STEP Parts

Provenance: maintained in earthtojake/text-to-cad. Use the installed local skill files as the runtime source of truth; the repository link is only for provenance and release review.

Overview

Use the hosted step.parts machine endpoints instead of scraping HTML or relying on local repository files. Treat https://api.step.parts as the canonical API origin and https://www.step.parts as the site/static-asset origin unless the user provides a different hosted mirror. Network/DNS failures are inconclusive: if api.step.parts cannot be reached from the sandbox, retry once with network permission before reporting a miss or using placeholder geometry. Do not describe a part as unavailable unless the API was reachable and returned no relevant candidates.

When a CAD assembly includes named off-the-shelf actuators, servos, motors, electronics boards, connectors, or other purchasable components, search step.parts before creating simplified placeholder geometry. For named servos, motors, and actuators, search both exact model strings and common aliases/vendor spellings before giving up. For example, STS3215 may also appear as ST3215, 3215, Waveshare Feetech ST3215, or under family=feetech. If the API was reachable and no exact or near-exact match is available, record the search miss and then use a documented envelope or simplified stand-in.

Quick Workflow

1. Interpret the requested part into search terms and optional facets:
   • q for fuzzy tokens, standards, aliases, dimensions, source/product URLs, and attribute names/values.
   • category, family, standard, or tag when the user gives an exact facet.
2. Search /v1/parts and inspect items, total, and facets. For actuator model numbers, retry likely aliases, dropped letters, vendor names, and relevant family facets before treating an empty result as a miss.
3. If results are ambiguous, present the best few options with id, name, standard, and key attributes before choosing. If one result clearly matches, return the selected record details without downloading unless the user asked for a local STEP file.
4. When an exact or near-exact off-the-shelf actuator model is found, prefer downloading and using its STEP file unless there is a clear assembly-time reason to use a simplified envelope. Record that choice explicitly.
5. When the user asks to download or save a STEP file, download its stepUrl, then verify the file with the record's sha256 when present.
6. Return the local path when downloaded, plus the selected part id and page/API URLs so the user can trace provenance.

CAD Viewer Handoff

After completing step.parts work that creates or updates a local .step or .stp file, you must ALWAYS hand the explicit file path to $cad-viewer when that skill is installed. $cad-viewer must start CAD Viewer if it is not already running and return link(s) to the relevant created or updated file(s); if $cad-viewer is unavailable or startup fails, report that instead of silently omitting the handoff.

Bundled Downloader

Use scripts/download_step_part.py for deterministic search, download, and checksum verification:

python scripts/download_step_part.py "M3 socket head 12" --download
python scripts/download_step_part.py --id iso4762_socket_head_cap_screw_m3x12 --download
python scripts/download_step_part.py "bearing 608zz" --limit 5

Useful options:

• --origin: override https://api.step.parts only when the user provides another hosted API origin.
• --tag, --category, --family, --standard: repeatable facet filters.
• --out-dir: destination directory for downloads. It defaults to the system temp directory, so pass it whenever the file should survive in the project.
• --filename: rename the one downloaded file; rejected together with --all.
• --limit, --page: search page size (default 10, API cap 500) and 1-based page.
• --all: with --download, download every result on the returned page as individual STEP downloads.
• --overwrite: replace an existing output file. Without it, an existing destination is refused rather than overwritten.

The script prints JSON to stdout. For searches, it prints matched records. For downloads, it prints saved file paths, checksums, and source URLs. Failures print a one-line plain-text message to stderr and exit 1.

API Reference

Read references/step-parts-api.md when you need endpoint details, field meanings, or query semantics. Prefer:

• /v1/parts for filtered search with absolute asset URLs.
• /v1/parts/{id} for one enriched record.
• Returned stepUrl for STEP downloads.
• /v1/catalog/parts.index.json for a compact discovery index.
• /v1/catalog/schema for field and family attribute meanings.
• /v1/openapi.json when generating a client or tool.

Search Guidance

• Query tokens are ANDed by the API, so start specific but not overconstrained. For example, use M3 SHCS 12 before adding exact family and standard filters.
• Values within one facet are ORed together, and selected tag, category, family, and standard fields are ANDed together. Use exact facets to narrow within known categories, then rank manually by name and attributes.
• Standards can be queried as ISO 4762, ISO4762, or the exact standard.designation.
• The attributes object contains family-specific facts such as thread, lengthMm, bore1Mm, material, profileSeries, slotSizeMm, and dimensions in millimeters.
• Part, GLB, and PNG URL patterns are predictable on https://www.step.parts; STEP URLs are environment-aware and may resolve to GitHub LFS media in production. Use catalog/API stepUrl for downloads.