Outsourcing CAD work: what to send, what to expect, what it costs

Outsourced CAD fails for one reason far more often than any other: an unclear input. Get the brief right and the rest is straightforward.

Send whatever you have — hand sketches, phone photos with a scale reference, an old PDF drawing, a physical sample measurement sheet or an existing STEP file. A ten-minute video walking around the machine is often worth more than a document.

Be explicit about intent: what the part does, what it mates with, the load it takes, the material you can source and the process you will use to make it. Design for manufacture starts with those constraints, not after the model exists.

Expect a first review model within a few days for a single part, and a staged release for an assembly. Revisions should be included within the agreed scope — parametric models exist precisely so changes are cheap.

Deliverables should always include the native model, a neutral STEP or IGES export, and drawings with dimensions and tolerances your workshop can hold. Ask for this in writing.

Our CAD work starts at ₹3,000 in India and $200 internationally, handled directly by SK Riyaz Ali on WhatsApp at +91 91786 82223.

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