Viktor Nordstrom understands that the future of CAD exists on the cloud. His company, CL3VER, provides a cloud-based platform for interactive 3D presentations for the web and mobile devices to help AEC and manufacturing professionals to engage customers and stakeholders. CL3VER 3.0, released on March 11, was presented at NVIDIA's GPU Technology Conference together with the integration of CL3VER with Lightworks’ Iray+ photorealistic rendering solution that enables users to explore a CL3VER presentation via a web browser and generate a photorealistic rendered image of a specific point of view using Iray.
In this interview, Nordstrom discusses the future of CAD and how it is changing along with technology.
In what ways does a cloud-based platform enhance the CAD process?
A cloud-based platform enhances the CAD process by making the time to market for products and projects faster, thanks to the possibility of accessing information in real-time from any location around the globe and at any time. The cloud also provides infinite computer power available on an "on-demand basis," thereby cutting costs traditionally associated with the requirements for expensive hardware and software maintenance.
How do you bring CAD to life on all devices?
The CL3VER proprietary 3D engine makes use of HTML5 and WebGL technology to enable interactive 3D visualization on any device without the need to install any plugin. In addition, a native iOS App provides an immersive experience on iPad and iPhone in high definition. During the next months, we will also improve the current offline viewing system.
How does CL3VER democratize the creation of real-time 3D?
The CL3VER editor interface allows a user to add interactivity to a 3D scene without the need for programming, making real-time 3D accessible to any 3D designer who doesn't have specific programming skills. The content created is then distributed via the web and made accessible from any device.
CL3VER is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, and has offices in Palo Alto, California. Do you see a difference in CAD use or experiences between the United States and Europe?
BIM software adoption and penetration in any country is influenced by several factors such as the country's laws, the industry technology trends and the industry competition, to name a few. In this scenario, we see that in North America, the use of 3D in the CAD industry is widely adopted when compared with Europe. As a matter of fact, that makes U.S. users more skilled and experienced.
Can you comment on the role of CAD workstations in the 3D workflow?
Workstations normally have 2 multicore processors (36 threads, for example) for rendering outputs. The best experience for real-time 3D environments is based on the GPU rather than the processors, meaning the more powerful GPU that is installed in a workstation (more RAM or cores), the better the viewing and working experience will be.
CL3VER does not require a high performing dedicated GPU for its standard use; an integrated graphics card is enough. For professional use, having an AMD or NVIDIA dedicated graphics card brings the production workflow and the viewing experience to a higher level.
Where do you see CL3VER in three to five years?
We see in the 3D visualization industry a clear trend for real-time solutions. Especially in the AEC and manufacturing industries, the way a project, product or solution is presented is a key element of differentiation that directly affects sales revenues and competitiveness. Top architecture, engineering and manufacturing firms are already using real-time techniques, and we are seeing a great acceptance of CL3VER for its unique fast workflow to produce interactive 3D presentations for any device.
Based on those facts, we see CL3VER in three years from now to be the leading platform for architects, engineers, manufacturers, and any 3D professional to communicate their designs. The platform will allow a super fast production workflow of browser based real-time interactive 3D with a photorealistic quality that runs fast on any device.
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