Examples of custom business applications
- Estimating tools that read weights, cut lengths and machining features from CAD.
- Project management systems that show drawing status and revisions per project.
- Customer portals where clients configure products and download drawings.
- Service applications that show technicians 3D models and spare parts lists.
- AI agents that query engineering data or trigger CAD automation.
Architecture patterns
| Pattern | How it works | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Add-in calls business API | CAD add-in sends and receives data from your application's REST API | Engineers work in CAD, data lives in the app |
| Business app calls CAD service | A server-side CAD automation service generates models or drawings on request | Portals and configurators |
| Event-driven | PDM/PLM events publish messages; apps subscribe | Several apps need the same changes |
| Cloud APIs | Autodesk Platform Services, Onshape API or 3DEXPERIENCE services | Cloud-first and web viewing |
Example: add-in talking to a project system
// C# add-in: send drawing status to a project API (simplified)
var payload = new {
project = props["ProjectNo"],
drawing = props["DrawingNo"],
revision = props["Revision"],
status = "Issued for construction"
};
await http.PostAsJsonAsync("https://projects.example.com/api/drawings", payload);Security and reliability
- Authenticate with OAuth or API keys stored securely, never hard-coded.
- Handle offline situations: queue updates and retry.
- Version your APIs so add-ins and apps can be updated independently.
- Log every transaction for traceability.
AI and MCP servers
A newer pattern is exposing CAD and engineering data through an MCP server, so AI assistants can search parts, read BOMs or start automation tasks securely.
Your custom software becomes far more valuable when it can talk to CAD directly.
CAD API integration with ENGIMANDI
We build both sides: CAD add-ins and the business applications and APIs they talk to. See API development, web applications, MCP server development and CAD integration.