building-product-bim-cad-specs
ARCAT Building Products MCP Server The ARCAT MCP Server gives AI assistants direct access to arcat.com — the largest free online building product database…
What it can do
- Search Products: Search for building products by keyword, CSI MasterFormat section, or content format. Returns product details with links to specifications, CAD, BIM, and catalog downloads on arcat.co
- Search Manufacturers: Search for building product manufacturers by name, keyword, or CSI MasterFormat section. Returns company details with links to their ARCAT profile.
- Get Manufacturer: Get detailed profile for a specific building product manufacturer by their ARCAT ID. Returns company info, CSI sections, available content types, and product count.
What data it sees
Do you need an account
An API key from the service settings is required
ARCAT Building Products MCP Server
The ARCAT MCP Server gives AI assistants direct access to arcat.com — the largest free online building product database serving the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry since 1985.
Query 500+ manufacturers and thousands of building products across specifications, CAD drawings, BIM models, and product catalogs — all organized by the CSI MasterFormat classification system.
Tools
search_products — Search products by keyword, CSI section, division, or content format (BIM, CAD, spec, catalog). Supports Made in USA filtering and pagination.
search_manufacturers — Find manufacturers by name, keyword, or CSI MasterFormat section. Returns company profiles with direct links to their ARCAT page.
get_manufacturer — Retrieve a detailed manufacturer profile by ARCAT ID — company info, CSI sections served, content types available, and product count.
browse_csi_sections — Navigate the full CSI MasterFormat taxonomy. List divisions, drill into groups, sections, and narrowscope entries.
What You Can Do
Specification Research
"Find fiber cement rainscreen products with BIM files in CSI section 074600"
Manufacturer Discovery
"Which manufacturers make thermal insulation products? Show me their profiles."
Category Browsing
"List all CSI divisions, then drill into Division 07 - Thermal and Moisture Protection"
Product Comparison
"Search for acoustic ceiling products and compare what content formats each manufacturer offers"
Made in USA Filtering
"Find Made in USA roofing products with downloadable specs"
Data Coverage
- 500+ building product manufacturers
- CSI MasterFormat 2004 — all 50 divisions, thousands of sections
- Content types: Specifications (3-part CSI), CAD details, BIM/Revit families, product catalogs, certifications
- Every response includes direct links to product pages on arcat.com
Authentication
An API key is required for tool execution. Contact bill@arcat.com for access.
Server discovery (initialize, tools/list) is open — no key needed to inspect available tools.
Transport
- Protocol: MCP over Streamable HTTP
- Endpoint:
https://mcp.arcat.com/mcp - Auth header:
x-api-key
Server tool list (4)
Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.
| search_products | Search for building products by keyword, CSI MasterFormat section, or content format. Returns product details with links to specifications, CAD, BIM, and catalog downloads on arcat.com. |
| search_manufacturers | Search for building product manufacturers by name, keyword, or CSI MasterFormat section. Returns company details with links to their ARCAT profile. |
| get_manufacturer | Get detailed profile for a specific building product manufacturer by their ARCAT ID. Returns company info, CSI sections, available content types, and product count. |
| browse_csi_sections | Browse CSI MasterFormat building product categories. No parameters lists all divisions. Add division to drill in, level (1-3) for hierarchy depth, section to filter within a parent. |