Caddie sits in the SolidWorks task pane and reads the part you have open: features, sketches, dimensions, errors, materials and mass. Ask as you would a senior colleague. It answers with your feature names and values, shows you where to click, or makes the change once you approve it.
A general chatbot only knows what you type or paste into it. Caddie reads SolidWorks directly every time you ask, so you never have to describe the model first.
In a fraction of a second, before it answers:
There's no need to name the feature or copy an error message. Ask "Why won't this part rebuild?" and Caddie checks the model before it replies, so the answer is about your part rather than parts in general.
Answers name the feature and the value, and explain as much as you need: tell Caddie whether you're learning SolidWorks or use it every day. When there's work to do, Caddie starts a guide that highlights each click, or proposes the exact change for you to approve.
Ask how to do something and Caddie starts a short guide. Each step highlights where to click in SolidWorks, and ticks itself off when SolidWorks shows it's done, so you're never hunting through menus. You make every click yourself.
When the fix is clear, Caddie shows exactly what it will change. Nothing happens until you click Do it, and most changes come with an Undo button.
AskedSketch2 is over-defined. Find the conflicting relation and fix it.
Caddie“Sketch2 was over-defined by a conflicting Horizontal relation. I’ve proposed removing the flagged relation; the check shows no remaining alerts.”
Paste, drop or attach an image of what you want to model. Caddie works out the shape and the dimensions, says what it assumed, and either builds it in steps you approve or guides you through building it yourself.
Asked, with the drawing attachedModel this bracket from the attached drawing.
Caddie“The bracket is set up with the R8 inside corner, three through-holes and 6061 aluminium. I assumed the base holes are symmetric and the upright hole is centered across the width, since those positions aren’t dimensioned.”
The Learn tab has 12 original practice parts in the style of SolidWorks' certification exams: the Associate (CSWA), the Professional (CSWP) and the advanced Sheet Metal exam. Model the part from its drawing and check your answer, or let Caddie read your model and tell you what's off without giving the answer away.
Unedited answers from Caddie's test runs on sample models. Each one names the feature and the number, and says what's worth checking.
The flat blank is 182.6 × 95 mm in 1.5 mm AISI 304 sheet.
That size uses the model’s K-factor of 0.44, so confirm the bend allowance with your fabricator before cutting.
The square tubing cut list for 30 × 30 × 2.60 mm tube is:
The maximum shear stress is 31.8 MPa, assuming pure torsion.
Using the solid circular shaft formula, τmax = 16T / (πd³), with torque in N·mm and diameter in mm.
Your material is the issue: Part1 is assigned Plain Carbon Steel instead of the specified 6061 Alloy. Steel is much denser, and your model’s volume matches the practice part, so the geometry isn’t what’s driving the high mass.
Not reliably: Mounting Hole fails when the 40 mm Base Profile dimension is reduced by 20%. The other five driving dimensions rebuilt at both 20% larger and smaller, and all values are restored.
I couldn’t inspect the hole’s references, but I’d first check whether its position leaves enough material when the plate narrows.
Constrain the bore centre to the midpoint of a construction diagonal between opposite plate corners. That keeps it centred as the plate length changes.
I couldn’t inspect the existing bore sketch constraints, so an existing position dimension may need to be removed if it conflicts.
Recorded 5 November 2026 by the answer-quality tests that every Caddie release goes through.
The 12 practice parts are original, written for Caddie in the style of SolidWorks' certification exams. They aren't copies of exam questions. Each is generated from its own geometry with third-angle views, and gets new dimensions every attempt. The drawing, the answer key and the part Caddie builds for you always agree.
The entry-level exam. Model a part from a drawing, make design changes, and report the mass.
3 practice partsThe core professional exam. Busier parts, several rounds of design changes, mass and centre of mass.
7 practice partsOne of the advanced specialist exams. Formed sheet metal parts, with the mass and the flat pattern length.
2 practice partsWhy only Sheet Metal of the advanced exams? A practice part is only useful if its answer is exact, and Caddie computes every answer key from the part's geometry. It can do that for formed sheet metal, but not yet for weldments, surfacing or mold tooling, so those topics are covered by quiz questions instead.
The exams are run by Dassault Systèmes, and Caddie isn't affiliated with its certification programme. Caddie won't help during a real exam: the certification has to be your own work.
A part that rebuilds today can still fall apart when someone changes a size. Caddie explains what drives what in your model and helps you build the intent in, so changes go where you expect.
Caddie lists the dimensions that control the part by name and value, and tells you which ones only position features.
Say the rule in plain words. Caddie confirms which dimensions you mean before it links them with an equation.
A bore that must stay centred should be tied to the middle, not to one edge. Caddie checks how it's located and fixes the relation.
A design intent stress test. Ask "Will this part still rebuild if the main dimensions change?" Caddie makes each driving dimension 20% bigger, then 20% smaller, rebuilds, tells you exactly what breaks, and puts every value back. On a test part it checked 17 dimensions in under 7 seconds.
| Question | A general AI chat | Caddie |
|---|---|---|
| Knows your model | Only what you type, paste or screenshot | Reads the open document every time you ask |
| Answers mention | Generic steps for a typical model | Your features and values: "Fillet1, 12 mm, on a 3 mm base" |
| Doing the work | Describes the clicks | Highlights each click, or makes the change once you approve it |
| Certification practice | Questions without checking | Exam-style parts with answers checked to 0.1% |
| Where it runs | A browser tab next to SolidWorks | The SolidWorks task pane, 2022 and newer |
| Your conversations | Kept by the chat service | Kept on your PC |
CAD vendors are adding AI too, mostly to their newest releases and cloud platforms. Caddie is a free add-in for desktop SolidWorks 2022 and newer, and it's focused on the model in front of you: fixing it, learning it and checking it.
Short guides with real examples. Start with the quick start, then pick what you do most.
Install Caddie, find the panel, and ask your first question about a real model.
Read the guide → TroubleshootingFailing features, over-defined sketches, dangling references and rebuild warnings.
Read the guide → Working togetherHow guides highlight each click while you do the work, and how changes you approve work, including undo.
Read the guide → ModellingTurn a drawing, a sketch on paper or a photo into a part, step by step.
Read the guide → LearningOriginal practice parts for the CSWA, CSWP and Sheet Metal exams, hints that don't give it away, and quick quizzes.
Read the guide → ConceptsWhat design intent is, how to build it into a part, and how Caddie helps you check it.
Read the guide →Caddie is built for engineers who work on confidential designs, so here is exactly where your data goes.
Conversation history, file notes and settings. Your SolidWorks files are never uploaded. History can be turned off or deleted in Settings.
Your question, the model's details, any image you attach and a screenshot of SolidWorks go to OpenAI through Caddie's relay. Screenshots can be turned off.
OpenAI doesn't train on API data, and Caddie asks it not to store conversations. OpenAI may keep requests for up to 30 days to check for abuse.
No account, usage tracking or analytics. Answers you rate stay on your PC unless you choose to send a problem report.
Yes, during the alpha. There's no account, no trial and no card. You don't need your own OpenAI account or key either.
SolidWorks 2022 and newer on 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. Caddie is tested most on SolidWorks 2026. If something doesn't work on your version, click Copy a problem report in Settings and email it to us.
No. To answer, Caddie sends your question, details of the open model (names, dimensions, materials, errors and so on) and, unless you turn it off, a screenshot of the SolidWorks window. The files themselves never leave your PC.
No. Every change is shown first, and nothing happens until you click Do it. You can tick "Don't ask again this session" for routine changes, but deleting features and sketch relations always asks.
Yes, for the CSWA (Associate), the CSWP (Professional) and the advanced Sheet Metal exam: practice parts with checked answers, hints and quick quizzes, including quizzes on the other advanced topics. It won't help during a real exam, and you shouldn't use it there. The certification has to be your own work.
They're original parts written for Caddie, in the style of the exams, not copies of exam questions. Each answer key is computed exactly from the part's geometry, and every part was built in SolidWorks, twice at different sizes, to check that the keys match.
Yes. Tell Caddie you're learning and it explains why as well as what, says what terms like over-defined mean, and walks you through the clicks so you learn them. If you use SolidWorks every day, choose that instead: answers get shorter, and fixes are offered for you to approve. You can switch any time in Settings.
OpenAI's models, through a small relay run by Caddie that adds the API key. Caddie picks the model; you don't need to configure anything.
Yes. For stresses, deflections, bolt preloads and the like, Caddie works the numbers out with an exact calculator instead of estimating them, and says what it assumed. Treat the result as a check, not a substitute for proper analysis or sign-off.
No. Caddie needs an internet connection to answer. Your history and settings are still on your PC when you're offline.
Caddie tells you inside SolidWorks when a new version is out. Download it, close SolidWorks and run the installer. Your settings and history carry over.
Not today. Caddie is built for SolidWorks.
Run the installer, open SolidWorks, and ask about the model you're working on. It takes about five minutes.
Download CaddieSetup.exe