SteelSpec MCP Server: UK Steel Data for AI Agents

Early access — manual onboarding

SteelSpec MCP Server: UK Steel Data for AI Agents

Register the SteelSpec Model Context Protocol server with Claude Desktop, the Anthropic Agent SDK, or any MCP-compatible AI client. Sixteen tools covering UK structural sections, cold-formed purlins, connection design rules, embodied carbon, material grades, plate, fixings and weld design — all queryable directly by your agent without intermediate API plumbing.

Status: the server runs locally via stdio transport. While we wait to see whether there's enough interest to justify a public release, the server file and data are sent on request — email us and we'll get you set up.

How to get set up

Email hello@structuralsteelcomponents.com with the subject "SteelSpec MCP access". Tell us what you're building. We'll send you the Python server file and the JSON data directory.
Install the MCP SDK: pip install mcp
Add this snippet to your Claude Desktop config (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS, equivalent path on Windows / Linux):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "steelspec": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/steelspec-mcp-server.py"],
      "env": {
        "STEELSPEC_DATA_DIR": "/path/to/steelspec/data"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. The 16 SteelSpec tools become available in any new conversation.

16 tools, organised by purpose

Section lookup

Tool	What it does
`list_section_types`	Lists all UK section types in the registry, grouped by category
`lookup_section`	Full properties of a specific section (e.g. UB 305×165×40)
`list_section_designations`	Every designation for a type, sorted by mass
`find_sections_by_mass`	Find sections within a mass tolerance (for substitution / sizing)
`get_purlin_sections`	Z or C purlins, filterable by manufacturer and depth
`get_eaves_beam_sections`	Cold-formed eaves beam reference data

Connection design (BS EN 1993-1-8)

Tool	What it does
`get_bolt_capacity`	Tensile and shear resistance per bolt for any size + grade
`get_bolt_spacing_rules`	Minimum end / edge / pitch / spacing per Eurocode 3 Table 3.3
`get_weld_design_data`	Min throat by plate thickness, common weld sizes, weld categories

Material and components

Tool	What it does
`get_material_grade`	Yield, tensile, charpy values for any UK grade (S275, S355, etc.)
`list_material_grades`	List of all grades with quick-summary properties
`get_plate_data`	Standard plate thicknesses, weights, sheet sizes, grade availability
`calculate_plate_weight`	Weight + embodied carbon for a plate by dimensions
`get_fixings`	Bolts, anchors, fasteners reference data (filterable by category)

Sustainability and registry

Tool	What it does
`estimate_embodied_carbon`	kgCO₂e for any mass + production route + life-cycle modules
`get_data_registry_summary`	Overview of what's in the registry (counts, freshness, sources)

What an agent can do once registered

User prompt: "I'm specifying a 6m simply supported beam carrying 30 kN/m UDL. Find me the lightest UB that works, and show me the embodied carbon if I source it from BCSA UK average vs Histar low-carbon."

Agent calls:

find_sections_by_mass("UB", 30, 50) — get candidate UBs
lookup_section("UB", "305x165x40") — verify section properties
estimate_embodied_carbon(50000 × 6, "uk-average", ["A1-A3"])
estimate_embodied_carbon(50000 × 6, "eaf-scrap-100pct", ["A1-A3"])

Returns a worked recommendation with section choice, weight, and 60-70% lower carbon if Histar is specified.

User prompt: "Check my fin plate connection: 10 mm S275 plate, M20 grade 8.8 bolts at e₁=e₂=40mm, p₁=70mm. Will it fail in bearing or bolt shear first?"

Agent calls:

get_bolt_spacing_rules("M20") — confirm geometry passes minimums
get_bolt_capacity("M20", "8.8") — get F_v,Rd
Calculates F_b,Rd from formula using k₁ = 2.5, α_b = 0.61 / 0.81

Returns: F_v,Rd = 94.1 kN, F_b,Rd = 114.7 kN end / 152.3 kN inner. Bolt shear governs. Plate could be reduced.

User prompt: "What Z purlins does Steadmans make at 200 mm depth?"

Agent calls:

get_purlin_sections("Z", manufacturer="Steadmans", depth_mm=200)

Returns 6 Steadmans 200-deep Z sections (SZ200/14 through SZ200/25) with full geometric and mechanical properties verified against the 2025 design guide.

Installation options

Option 1: Local stdio (available now, on request)

Run the server locally on your machine. Suitable for individual developers, agent prototyping, and offline workflows.

# 1. Install the MCP SDK
pip install mcp

# 2. Email hello@structuralsteelcomponents.com to get
#    steelspec-mcp-server.py and the data/ directory.
#    (No public package yet — manual onboarding while
#    we gauge interest.)

# 3. Run it
python /path/to/steelspec-mcp-server.py

Then add the config snippet from the Quickstart at the top of this page to your Claude Desktop config.

Option 2: Remote SSE (roadmap)

Hosted SSE transport for production agents and team usage. Single endpoint, authenticated by API key. Will deploy when there's enough demand to justify the hosting — email us if this is something you'd want.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "steelspec": {
      "url": "https://mcp.steelspec.io/sse",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Anthropic Agent SDK

Same registration pattern via the Agent SDK's MCP server registration. Once you have the local server file (Option 1), it works the same way as Claude Desktop — point the SDK at the script.

Tool roadmap

Tools planned alongside the next substrate layers.

Tool	Status	Description
`parse_ifc_to_bom`	Coming	Upload an IFC file, get a categorised BOM with embodied carbon
`size_minimum_plate`	Coming	Component design agent: minimum-material plate dimensions for given loads
`generate_dxf`	Coming	Parametric DXF for any UK section profile
`request_quote`	Coming	Procurement agent: indicative quote for components from supplier network

Building an AI tool that needs UK steel data?

Email us, tell us what you're working on, and we'll send the server file and data so you can register it with your client. Free for local use during the manual-onboarding phase. If enough people ask for a hosted SSE endpoint, that's the trigger to deploy one.

Contact: hello@structuralsteelcomponents.com with the subject "SteelSpec MCP access".

REST API documentation →