Breaking Down the Power of Configura’s CET Designer: Their Core Product That Transforms Design and Sales
In the world of space planning, product configuration, and interior design software, few tools are as influential and widely used as CET Designer — the flagship product at the heart of Configura’s technology platform. Built on the company’s proprietary Parametric Graphical Configuration (PGC) technology, CET Designer reimagines how designers, manufacturers, dealers, and sales professionals visualize spaces, configure complex products, and generate accurate quotes — all within a single, unified environment.
Over the years, this solution has become a cornerstone for companies that need fast, precise, visually compelling design workflows that go far beyond traditional CAD tools. Below, we explore what CET Designer is, how it works, core features, real-world applications, and the impact it delivers to businesses around the globe.
What Is CET Designer?
CET Designer — where CET stands for Configura Extension Technology — is a parametric, rules-based design platform that allows users to conceive, configure, and communicate both simple and highly complex products and environments. Unlike traditional computer-aided design tools, CET Designer blends design, specification, pricing, and presentation into one streamlined workflow.
At its core, the software lets users:
- Design in both 2D and 3D simultaneously
- Configure products based on real product rules and logic
- Auto generate quotes, bills of material, and order documentation
- Create high-quality visual presentations and renderings
- Enable dealer-to-manufacturer workflows that reduce errors and speed up sales
In short, CET Designer turns the act of designing into a business-focused process — not just a drawing exercise.
The Technology Behind the Product
Parametric Graphical Configuration (PGC) Technology
What truly sets CET Designer apart is its Parametric Graphical Configuration (PGC) foundation. This is a rules-based system where every object (like a desk, shelf, or cabinetry unit) contains embedded product information — such as dimensions, rules for valid configurations, pricing, part numbers, and compatibility logic.
Rather than placing generic objects and then manually calculating whether they will work together, PGC ensures that:
- Components behave like real products
- Pricing and parts lists update instantly as designs evolve
- Misconfigurations are automatically prevented
This intelligent behavior dramatically reduces errors that often occur when using separate tools for design, quotation, and ordering.
How CET Designer Works — Key Features Explained
Here’s a closer look at what CET Designer actually does and how professionals use it:
1. Intuitive Design in 2D & 3D
Users can draw layouts in 2D and immediately see them in 3D — all within the same environment. This simultaneous dual-view design makes it easier to test ideas and validate concepts without toggling between separate programs.
Whether it’s a corporate office layout, a kitchen space, healthcare interior, or a warehouse configuration, CET Designer provides tools to model spaces in a way that truly reflects real use.
2. Smart Objects and Drag-and-Drop Workflows
Rather than traditional CAD blocks or lines, CET Designer uses smart symbols that know how they should behave. You simply click and drag a symbol (such as a table or shelving unit) into your design — and it automatically snaps, stretches, and aligns according to the rules embedded in its product data.
Behind the scenes, pricing, configuration logic, and compatibility constraints are already being applied as you work.
3. Automatic Specification and Quoting
One of the most powerful aspects of CET Designer is its ability to produce detailed documentation automatically. Once a design is complete:
- Quotes are calculated instantly and updated as changes occur
- Bills of material are generated without manual entry
- Installation drawings and product lists are created with no extra effort
This level of automation can save hours — or even days — of work compared with traditional workflows.
4. Realistic Presentations and Visualizations
CET Designer isn’t just for technical design — it’s also a presentation tool. Users can produce:
- Photorealistic renderings
- 3D walkthroughs
- 360-degree views
- Fly-through videos
- Visual catalogs to show clients what their space will look like
These visuals help designers and salespeople communicate ideas more effectively, improve client buy-in, and close deals faster.
5. Seamless Integration and Export Options
CET Designer works with industry standards and other tools:
- Import and export CAD drawings (DWG/DXF)
- Output PDFs and images
- Export professional documentation
- Connect to enterprise systems like CRM or ERP
This interoperability makes it easier to fit CET Designer into existing workflows.
Extensions: Tailoring the Software for Real-World Products
One reason CET Designer is so powerful is that it’s highly customizable through Extensions — add-ons that embed specific manufacturer product libraries, business logic, and pricing directly into the software.
An Extension might include everything needed to specify a particular brand’s furniture line or a complex shelving system — complete with rules on valid configurations, compatible parts, and pricing structures. Dealers and designers simply select products from an up-to-date Extension rather than building them from scratch.
Extensions are available — and often developed — through Configura’s Marketplace or by manufacturers themselves, allowing organizations to tailor the tool to their exact business needs.
Who Uses CET Designer?
CET Designer serves a wide range of professionals and industries, including:
- Furniture dealers and designers
- Interior architects
- Manufacturers of configurable products
- Warehouse planners and material handling specialists
- Kitchen & bath designers
- Corporate sales teams
Rather than having separate people or systems for CAD, pricing, quoting, and ordering, CET Designer allows the same tool to be used from first concept all the way to delivery documentation.
Business Impact: Why CET Designer Matters
Enhanced Efficiency and Accuracy
Because CET Designer integrates design, pricing, and specification, it eliminates many manual steps that traditionally slow down projects. Errors are reduced due to automated checks, and changes can be made rapidly without reworking entire layouts or recalculating numbers.
Better Client Presentations
High-quality visuals — from photorealistic renderings to immersive 3D walkthroughs — help close deals faster and improve customer confidence. Showing a client a space before it’s built dramatically improves communication and reduces risk of misunderstandings.
Streamlined Sales to Order Process
CET Designer’s automated documentation output means proposals, bills of material, and order data are all ready to go — reducing sales cycle time and speeding up production.
Conclusion: A True All-In-One Solution
Ultimately, CET Designer stands out because it rethinks design software from the ground up — not as a drafting tool — but as a business engine that drives sales, specification, and visualization in a single platform. Whether you’re a furniture dealer, manufacturer, or interior planner, this software brings logic, speed, and commercial intelligence into every part of your workflow.
By integrating powerful parametric rules, smart product behavior, automatic documentation, immersive visuals, and seamless integration into one comprehensive solution, CET Designer continues to set the standard for modern configurator software.
