New business model is a big deal in engineering and manufacturing software. For years, customers were buying CAD licenses. For the last 5-7 years we can see CAD vendors movement into subscriptions. Even CAD vendors are reporting lot of success, he jury is still out to watch results. Professional CAD applications structure and functions are also unchanged for the last two decades. It does what you expect – sketch, part, assembly, drawings.
My attention was caught by Canadian company Vention. Check this article – This Integrated CAD and Modular Build System Lets You Turn Your Idea Into Reality in 48 Hours. It sounds fascinating.. Here is an interesting passage I captured:
The Canadian based company provides a fully-integrated cloud CAD and modular hardware platform that offers its customers the ability to design, order and assemble their custom design in just a few days. Vention also allows you to import custom parts to your design.
Designs can also be exported to your local CAD software for alternative assembly or adjustment. Once designed it simply takes one click to pay and order your design which will be shipped the next day.
According to the same article,core foundation is fully integrated system capable to build a specific type of equipment and / or machinery. I’m very interested to learn more what do is mean, but meantime another passage:
Vention makes it possible for engineers and designers to build custom machines without any need for comparison between sites or specifications. All of the Vention parts have been designed to work together. The CAD build happens in easy to follow steps that intuitively guide you through the build process.
So, what is the formula to build it? The answer is simple: cloud + free.
Vention’s CAD software is 100% cloud-based and 100% free. With Vention you don’t need to buy a license for expensive software that will go out of date. Once set up it only takes minutes before you can begin designing complex assemblies using automatic 3D constraints that mimic the experience of assembling a machine in the physical world.
The following video can give you an idea about what is that:
What is my conclusion? Vertical applications isn’t a new strategy in engineering software. It was long time ago since people developed application for CAD packages to make design easier and more specific with libraries and tools. Many of them were developed on AutoCAD and similar platforms. The difference these days that you can take it even future and combine with a business model of buying parts. It can turn traditional CAD licenses upside down. It is an interesting process to watch for the next few years. Just my thoughts…
Best, Oleg
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Disclaimer: I’m co-founder and CEO of OpenBOM developing cloud based bill of materials and inventory management tool for manufacturing companies, hardware startups and supply chain. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.
