Leading European CAD developer says iPad most exciting platform in AEC industry

Over in Europe one of the leading new CAD (computer-aided design) software developers, CadFaster, Inc., has stated in an upcoming interview feature on Architosh (to be published later this week) that–among the mobile platforms currently in existence–Apple’s iOS-based iPad is the most exciting for the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) industry.

iPad is Classic Disruptive Innovation

As Architosh will explain in an upcoming article, Apple’s innovative iPad fits one of the classic definitions of “disruptive innovation,” a term coined by Clayton Christensen, a globally recognized business theorist, author and professor of Business at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

One of Christensen’s definitions of “disruptive innovation” is when entrants (or in this case existing players) create products that under-perform against related entrenched leading innovations yet define success in new market contexts. Classically, these under-performing new innovations are typically far less expensive than their related competitors but in turn find success not just due to lower price and accessibility levels–cheaper prices makes products more accessible to larger audiences–but often more importantly to defining new market contexts that went unserved.

The iPad has transformed mobility in a way that earlier tablet computers and even mobile laptops have failed to achieve. In the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry–the world’s second largest–the millions of building projects that get constructed every year have always required decisions on issues that typically number in the thousands. And the people making those decisions are scattered among offices, home offices and building sites.

[Readers may want to read: “The iPad: how the CAD/3D industry is being changed”, 10 Aug 2010, Architosh]

Tuomas Holma, vice president of sales and marketing told Architosh that CadFaster, Inc., believes the Apple “iPad is the most exciting platform for design collaboration at the moment. People need to make decisions while on the move.” And this is the new context in the market that Apple’s innovative iPad has helped define.

This week Architosh will publish an executive interview on CadFaster, one of the AEC industry’s most exciting new software developers. The Finland-based software maker’s namesake product, CadFaster | Collaborate brings unique combinations of mobile 3D CAD/BIM model viewing, co-viewing, markup and team collaboration via the cloud tying multiple participants together on both desktop and iPad.

In 2012, CadFaster won Architosh’s “BEST of SHOW” Award for Mobile iOS Software for Architects at the 2012 AIA National Convention, the US’s largest industry convention and exhibition for architects and related professionals, beating runner-up HP with its innovative ePrint & Share for iPad technology.

01 - CadFaster for iPad is a new CAD solution for mobile professionals with iPads. It enables the viewing and collaboration with others with connected CAD assets hosted in the cloud.

Stay tuned on Architosh this week as we deliver a series of compelling features, including the full interview with CadFaster about its company and products and Apple’s iPad and Mac platforms.

To learn more about CadFaster visit them online here.