Not every project starts with a clean CAD file. Whether you have a sketch on a napkin, a photo of a broken part, a downloaded STL that won't slice, or just a clear idea and no modeling experience, we can take it the rest of the way to print-ready — and quote the design work and the print together so there are no surprises.
What's included
- CAD modeling from scratch — work from a sketch, photo, description, or measurements to create a production-ready, parametric 3D model.
- Design-for-manufacturing review — we check wall thicknesses, overhangs, hole sizes, and tolerances so the part actually prints well the first time, not the third.
- File repair and optimization — fixing non-manifold geometry, flipped normals, zero-thickness faces, and bad STL exports from other tools.
- Reverse engineering — recreate a discontinued or broken part from a physical sample, the mating part, or measurements.
- Cost-reduction redesign — adjust an existing model to print faster, use less material, or eliminate supports without changing how it functions.
Typical use cases
- You have an idea but no CAD. Describe it, sketch it, or show us a reference object — we'll model it and you'll get a print-ready file plus the printed part.
- A file won't slice cleanly. Models downloaded from the internet or handed over by a client are frequently non-manifold or full of inverted normals; we repair the mesh (or rebuild it as solid geometry) so it prints.
- An existing design needs tweaks. Wall too thin, hole printing undersized, overhang ruining the visible face — small changes that turn a part that almost works into one that does.
- You need a drop-in replacement and only have the broken original. Even a part in three pieces usually gives us enough; missing chunks get rebuilt from symmetry and the mating surfaces. (See our blog post on reverse engineering discontinued parts.)
- You need a presentation-grade model. Architectural massing models, product mock-ups, and display pieces where the model itself is the deliverable.
One from our shop: a Rochester development firm needed a presentation-quality scale model of a proposed mixed-use building for a city planning-board review, with the review only four weeks out. Working from their Revit files, we built the model at 1:250 scale with transparent PETG windows, textured facade panels, and a removable roof section — delivered in 3.5 weeks at a 63% saving versus a traditional model-maker's quote, and approved at the first review. (Details in the project portfolio.)
What we can work from
- Existing CAD — STEP, IGES, F3D, OBJ, 3MF, or STL. STEP/IGES are best because they're solid geometry, not just a surface mesh.
- A sketch or drawing — hand-drawn is fine, dimensioned is better. If your drawing carries GD&T callouts (the ASME Y14.5 geometric-tolerancing standard), include them — they tell us which features have to hold tight and which can move.
- Photos — ideally with a ruler or a known object in frame for scale.
- The physical object — the broken part, the original, or the part it mates with. Drop it off in Spencerport or mail it in.
- An old service manual or exploded diagram — surprisingly useful paired with a few measurements.
Our design-for-3D-printing tips cover the choices — build orientation, wall thickness, hole sizing, fillets — that most affect print quality and cost, if you'd like to understand what we're optimizing for.
FAQ
How is design work priced? Hourly or as a flat quote depending on scope, and we estimate it up front before any work starts. For most household and small-equipment parts the modeling loop is a few hours; complex assemblies take longer. We quote the design and the print together so you see the full cost.
Who owns the finished design? Completed designs remain ours until payment is made in full, at which point all rights transfer to you. You get the editable source file, not just an STL.
Can you reverse-engineer a part if I only have the broken pieces? Usually, yes. We rebuild missing geometry from symmetry, wear patterns, and the surfaces it has to mate with. The more you can give us — the mating part, photos of it installed, the original spec — the closer the first print lands.
What if I'm not sure my idea is even printable? That's exactly what the design review is for. Send what you have; if the geometry needs to change to print well (or to print at all), we'll tell you what and why before you commit.
How it works
Share what you have — a sketch, a photo, a description, or an existing file — and we'll quote both the design work and the print together. Most design jobs complete within a few business days of approval; we'll confirm a timeline when we quote.