistency of assemblies.

4. Mass Customization and Automated CAD Exports

Mass customization and managing customer variants require high agility from design teams. Manually handling configurations and technical exports significantly limits this flexibility.

An Agile CAD Configurator for Batch Processing

The MecAgent Copilot excels in batch processing. It can automatically generate complete workflows to:

• export sheet metal parts to DXF

• generate technical PDFs

• organize files into structured project folders

This CAD export automation, demonstrated today on CAD software, eliminates repetitive tasks and secures technical deliverables.

5. Automated CAD Data Extraction and Reporting

Manually extracting mass properties, dimensions, or geometric data to external tools represents low value-added work for engineers.

AI-Powered CAD Data Analysis

Using CAD software APIs, the Copilot can analyze geometry, extract technical data, retrieve metadata, and automatically generate reports in Excel, CSV, or JSON formats.

These outputs can then be seamlessly shared with purchasing, production, or industrialization teams, improving digital continuity across departments.

Conclusion: Towards Multi-CAD Automation with AI

Table 1: Comparison between automated and manual CAD processes

AI-powered CAD automation is not meant to replace mechanical engineers, but to free them from repetitive tasks that hinder innovation. By delegating data management, documentation, and technical exports to MecAgent, engineering teams can transform constrained time into high-value design time.

Currently applied to SolidWorks, this approach is designed to adapt to other CAD software, supporting the ongoing evolution of mechanical design environments.