Build tools that automate daily tasks, connect software, and streamline workflows across disciplines without writing a single line of code!
VIKTOR’s latest innovation, the App Builder, marks a major step forward in making automation accessible to every engineer. Designed to turn ideas into functional applications, the App Builder empowers engineers to build tools that automate daily tasks, connect software, and streamline workflows across disciplines. Without writing a single line of code!
According to Stijn Jansen, Chief Product Officer at VIKTOR, the mission behind the App Builder is clear: “Engineers know their problems best. They should be able to create the solutions they need, when they need them, without waiting on IT or developers.”
Why the App Builder Was Created
Across industries, engineers still spend far too much time on manual tasks: copy-pasting data, repeating calculations, and managing disconnected models. “Instead of solving real problems,” Stijn explains, “engineers are often caught up in repetitive work. And when they try to improve their process, they depend on scarce developers or IT teams, which slows everything down.”
That’s what inspired the creation of the App Builder: the need to give engineers control over their own tools. Until now, automation and app-building were limited to those with programming skills. But most engineers aren’t coders, and they shouldn’t have to be. They know their own problems best and should be empowered to create the automation solutions they need, when they need them. With the App Builder, automation becomes part of everyday engineering.
Empowering Every Engineer
With the App Builder, any engineer can automate tasks, set up configurators, or connect different software platforms directly. No manual file handling required. Integrations with tools like Revit, PLAXIS, Rhino, SCIA, ETABS, SAP2000, Grasshopper, Excel, and CAD streamline workflows and eliminate the tedious, error-prone steps that slow projects down.
“The VIKTOR platform is built by engineers, for engineers,” says Stijn. “That means direct integrations with the tools you actually use, security and compliance built in from day one, and enterprise-level governance to ensure quality.” Unlike many no-code tools, the App Builder combines speed with transparency and accountability.
Closing the Gap Between No-Code and Full-Code
The App Builder fills a crucial gap in the current landscape. Traditional coding environments are too technical for most domain experts, while low-code tools often produce what Stijn calls “toy apps”; prototypes that lack robustness and integration. Meanwhile, standalone AI assistants can feel like black boxes, with no governance or transparency.
“The App Builder combines no-code, low-code, and full-code capabilities in one secure, transparent, and enterprise-ready environment built specifically for engineering,” says Stijn. It’s a place where engineers can automate workflows, link their favorite tools, and build reliable apps with built-in versioning, testing, and audit trails without losing control or quality.
What You Can Build
The possibilities are endless. Structural engineers can create load calculators, geotechnical teams can automate design checks, mechanical engineers can build configurators, and environmental teams can run scenario analyses.
A simple but powerful example is turning your data analysis workflow into a web app where you can upload measurement or simulation data, run calculations, and instantly generate plots and reports to share with colleagues. This kind of post-processing happens across almost every discipline, making it one of the most broadly applicable uses of the App Builder.
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- Accept user inputs for footing length and width, column length and width, footing thickness, effective reinforcement depth (d), concrete compressive strength (f’c), factored axial column load, and optionally the factored moments about both axes.
- Perform a one-way shear check by evaluating shear along a critical section located a distance d from each column face on all four sides, comparing the demand to the design shear capacity defined by ACI 318, and displaying a “Pass” or “Fail” result with the governing ratio.
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Perform a two-way (punching) shear check by evaluating shear around a perimeter at a distance d/2 from the column faces, comparing the demand to the punching shear capacity defined by ACI 318, and displaying a “Pass” or “Fail” result with the governing ratio.
Let’s say you want to build an app that reads acceleration data from an Excel file. All you need to do is define the file format for example, the column names, and the App Builder takes care of the rest.
What used to take weeks of IT support can now be done in a matter of hours or days.
Real-World Impact
Companies like KBR are already experiencing the benefits. Their engineers have built everything from simple unit converters to advanced apps automating complex processes. These tools eliminate repetitive work, reduce errors, and make sophisticated workflows accessible to entire teams. “KBR even runs workshops to spread the App Builder across their organization,” Stijn notes. “It’s incredible to see how fast engineers pick it up once they realize what’s possible.”
A Foundation for AI in Engineering
“AI should help engineers move faster in a transparent, secure, and compliant way,” says Stijn. The App Builder provides the foundation for this vision: a place where engineers use their domain knowledge to create solutions, supported by AI and governed by enterprise standards.
Looking ahead, deeper AI assistance will make app-building even faster. Not just by generating code, but by testing and validating apps automatically. More integrations are on the way, and AI will increasingly become a transparent, reliable partner in everyday engineering practice.
Getting Started
The best way to begin is simply to try it yourself. “Start small,” Stijn advises. “Build a quick app to automate something simple. You’ll be surprised how fast it comes together.” On October 28th, VIKTOR is hosting a live webinar where engineers can see the App Builder in action, explore real-world applications, and build App Builder apps themselves. It’s the perfect opportunity to get inspired, ask questions, and see how others are already using the App Builder to transform their workflows.
👉 Register now for the live webinar and discover how you can start automating your work:
App-building is no longer limited to IT or coders. Every engineer can now create, share, and improve their own workflows, with the freedom to innovate and enterprise-level control to ensure security and quality.
Ready to give it a try yourself?
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