Common issues in CAD design reviews

These mistakes recur in printed parts and assemblies. The list comes from real projects, and each entry links the lesson that recorded it. Every review walks this list, whoever wrote the design and however small the change:

1. Run cad-agent all. Every row in the report must pass. A row that fails, is stale or did not run is a finding, never a footnote.
2. Then go through the Review rows below. No automatic check covers them yet, so look at the model, the renders and the sources yourself. Say in the review which ones you checked and how.

flowchart TD
    A["cad-agent all"] -->|"every row passes"| R["walk the Review rows<br/>model, renders, sources"]
    A -->|"fails, stale<br/>or did not run"| F["finding"]
    R -->|"something is off"| F
    R -->|"all checked, said how"| P["review can pass"]
    F --> N["new kind of mistake? add it here<br/>with the check that would catch it"]
    classDef here fill:#fffdf5,stroke:#173d3c,color:#173d3c
    classDef near fill:#eef1e4,stroke:#6f8a80,color:#173d3c
    classDef out fill:#ffe1cc,stroke:#bd3a12,color:#173d3c
    class A,R here
    class N near
    class F,P out

When a review finds a new kind of mistake, add it here, in the same PR or in an issue, with the check that would catch it. Once a check exists, move the entry from "review" to the check.

Geometry and modelling

Why every hole is cut last: a rib unioned after the holes runs into the counterbore and the clearance hole, and cad-agent holes finds it inside both. An illustration of the counterbore plate in tests/test_holes.py, in section; the volumes match the hole check's.

Bought parts, sources and assumptions

cadagent.mechanical.connectors sizes the window from the mated plug and sweeps the plug in along its mating axis. A window sized from the jack's bounding box is too short where the latch passes. An illustration of the RJ45 port in tests/test_connectors.py, in section; the swept volumes match the connector check's.

Fasteners and assembly

Evidence, simulation and release