CAD design your manufacturer can work from
From sketch or sample to dimensioned drawings and 3D models in the formats your machine shop, fabricator or print bureau asks for.
In plain English.
If you have an idea on paper, a part that needs copying or an old drawing that no machine shop will accept, CAD turns it into something a manufacturer can quote and make. We produce 2D drawings and 3D models for parts, assemblies, brackets, enclosures and fixtures, working from your sketches, measurements, photos or an existing sample.
Files come in the formats manufacturing actually uses: STEP for 3D models any CAD package can open, DWG and DXF for 2D drawings and laser or waterjet cutting, STL for 3D printing, and PDF drawings with dimensions and tolerances laid out to BS 8888, the UK standard for technical product documentation. Each specialist area also has its own page.
It suits you if.
- You have a product idea and need drawings to get quotes
- A manufacturer has asked for a STEP or DXF file you do not have
- You need an obsolete part copied from a worn sample
- You have paper drawings that need bringing into CAD
What we do.
2D drawings
Dimensioned orthographic drawings with title blocks, tolerances and notes, laid out to BS 8888.
3D modelling
Parametric solid models of parts and assemblies that are easy to change as the design develops.
Manufacturing formats
STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, STL and PDF, so every supplier gets a file their software reads.
From sample or sketch
We measure physical parts with calipers and gauges, or work from your hand sketches and photos.
Design for making
We consider how the part will be machined, folded, printed or moulded, and flag features that would add cost.
How it runs.
- 01
Free call
Tell us what the part does, what you have so far and who will make it.
- 02
Inputs
You send sketches, photos, measurements or a sample part, plus any supplier requirements.
- 03
Model and draw
We build the model and drawings, then send PDFs and screenshots for you to check.
- 04
Release
After sign-off we issue the final files in every format your manufacturer needs.
Questions people ask.
Which file formats will I get?
Normally STEP for the 3D model, DWG and DXF for 2D work, STL if anything is going to a 3D printer, and PDF drawings for quoting and inspection. If your supplier asks for something else, such as IGES, tell us on the call and we will confirm it.
How much does CAD work cost?
Simple brackets and plates are quick. Complex assemblies with many parts take longer. We give a fixed quote once we have seen your sketches or sample, so you know the cost before any modelling starts and can compare it with the value of the job.
Do you make the parts?
No. Manufacturing is done by your machine shop, fabricator or 3D print service, or one we arrange for you. What we provide is the drawings and models, and having proper CAD files usually makes it easier to get comparable quotes from several suppliers.
Who owns the drawings?
You do. Once paid for, the drawings and models belong to you and you can send them to any supplier you like. We keep an archive copy, so revisions are quick if the design changes or a supplier asks for a tweak.
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
Nottingham & Derby / UK-wideLet’s build
what’s next.
15 minutes with Garreth.
A real conversation about your business.