# ARCAT Building Products MCP Server The **ARCAT MCP Server** gives AI assistants direct access to [arcat.com](https://www.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](https://www.arcat.com) --- ## Authentication An API key is required for tool execution. Contact **[email protected]** 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`

MCP readiness

B · 88/100

Readiness is how fully this listing follows its protocol and how it behaved in our probes over 30 days. It is shown for reference and does not move it in search. Search order and leaderboards use the separate quality grade (here B, 78.1/100), which weighs availability, conformance, p95 speed and descriptor. How the two differ

Valid MCP handshake	10/10	initialize and tools/list both answered.
Live MCP endpoint	25/25	Endpoint answers the MCP initialize handshake (1471 ms).
Protocol revision	8/10	Speaks MCP 2025-11-25, 1 revision(s) behind 2026-07-28.
Signed descriptor	n/a	No MCP standard defines a signed server descriptor.
Uptime (30 days)	15/15	30/30 probes succeeded over 30 days (100%).
Tool declaration	10/10	Lists 4 tool(s) with descriptions.
Verified identity	5/10	Publisher declared (repository, package or homepage); claim this listing to verify domain control.
Freshness + modern flags	4/5	seen in a source within 7 days.
Auth declaration	2/5	Declares credential scheme: smithery_api_key.

Applicable criteria total 90 points, scaled to 100.

Responsiveness: Responsive (1471 ms; bands ≤2.5 s, ≤5 s, ≤8 s, slower; penalty only).

Measured 2026-11-11.

Nine criteria, the same as the A2A readiness score, read from our daily MCP probe (initialize + tools/list) and 30-day probe history. No MCP standard defines a signed server descriptor, so that criterion is n/a and the other 90 points are scaled to 100. Grades: A>=90, B>=75, C>=60, D>=40, F<40. Display only: search order uses the quality grade.

Compared with peers

Against 53,039 reachable MCP servers in our daily snapshot (2026-11-12 06:46 UTC). Display only; it does not change search order.

Readiness: Higher than 95% of peers; This listing 88 · peer median 81
Latency: Faster than 23% of peers; This listing 585 ms · peer median 326 ms

Where it loses the most points, and how to win them back

Verified identity −5 — Claim the listing and prove control of its domain.
Now: Publisher declared (repository, package or homepage); claim this listing to verify domain control.
Auth declaration −3 — State how to authenticate (an auth scheme, or that none is needed).
Now: Declares credential scheme: smithery_api_key.
Protocol revision −2 — Support the current protocol revision.
Now: Speaks MCP 2025-11-25, 1 revision(s) behind 2026-07-28.

How many agent tools actually work · All statistics

Listed in

Directories this entry was found in.

smithery since 2026-06-23 ↗

How to connect

MCP endpoint (streamable-http)

https://server.smithery.ai/arcat/building-product-bim-cad-specs/mcp

JSON-RPC initialize probe

curl -X POST https://server.smithery.ai/arcat/building-product-bim-cad-specs/mcp \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{}}'

Homepage

https://www.arcat.com

Listed at (smithery)

https://www.arcat.com