Using Claude with CATIA involves more than asking an AI model to generate VBA, VBScript, or CAA automation code. With a compatible Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, Claude can communicate with a live CATIA V5 session through structured tools.

In this setup, the MCP server acts as a bridge between Claude and CATIA’s automation layer. A Windows-based implementation can connect to the running CATIA process through COM automation, read the active document, inspect Parts and Products, access the specification tree, and expose selected modeling operations as callable tools.

Computer Use adds a second control layer. Claude can receive screenshots and interact with the visible CATIA interface through mouse clicks, keyboard input, menus, workbenches, dialogs, and viewport controls.

Together, these technologies can support a workflow in which Claude inspects a model, proposes a change, requests user approval, executes a supported CATIA operation, and verifies the result visually.

This is not a native CATIA feature or a guaranteed Dassault Systèmes integration. The current open-source CATIA V5 MCP server is a community project designed for Claude Desktop and Claude Code. The workflow requires Windows, a licensed CATIA V5 installation, Python dependencies, a local MCP server, and a controlled Computer Use environment.

What Can Claude Do With CATIA Through MCP and Computer Use?

Claude can work with CATIA at three technical layers: document inspection, model automation, and interface control. The exact capabilities depend on the CATIA MCP server and the tools it exposes.

Through MCP, Claude may be able to:

• Connect to the active CATIA V5 application

• Read the active document and document type

• Open CATPart and CATProduct files

• Inspect Parts, Products, Bodies, Sketches, and features

• Read parameters, properties, and measurements

• Create supported sketches and Part Design features

• Inspect assembly components and constraints

• Export models to formats such as STEP, IGES, or STL

• Capture screenshots and control standard views

The server communicates with CATIA through Windows COM automation. CATIA’s broader automation and CAA ecosystem is documented by Dassault Systèmes, but an MCP server exposes only a selected subset of that functionality.

Source: Dassault Systèmes CAA V5 technical documentation

Computer Use operates at the desktop level. Instead of calling a structured CATIA object, Claude interacts with what is visible in the application window. This can include:

• Opening workbenches and documents

• Selecting objects in the specification tree

• Entering values into CATIA dialogs

• Using menus, toolbars, and keyboard shortcuts

• Zooming, rotating, and fitting the viewport

• Responding to visible confirmation prompts

• Reviewing the result of an MCP operation

MCP is better suited to deterministic data access and repeatable model operations. Computer Use is more suitable for interface actions and visual verification.

Neither method provides unrestricted CATIA control. Claude can only use the tools implemented by the connector, the automation methods available in the CATIA environment, and the actions permitted by the Computer Use runtime. The referenced CATIA V5 MCP server documents support for documents, sketching, Part Design, Generative Shape Design, assemblies, measurements, exports, and view control.

MCP vs. Computer Use: Which CATIA Connection Should You Use?

MCP and Computer Use provide different types of access to CATIA. MCP communicates with CATIA through structured tools and automation methods. Computer Use interacts with the visible desktop application.

MCP is preferable when the task can be represented as structured input and output. A tool can receive a document, feature, or parameter value and return a defined result. This makes MCP more appropriate for model inspection, measurements, repeatable feature operations, and exports.

Computer Use is more flexible at the interface level. Claude can open a workbench, select an object in the specification tree, enter a value in a dialog, or inspect the viewport. However, the result can be affected by screen resolution, window position, unexpected prompts, or incorrect selections.

Source: Rand 3D CATIA V5 training resource

The most reliable workflow combines both methods. Claude can first use MCP to inspect the active CATIA document and identify the target feature. After the user approves the proposed change, MCP can execute the supported operation. Computer Use can then inspect the CATIA window and verify that the visible model reflects the requested change.

In this arrangement, MCP provides structured model access, while Computer Use provides interface control and visual confirmation. Neither method needs to replace the other.

How Do You Connect Claude to a CATIA MCP Server?

The connection requires a local MCP server that can communicate with the running CATIA V5 process. The referenced community implementation uses Python and Windows COM automation to route Claude’s MCP tool calls to CATIA.

Source: Claude Desktop MCP server configuration example

The required environment includes:

• Windows

• CATIA V5 R2016 or later

• A valid CATIA V5 license

• Python 3.10 or later

• The mcp and pywin32 packages

• Claude Desktop or Claude Code

• A test .CATPart or .CATProduct file

The server’s architecture is:

Start by downloading the CATIA V5 MCP server repository and installing its dependencies:

The repository also documents a Claude Code setup command:

For Claude Desktop, the server can be added to the MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "catia-v5": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "catia_mcp"]

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "catia-v5": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "catia_mcp"]

The configuration path depends on the client and operating system. On Windows, Claude Desktop configuration is typically stored under %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json.

After configuring the server, start CATIA V5 and open a test document. Do not begin by creating or modifying geometry. First ask Claude for read-only information:

If Claude returns the document information, test additional read-only operations such as listing open documents, bodies, sketches, or features. Only after these calls work should you test a model-changing tool.

Connection failures can result from a missing Python dependency, incorrect COM registration, CATIA not running, a blocked modal dialog, an unsupported CATIA version, or an incorrect MCP configuration. Test the workflow on a copy of the original model before using it in production.

Source: Locofy MCP documentation

How Do You Use Claude Computer Use With CATIA?

Computer Use gives Claude visual and interactive access to the CATIA desktop. Instead of calling a CATIA object through MCP, Claude receives a screenshot, selects an interface action, and sends that action to a runtime that controls the Windows environment.

The interaction loop is:

With Computer Use, Claude can interact with tasks such as:

• Opening a .CATPart or .CATProduct file

• Switching to Part Design or Generative Shape Design

• Selecting a Body, Sketch, or feature in the specification tree

• Opening CATIA command dialogs

• Entering dimensions or parameter values

• Using menus, toolbars, and keyboard shortcuts

• Zooming, rotating, or fitting the viewport

• Reviewing the visible result of an MCP operation

Computer Use is particularly useful when the MCP server does not expose a specific CATIA function. For example, Claude may use MCP to identify a feature and Computer Use to open the relevant dialog or verify its appearance in the viewport.

However, Computer Use does not automatically understand CATIA’s internal object model. It interprets the visible interface, so screen resolution, window position, unexpected dialogs, and incorrect selections can affect the result.

Keep action sequences short and request a new screenshot after important steps. Saving, overwriting, deleting, exporting, or updating a model should require explicit user approval. Anthropic also recommends using a controlled environment with limited permissions for Claude Computer Use.

What CATIA Workflows Can You Automate With Claude?

The available workflows depend on the tools exposed by the CATIA MCP server. The referenced implementation includes document management, sketching, Part Design, Generative Shape Design, assembly, measurement, export, and viewport tools.

Source: Dassault Systèmes CAA V5 technical documentation

Inspecting an existing model

Claude can begin with a read-only inspection of the active CATIA document. It may retrieve the document type, identify the active Part or Product, list Bodies and features, read parameters, and inspect assembly components.

Example prompt:

This first step confirms that Claude is connected to the correct CATIA session and is targeting the intended model.

Creating or modifying a part

If the server exposes the required tools, Claude can create or modify supported model objects. These may include sketches, constraints, Pad, Pocket, Shaft, Fillet, Chamfer, Hole, patterns, and surface features.

A controlled operation should follow this sequence:

1. Read the current model state.

2. Identify the target Body or feature.

3. Explain the proposed change.

4. Request user approval.

5. Execute the MCP tool call.

6. Read the updated model state.

7. Inspect the visible result with Computer Use.

Working with assemblies

For CATProduct workflows, Claude may be able to create Products, add components, apply supported constraints, move components, list assembly objects, and inspect the product tree.

Measuring and exporting

The MCP server also documents tools for distance measurements, inertia, bounding boxes, parameters, model updates, and exports to formats such as STEP, IGES, and STL.

Computer Use can then open the relevant CATIA workbench, select the changed feature, and verify the visible geometry. If the result differs from the requested operation, Claude should stop and report the discrepancy instead of applying repeated changes.

How Do You Use MCP and Computer Use Safely With CATIA?

Claude can access live CATIA documents and, through supported tools, change geometry, parameters, assemblies, and exported files. Treat every MCP call and Computer Use action as an operation that requires validation.

Start with a copy of the .CATPart or .CATProduct file. Use read-only requests first so Claude can confirm the active document, workbench, target Body, feature tree, and file path.

Require approval immediately before operations that can change or transmit data, including:

• Creating or deleting features

• Updating parameters or constraints

• Moving assembly components

• Saving or overwriting a document

• Exporting STEP, IGES, or STL files

• Closing CATIA or switching the active document

MCP responses should be verified at the model level. A successful tool response does not necessarily mean that the final geometry is correct. Re-read the affected feature or inspect the model after the operation.

Computer Use requires an additional visual check. After a click, dialog submission, or workbench change, return a new screenshot and verify the CATIA state. Unexpected dialogs, license prompts, wrong selections, and changes in screen layout can cause Claude to interact with the wrong object.

Use a dedicated Windows environment or virtual machine with limited file access. Do not expose production credentials or unrelated project folders. Keep exported files in a controlled directory and maintain a recoverable version of the original model.

The most common technical mistake is assuming that the CATIA MCP server provides unrestricted automation. It only exposes the functions implemented by that server and supported by the local CATIA installation. Anthropic recommends controlled environments, limited permissions, and user consent when enabling Computer Use.

Run CATIA and Claude Together on Vagon Cloud Computer

Running CATIA with Claude requires a Windows environment capable of handling both the CAD workload and the automation layer. CATIA, Claude Desktop or Claude Code, Python, the MCP server, and the Computer Use runtime need to communicate reliably throughout the session.

Vagon Cloud Computer provides a full Windows cloud workstation that you can access from a browser. You can install CATIA V5, Claude, Python, and the CATIA MCP server on the same machine, allowing the server to communicate directly with the local CATIA process through Windows COM automation.

This setup is useful for workflows involving:

• Large CATIA assemblies

• Complex surface and solid models

• Repeated Part Design operations

• High-resolution viewport inspection

• Long rebuild or export processes

• Computer Use actions that require a responsive desktop

Because CATIA runs on Vagon’s cloud hardware, your local Mac, Chromebook, or lower-powered laptop does not need to handle the main CPU and GPU workload. You can select a configuration with the resources required for your project and access the same Windows environment from different devices.

Vagon’s CAD/CAM engineering workstations are designed for GPU-intensive engineering workflows, with scalable performance options, NVIDIA GPU-equipped cloud computers, and high-resolution streaming support. This can make large-model navigation, viewport updates, and Claude’s screenshot-based interactions more responsive.

The key advantage is keeping the entire automation stack together:

Vagon does not provide a CATIA license or guarantee compatibility with every MCP implementation. You still need to install CATIA, provide the required license, and test the connector. For production workflows, use versioned files and require approval before saving or exporting model changes.

FAQs

Is there an official CATIA MCP server from Dassault Systèmes?

No clearly documented official Dassault Systèmes CATIA MCP connector is currently available. The workflow described here uses a community-developed CATIA V5 MCP server, so compatibility and support should be verified independently.

Can Claude connect directly to CATIA V5?

Claude can connect to CATIA V5 through a compatible local MCP server. The server communicates with the running CATIA process through Windows COM automation.

Does the CATIA MCP server work with Claude Code?

Yes. The referenced server provides a Claude Code MCP setup example and can also be configured for Claude Desktop.

Can Claude create CATIA parts?

It can create parts, sketches, and supported Part Design features when the MCP server exposes the required tools.

Can Claude modify an existing CATIA model?

Yes, but only through operations implemented by the connector. Test modifications on a copy and request user approval before applying or saving them.

Can Computer Use replace the CATIA MCP server?

No. Computer Use controls the visible CATIA interface, while MCP provides structured access to supported CATIA tools and model data. They are complementary.

Does this workflow support CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE?

Not automatically. The referenced implementation targets CATIA V5, so CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE requires a separate connector or automation approach.

Does CATIA need to run on Windows?

For the referenced MCP implementation, yes. It relies on Windows COM automation and requires CATIA V5 to be installed in a compatible Windows environment.

Can I run Claude and CATIA on Vagon Cloud Computer?

Yes. CATIA, Claude, Python, the MCP server, and the Computer Use runtime can be installed on the same Vagon Windows Cloud Computer. You still need to provide the CATIA installation, license, and connector.

Is it safe to use Claude with production CATIA files?

Begin with a duplicate or versioned model. Require approval before modifying, saving, overwriting, deleting, or exporting files, and verify the final geometry in CATIA before using it in production.