F.CAD was developed by CONTINUUM ID as an example of the use of its CIEsaw technology. Developed with the assistance of an Information Society Creativity Award from the UK's DTI, CIEsaw as a 100% virtaul collaborative research, information and trading framework for Web Systems. Developed as a CGI using the Prograph CPX OO language, CIEsaw enables information providers to serve totally dynamic information such that visitors to the site can search, add or request information in real-time.

F.CAD is an information and design assistance tool specifically for the small furniture design and manufacturing business. The project has built libraries of information from within standard CAD packages so as to provide simple, readily accessible information on which design decisions can be based. By providing a wealth of information that can be simply integrated into CAD tools, F.CAD should minimise the cost of design and increase the profitability of the furniture design and manufacturing businesses using it.

Katie Walker of Katie Walker Furniture, one of the sample businesses that helped CONTINUUM ID in the development process, said "I am really excited by CONTINUUM's F.CAD project and glad that someone has developed information tools for small businesses. It will mean that I will have access to the sort of tools and information that previously only the largest of furniture manufacturers had. I will be able to spend more time on producing creative furniture and generating income and much less time on information gathering."

To use F.CAD please visit http://fcad.continuumid.com