parts-mcp 0.1.0

Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for electronic parts sourcing with KiCad integration

Parts MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for sourcing electronic parts with multi-EDA integration.

Overview

Parts MCP enables AI assistants to search for electronic components, compare prices, check availability, and process BOMs from popular EDA tools. It provides a unified interface for component sourcing workflows powered by the Source Parts API.

Supported EDA Tools

Tool	BOM Format	Status
KiCad	CSV, XML	Full support + CLI integration
Altium Designer	CSV, XLS	Full support
Autodesk Fusion 360	CSV	Full support
Eagle	CSV, BRD	Full support
PADS	CSV, ASC	Full support
Protel 99	CSV	Full support

Features

• Universal Parts Search: Search millions of parts via Source Parts API
• Multi-EDA BOM Processing: Import BOMs from KiCad, Altium, Fusion360, Eagle, PADS, Protel99
• Component Matching: AI-powered matching with confidence scoring
• Price Comparison: Compare prices across distributors
• Availability Check: Real-time inventory levels
• Alternative Parts: Find drop-in replacements and functional equivalents
• KiCad CLI Integration: Generate BOMs directly from schematics
• Local Caching: Fast responses with intelligent caching

Installation

From PyPI (Recommended)

pip install parts-mcp

From Source

git clone https://github.com/SourceParts/parts-mcp.git
cd parts-mcp
pip install -e .

Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• Source Parts API key (get one here)

Configuration

Create a .env file or set environment variables:

# Required
SOURCE_PARTS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

# Optional
SOURCE_PARTS_API_URL=https://api.source.parts/v1
KICAD_SEARCH_PATHS=/path/to/kicad/projects
PARTS_CACHE_DIR=~/.cache/parts-mcp
CACHE_EXPIRY_HOURS=24

Claude Desktop Integration

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parts": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "parts_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SOURCE_PARTS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

If installed from source:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parts": {
      "command": "/path/to/python",
      "args": ["/path/to/parts-mcp/main.py"],
      "env": {
        "SOURCE_PARTS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

After adding the configuration, restart Claude Desktop.

Claude Code Integration

Add to your Claude Code MCP settings (~/.claude/settings.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parts": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "parts_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SOURCE_PARTS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Or run directly:

claude --mcp-server "python -m parts_mcp"

Usage Examples

Search for Parts

"Find a 10k resistor in 0603 package"

Process a BOM

"Upload my Altium BOM and find the best prices for 100 units"

KiCad Integration

"Extract the BOM from my amplifier.kicad_sch and source all components"

Find Alternatives

"Find alternatives for the obsolete LM358"

Check Availability

"Check stock levels for STM32F103C8T6"

Available Tools

Tool	Description
search_parts	Search for components by query
get_part_details	Get detailed part information
get_part_pricing	Get pricing across distributors
check_availability	Check real-time inventory
find_alternatives	Find replacement parts
process_bom	Process BOM file from any supported EDA
match_components	Match BOM components to parts
find_kicad_projects	Discover local KiCad projects
generate_kicad_bom	Generate BOM from KiCad schematic

Architecture

Parts MCP follows a thin client architecture:

Local (MCP):

• KiCad CLI operations
• Project discovery
• Response caching
• BOM file parsing

Server (Source Parts API):

• Component matching
• Price aggregation
• Inventory checking
• Alternative search

Development

# Install dev dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

# Run with debug logging
DEBUG=1 python main.py

Project Structure

parts_mcp/
├── server.py          # MCP server entry
├── config.py          # Configuration
├── tools/             # MCP tools
├── resources/         # MCP resources
├── prompts/           # Prompt templates
└── utils/
    ├── api_client.py        # Source Parts API client
    ├── bom_parser.py        # Multi-EDA BOM parsing
    ├── component_matcher.py # Component matching
    ├── cache.py             # Response caching
    └── kicad_utils.py       # KiCad CLI integration

Links

• Source Parts - Component search platform
• Source Parts API Docs - API documentation
• MCP Specification - Model Context Protocol

License

MIT License with Trademark Protection - see LICENSE.md

"Source Parts" is a trademark. See license for usage restrictions.