CLOUD-BASED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE PLATFORM STRUCTURAL & DESIGN CALCULATION SOFTWARE WITH AI INTEGRATION

We are developing a cloud-based engineering software platform, similar in concept to SkyCiv, designed for professional engineers who require fast, accurate and defensible calculations in a modern web-based environment.

The platform combines engineering calculation engines with full SaaS functionality and AI-assisted workflows to improve productivity, reduce errors and streamline engineering design and verification.

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CORE FUNCTIONALITY

• Cloud-based engineering and structural calculations
• Support for multiple design modules and calculation types
• Standards-based calculation logic with transparent methodologies
• Real-time computation and instant result updates
• Interactive diagrams and visual outputs linked directly to calculations
• Ability to save, edit and duplicate calculation cases

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AI-ASSISTED ENGINEERING FEATURES

• AI-assisted input guidance and validation
• Automated checking for missing, inconsistent or unreasonable inputs
• Intelligent suggestions for member sizes, configurations or parameters (advisory only)
• AI-assisted interpretation of results and utilisation ratios
• Automated generation of calculation summaries and explanatory text
• Context-aware help linked to the active calculation and standard

AI functionality is intended to assist engineers, not replace professional judgement. All final decisions remain under engineer control.

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USER, LOGIN & SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT

• Secure user authentication and account management
• Role-based access (individual engineers, teams, administrators)
• Project-based organisation of calculations
• Subscription tiers (trial / paid plans)
• Online payment processing (monthly and annual billing)
• Automatic subscription management, renewals and upgrades
• Secure handling of user and payment data

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REPORTING & DOCUMENTATION

• Auto-generated calculation reports suitable for professional submission
• Branded PDF outputs with project and user details
• Embedded interactive diagrams and calculation summaries
• Clear input, output and assumption breakdowns
• Ability to re-generate reports when inputs change
• Printable and downloadable calculation documentation

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INTERACTIVE VISUALISATION

• Dynamic, interactive diagrams tied to calculation inputs
• Real-time updates of diagrams as parameters change
• Visualisation of loads, reactions, capacities and utilisation
• Clear graphical outputs supporting engineering verification

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PLATFORM FEATURES

• Fully browser-based (no local installation required)
• Secure cloud hosting and scalable architecture
• Multi-device compatibility
• Centralised updates and version control
• Optional audit trail for calculation changes

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TARGET USERS

• Structural and civil engineers
• Building services and consulting engineers
• Engineering firms seeking consistent, repeatable calculations
• Engineers working remotely or collaboratively

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OUR OBJECTIVE

To deliver a modern, AI-assisted engineering SaaS platform that improves speed, consistency and confidence in engineering design while maintaining full transparency, compliance and professional accountability.


1. PROJECT OVERVIEW

We are seeking an experienced software development partner to design and build a cloud-based engineering SaaS platform, similar in concept to SkyCiv, targeted at professional engineers.

The platform will deliver:
• Engineering calculation modules
• Interactive diagrams and visualisation
• Professional calculation reports
• Full SaaS infrastructure (users, subscriptions, payments)
• AI-assisted workflows for efficiency and validation

This is a commercial product, not an internal tool.

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2. CORE OBJECTIVES

• Deliver a secure, scalable, browser-based engineering platform
• Enable engineers to perform, save and manage calculations online
• Support professional reporting suitable for submission
• Provide subscription-based access with payment handling
• Integrate AI to assist (not replace) engineering judgement
• Allow future expansion to additional calculation modules

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3. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Engineering Calculation Engine

• Cloud-based calculation processing
• Modular architecture for different calculation types
• Deterministic, standards-based calculation logic
• Ability to save, duplicate and version calculation cases
• Real-time update of results when inputs change

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3.2 Interactive Diagrams & Visualisation

• Dynamic diagrams linked to calculation inputs
• Real-time updates of geometry, loads, reactions, utilisation
• Interactive diagrams embedded within the UI
• Diagrams included in exported calculation reports

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3.3 Reporting & Documentation

• Auto-generated calculation reports (PDF)
• Branded reports including:
– Project details
– Inputs
– Outputs
– Assumptions
– Diagrams
• Ability to re-generate reports when inputs are modified
• Professional formatting suitable for consultants and authorities

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4. USER, AUTHENTICATION & ACCESS CONTROL

• Secure user registration and login
• Role-based access control:
– Individual users
– Team / firm accounts
– Admin users
• Project-based organisation of calculations
• Secure data isolation between users and organisations

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5. SUBSCRIPTIONS & PAYMENTS

• Subscription-based access model
• Support for:
– Trial accounts
– Paid plans
– Monthly and annual billing
• Online payment processing (e.g. Stripe or equivalent)
• Automatic renewals, upgrades and cancellations
• Invoice and payment history for users
• Secure handling of billing and personal data

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6. AI INTEGRATION REQUIREMENTS

AI is intended to assist engineers, not automate design decisions.

Required AI capabilities:
• Input validation and sanity checking
• Identification of missing or inconsistent inputs
• Advisory suggestions (e.g. sizing ranges, configuration options)
• AI-generated calculation summaries and explanatory text
• Context-aware help linked to calculation modules

All AI outputs must:
• Be clearly labelled as advisory
• Allow full user override
• Not replace deterministic calculation logic

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7. NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Fully browser-based (no desktop installation)
• Secure, scalable cloud architecture
• High availability and performance
• Responsive UI (desktop first, tablet compatible)
• Clear separation between calculation logic, UI and AI layers
• Auditability and traceability of calculation changes (preferred)

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8. TECHNOLOGY PREFERENCES (OPEN TO RECOMMENDATION)

• Frontend: Modern JS framework (React / Vue / similar)
• Backend: API-driven architecture
• Cloud hosting: AWS / Azure / GCP
• Database: Relational + structured storage for calculations
• Payments: Stripe or equivalent
• AI: API-based integration (e.g. LLM services)

Final stack to be proposed by developer.

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9. MVP VS FUTURE PHASES

MVP should include:
• User accounts and subscriptions
• At least one complete calculation module
• Interactive diagrams
• PDF report generation
• AI input validation and summaries

Future phases may include:
• Additional calculation modules
• Team collaboration features
• Advanced AI design assistance
• Audit trails and compliance exports

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10. DELIVERABLES

• Functional production-ready web application
• Source code and documentation
• Deployment and hosting setup
• Admin tools for managing users and subscriptions
• Basic onboarding and usage documentation

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11. EXPECTED DEVELOPER RESPONSE

Please include:
1. Relevant SaaS or engineering software experience
2. Proposed technical architecture
3. MVP scope recommendation
4. Estimated timeline (MVP + full release)
5. Cost estimate (build + ongoing support)
6. Team structure and availability

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12. ENGAGEMENT MODEL

• Fixed-price or staged delivery preferred
• Long-term relationship expected for future phases
• Ongoing support and maintenance required post-launch


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