What's new in VanCAD

You can now design with raw materials - sheets of ply, timber battens and aluminium extrusion - and VanCAD turns them into a cut list of every piece you need to cut.

• A new “Raw Materials” category in the catalogue. Place a standard size in one click, or make your own sheet, batten or extrusion in the material and size you want.
• A raw material can only be resized in the dimensions you’d cut for that material, e.g. a ply sheet can only change its length and width, a batten can only change its length. The weight and cost of each piece is then calculated based on its actual size.
• Cut holes and notches into a sheet by drawing them straight onto the piece.
• The Specs panel now has a cut list: every piece listed by material and size, with a flat drawing of each sheet you can zoom, pan and measure.
• Mark any object as “Reference only” to keep it as a guide to build your raw materials around. It still snaps and measures, but leaves your bill of materials and cut list.
• Removed “Wall Panel” from the catalogue as this is now replaced by raw materials. Any existing design keeps it and it works exactly like before.

We’ve added a custom box van choice to the app’s van picker. This is ideal for ambulance or other box van conversions.

• “Custom box van” added as a choice in the van picker. Choose the cab it uses, and the size of its box, and VanCAD renders the finished model.
• Everything else works just as it does for any other van - the box starts right behind the cab with its own front wall, and the rear wheels wherever the wheelbase puts them.
• The starting weight is an estimate (the weight of the van the cab comes from, plus an allowance for the box’s panels), so enter your own figure in Edit Van Dimensions if you know it.

We’ve added more vans, and added a search box to the picker to make finding your van easier.

• New vans: Citroën Jumper, Opel Movano, Opel Vivaro, Nissan Interstar, Nissan Primastar and Toyota Proace Max.
• A new search bar in the van picker lets you search for van manufacturers, models and sizes.
• The Vauxhall/Opel Movano is now two separate vans, “pre-2021” and “2021 on”. They are different vehicles under one name, so picking the right year matters.
• A new “Configure your van” tour walks you through the shell finishes and the van dimensions.

Your bill of materials now counts the weight of the van’s lining, and a new map shows where that load actually sits across the van.

• The added weight footer now includes a weight map: a top-down picture of the van showing where the added load sits. This lets you see if your van is unbalanced towards one side.
• The inner shell you add to a van (the ply, the insulation, the floor) is now counted as added weight, so your total reflects the real conversion rather than just the items you placed. You can set the shell mass yourself in the van dimensions panel if you know what yours weighs, otherwise it is estimated based on the size of your van.
• Minor changes:
  • When you select several objects, you can move and resize them together without having to add them to a group first.
  • The central “drag” move gizmo has been improved to keep items within the van, or be placed on top of the van’s roof.

You can now share your design to let anyone with the link view it right in the app, and we’ve updated the added weight calculation to give the amount per axle.

• Subscribers now have the option to share a saved design. Choose whether to share a frozen snapshot, or to follow any updates you make, and viewers don’t even need a VanCAD account to see it.
• Your bill of materials added weight now calculates the added weight to each axle, so you know if you’ll be too heavy on one end.
• VanCAD now allows browser-level language translation within the app, and we are working on bespoke translation into other languages.
• Minor changes:
  • Added Canadian Dollars as a bill of materials currency option.
  • Rotation of objects on desktop now also defaults to snapping in stepped increments like on mobile - hold “Shift” to get a free angle.

VanCAD is built for desktop, but we’ve made some improvements to make the mobile experience better. All these changes affect how VanCAD works on a smaller screen:

• The toolbar dropdown now expands into showing the individual missing buttons
• The move/rotate/resize handles are slightly bigger and easier to move on a touchscreen, and rotating defaults to snapping to 5 degree increments
• Panels never cover more than half the screen, so you have a better view of the design you’re changing
• The “Transform” tab now has its own tab alongside the catalogue and object list for easier access

We’ve made more improvements to the user experience of VanCAD based on real user feedback.

• Two-finger scrolling on a laptop trackpad now pans the camera.
• Undo/Redo from the keyboard: Ctrl+Z to undo, Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z to redo.
• Object groups now show their dimensions in the resize tool.
• Object groups now have the central 3D drag gizmo while moving, which also now includes snapping to van surfaces.
• Improvements to tall windows on smaller or zoomed in screens.

You can now adjust the thickness of the inner ply lining of your van, so it more accurately reflects what you’re going to build.

• Change the thickness of the floor, walls and ceiling - from the top toolbar click Van -> Edit Van Dimensions -> Inner Shell.
• Edit the shape and size of the rear wheel arches - from the top toolbar click Van -> Edit Van Dimensions -> Wheel Arches.
• Minor changes:
  • Fly Mode now has a visual cue with an option to toggle it off
  • New users automatically get a brief tour of the van editor and demo van viewer
  • Removed the 3 per day feedback limit for subscribers

We’ve made a few adjustments to make the user experience of VanCAD better

• Improved catalogue search: searches now return similar items and items from outside the current category to make finding what you’re looking for easier. These results always appear below any exact search matches.
• Items are trimmed to van interior (scribed) by default, unless completely outside the van (e.g. a solar panel), to make your walls and appliances fit the internal space better.
• Clicking an item inside an already selected group now keeps the whole group selected instead of stepping inside it. To reach a single item, expand the group in the Objects list and click its row, or turn the old behaviour back on under Settings -> Editing -> “Click into groups”.

VanCAD can now give you detailed measurements of your design as you build it.

• New “Measure” tool in the top toolbar. You can either measure between two exact points, or measure the free space in the width/length/height of your van (e.g. useful for measuring the width of a walkway, or the headroom above your bed)
• Minor fix: adjusted the top toolbar layout to benefit smaller screens
  • Wiring/Water now live in the same “Systems” dropdown
  • Various settings have been consolidated into a single “Settings” dropdown

We’ve added the Volkswagen Transporter, plus a few new features

• The VW Transporter is now selectable from the van picker
• We’re now offering a monthly email roundup of all the features added to VanCAD in the last month
• Added reminders for important features, e.g. saving your design, helpful design options, invitations for feedback, etc., all only shown once
• Minor fixes:
  • Performance improvements - VanCAD now starts up faster
  • Demo designs can no longer have their van re-configured, so a demo always looks the way it was built

VanCAD now has a light theme available, alongside its default dark theme. Pick between them from the top toolbar in the app, or from the header on vancad.com, and your choice is remembered on that device.

• This feature request was given by a user and is now implemented - give your suggestions using the app's top toolbar "Feedback" button New light theme across the app, the website and the documentation. The 3D view keeps its own look, since the ground, sky and paint colours are yours to pick under Visuals.
• New vans available: Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Vivaro, Nissan NV300 and Fiat Talento
• Two new guides at vancad.com/guides: getting your van ready for conversion, and planning your layout in 3D
• VanCAD now keeps a local copy of your design as you build and offers it back if you left without saving, and warns you before you close a tab with unsaved changes (subscribers only)
• Minor fixes:
  • The top toolbar now dynamically reduces on smaller windows, collapsing icons into a “More” dropdown
  • The van’s “Shell finish” panel is now one switch between Inner walls / Inner floor / Outer bodywork instead of three stacked sections

We’ve added a new “Vans” section to our website, allowing you to see and compare dimensions of all the vans we model, so you can choose the best van for your conversion.

• Every van page lists all the sizes available for that model, along with a side by side comparison of all sizes, and from there you can jump straight into the app with your chosen van
• The app van picker now lets you filter by model and size more easily

• Minor fix - the load floor of all vans is now based on manufacturer figures, giving a more accurate internal cargo space height

Every panel, tool and control in VanCAD is now documented on our website, and you can jump straight to a specific docs page from inside the app.

• New website documentation section: a full reference for every panel, tool and control, with screenshots. Turn on help mode from the app’s top toolbar and click any control to open its page.
• If your free session ends, you now have a read-only view of your entire design before starting a new one
• Minor fix: transform step sizes in Imperial now read in inches rather than mm

You can now cut your own window and vent openings into the van.

• New Openings tool: cut a hole in the sides, rear, or roof of the van. Draw the exact size, optionally add rounded corners, and then fill it with a fixed, sliding or awning window, or leave it open for a vent or fan. Coming soon: “Open” states for the sliding and awning window options.
• New “Cut into inner shell” option for objects. Lets an object cut into the floor or wall cavity, e.g. to extend bed length or add extra storage. Works alongside the existing “Trim to van interior” tool to make sure nothing pokes outside the van

• Added new vans: Iveco Daily, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay, RAM Promaster, MAN TGE. There are now over 110 van models to choose from!
• Minor fixes:
  • An object behind one that was trimmed to the van interior is now selectable through it from the outside (e.g. water tank inside trimmed cupboard)
  • Fixed move/rotate gizmo sometimes sitting to the side of the object center
  • Dragging is now smoother when moving, resizing or rotating an object

Updated the van picker when starting a new design.

• This feature request was given by a user and is now implemented - give your suggestions using the app's top toolbar "Feedback" button The picker now shows a preview of the van, along with details like dimensions, weight, and alternative names
• Minor performance improvements across the app
• Added option in “Visuals” for shiny or matte van paint

Overhauled all visuals for VanCAD.

• Van models are now more accurately modelled and include more realistic visuals, e.g. trim/bumper detail, wheels, lights etc.
• Lighting improvements for better textures and shadows across the whole app

A few improvements to make VanCAD easier to get to grips with.

• Updated the design name save mechanic to be more user friendly
• Added a demo van tutorial to showcase features
• Fixed some toolbar options not showing text under the “Help” button

A round of improvements to help you get started and get more out of VanCAD.

• Updated the “Quick User Interface Guide”, “Place your first component” and “Group and Arrange” tutorials
• Added a new website guide, “Introduction to States”
• Added Google as a sign-in option
• Updated the VW Crafter 3D models (your existing designs are unaffected)

Welcome to VanCAD! Plan your camper-van conversion in 3D - start from a base van, then place, resize and arrange furniture, appliances, and your electrical and plumbing systems to design your perfect layout. Here’s what you can do from day one:

• A parametric van library - Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Renault Master and VW Crafter
• A catalogue of furniture, appliances, electrical and plumbing components to drop in and customise
• A custom-object builder for the parts you can’t find off the shelf
• A live bill of materials, running cost, and a total of the weight you’re adding
• Save your designs to the cloud and pick them up on any device with VanCAD Pro

This is just the beginning - lots more exciting features are on the way. Thanks for being here at the start!