We provide quality CAD services at low cost compared to hiring a full time employee and our advanced approach to project delivery is very efficient, which your engineering team will love!

We are very flexible, offer our services globally and are able to take on any project, no matter the complexity or size using the latest software and engineering processes and high powered computing.

Key Takeaways

• Very Cost Efficient: CAD outsourcing helps keep operational costs low compared to using a in-house team to create CAD designs for you.
• Access to Much More Expertise: By using us your business gets specialized skills, advanced design approach and the latest technologies without the investment which would usually be required. Our expertise is well beyond that of general contractors, which you can see in our great reviews.
• Easy Scalability: By sending our large team of experts your projects you can scale up or down the quantity of models needed with ease as per the demand for your services
• Enhanced Productivity: Outsourcing CAD services accelerates project timelines and improves quality by allowing you to focus on the work you’re best at.
• Fully White-Labelled Service: We can work with your clients directly and bill you later, all under the auspices of your brand.

Industries we work with

We are known for delivering high quality / high-end work for all sorts of startups, manufacturing, design, construction and engineering firm needs.

Whether you’re looking for 2D drafting, CAD conversion projects, parts for structural engineering, building services, structural steel detailing or any other drafting needs we can help.

Our approach towards all projects is curious and consultative and we love the challenge of working with clients in new and developing industries, as much as with those in established fields.

Here are some examples of the industries we have worked with and just some of the applications our outsourcing services can be used for:

CAD Drafting for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs) with Manufacturing Needs

With our services, small and medium businesses who need a product or part manufactured can get high quality CADD files created without having to pay the high cost of permanent internal staff. This is cost-efficient and can provide a competitive advantage when working on projects like:

• Custom metal brackets
• Models for kitchen tools
• Specialized fitness equipment gadgets.
• Custom bicycle accessories.
• Unique lighting or furniture fixtures

Check out our full cad design and drafting service page here.

Product Development Companies

Accelerate your product development by leaning on our specialized skills in design and engineering. We love helping innovative companies bring their products to market faster. For example, we can:

• Design housing for electrical products
• Model ground-breaking products, like innovative toothbrushes.
• Create files for new types of plastic or silicon containers
• Create exciting new toys and game pieces and more.

Start-Ups and Entrepreneurs

By outsourcing CADD to us start-ups and entrepreneurs can quickly transform their ideas into real world products without having to hire a full time designer. This creates a significant cost-saving, and reduces the need for up front investment in human resources.

Some of the types of work we can do for startups and entrepreuners includes:

• Creating prototypes for personal vehicles like electric bikes and scooters (we don’t do the electrics though).
• Creating smart luggage that can be used with GPS trackers.
• Creating CAD models for a home / kitchen composting device.
• Modeling innovative reusable coffee cups, like you see everywhere, but better.
• Helping design a smart pill dispenser.
• Making modular furniture that adapts to various small spaces.

Manufacturers with Fluctuating Demand

Outsourcing modeling services to us offers flexibility for manufacturers who want to scale their operations up or down according to demand. This helps to reduce costs during slow periods and ramp them up quickly again when demand is higher.

Engineering Design for Industrial Designers

Industrial design and engineering go hand in hand. With our help industrial designers create functional, interesting products from minimum viable prototypes through to fully fledged products with world-wide distribution runs.

Examples include:

• CAD drawings for laptop and phone cases in shock-proof materials.
• Ergonomic handles for power tools.
• Designs for designer sunglass frames.
• Helmets for cyclists that are aerodynamic.
• Modern ergo office chairs.
• Futuristic gaming consoles.
• and more

CAD Outsourcing Service for Mechanical Engineers

Using an outsourcing company to provide design services allows mechanical engineers to focus on what they’re good at – doing the core engineering tasks while knowing any parts they need created will have accurate designs. This can lead to improved project outcomes, like charging more per hour for the work done, which easily offsets the cost of outsourced CAD design, and projects that are completed more quickly.

Examples include:

• Drafting designs for industrial pumping systems.
• Creating files for different gear assemblies for machinery.
• Making mounting brackets for engines or for various architectural applications.
• Designing conveyor belts and related mechanisms.
• Creating designs for precision tools.

Medical Device Manufacturers and Biomedical Companies

Using an outsourcing service allows medical and biomed companies to design precise, compliant designs that are ready for prototyping, iteration and production, at the same time as adhering to regulatory standards. For example:

• Components for dialysis machines.
• Designs for disposable medical instruments.
• Custom surgical implants
• Designs for 3D-printing prosthetic limbs in various materials.
• Orthopedic braces.

Outsourced CADD Engineering Solutions for Automotive and Aerospace Companies

Our services are the perfect solution for companies that need to create specialized parts for cars or aeroplanes. We can help you create models for anything from plastic car parts, like dash trim, to modeling body panels, or even things like coils for suspension systems or turbine blades.

R&D Projects in Various Industries

Do you work in Research and Development? We can help! We can provide outsourced rapid prototyping and specialized CADD design capabilities, enabling you to innovate efficiently on whatever project you’re working on.

Art and Sculpture Designers

We help artists and sculptors bring their ideas, from simple to very complex and intricate creations, to life in a way that is not possible for artists without CAD expertise. We will help you to expand your creative possibilities and can be involved in all stages of the design and fabrication process depending on your needs.

For example, we can help with:

• 3D-printed jewelry
• Interactive light sculptures
• Laser-cut art.
• Modeling large-scale sculptures for public spaces (this can help a lot with project pitches and grants as you can show the locality what your art installation will look like in the space).

Packaging Designers

Packaging designers can use our outsourcing services to experiment with new materials and shapes in their packaging. This can enhance product appeal and uniqueness, and working with a skilled outsourcing team can reduce overall time to market.

We can help with the following for instance:

• Making new and unique food containers.
• Creating luxury packaging for cosmetics.
• Designing unique custom bottle shapes for holding drinks and other liquids.
• Modeling reusable containers that can be used in meal delivery services.
• Designing packaging with integrated security features.

Agricultural Equipment Designers

Our services can help agricultural equipment designers to design and create efficient machinery parts and tools for specific farming needs. For example, modeling components for automated milking systems, designing grain storage solutions, nozzles for irrigation control systems, designing designing components for greenhouse climate control and more.

CADD Outsourcing For Machinery Design Firms

We can help machinery design companies to model all sorts of parts and components for their projects, for example, metal feet for industrial sewing machines, parts for material shredders, industrial washing and drying system components, parts for metal fabrication equipment and more.

Get Started With Outsourcing Today

If you’d like to talk more about the outsourcing process or start a new project, give us a call today on or send us a quote request now!

The post CADD Outsourcing Services – Faster & Cheaper Than Doing It In-House appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Get in touch with us today using our quote form, live chat, or by calling to find out more.

So you’re a big fan of the board game of chess and it ranks first in your list of fun things to keep yourself occupied.

Let’s imagine one evening while you’re taking a walk across a park, you meet two people playing a board game. The game looks a lot like chess except the pieces look nothing like the regular chess sets you’re used to. You are a bit curious at this point and on inquiry, you discover they made the set themselves, inspired by world famous buildings, utilizing the powers of 3D modeling and 3D printing. You are intrigued by this finding and would love to have your own customized chess set, so you set about learning how to make one!

Thankfully there are no limits to our imagination and whatever our minds can imagine we can create. This aptly describes the limitless ability of 3D modeling and printing to bring our chess set ideas to life. With 3D modeling, we can design and customize our chess sets to any specifications we’d like.

So, even if you do not play chess but would love to create a lasting impression on a loved one who relishes the board game, why not customize a 3D printed chess set for them around a theme they really love?

Traditional Chess Sets

Traditional chess sets are made up of a chess board, and black and white chess pieces for playing the game. The chess pieces number sixteen (16) for each color: a king and a queen, a rook and a knight (2 each), bishops, and, and eight pawns. Additional pieces, usually a queen or a knight, are provided in the event of a promotion per color.

Chess boards have 64 squares arranged in vertical rows called files and horizontal rows called ranks. These squares are painted with alternating colors, one light, and one dark.

To play chess you need two players and chess sets are made in a variety of cool styles with the Staunton chess set being the most preferred in tournaments. The white side always makes the first move before the black pieces.

The Evolution of Chess Sets

Like many games, chess has a long history. In the middle ages, abstract chess set and Bauhaus style chess sets that adopted abstract shapes were in vogue.

Fun ideas have been incorporated into the game as these chess sets have evolved over the centuries as people began modeling chess pieces after family members, buildings, novel and movie characters (eg. Star Wars chess sets), animals, and even popular games.

These customizations were traditionally done through wood carving but are now even easier with the advent of 3D modeling.

3D Modelled Chess sets

Chess sets have come a long way since medieval times. Themed chess sets, although generally intended for display purposes rather than actual play, have found their way into the world of chess owing to their cool designs. You can model a chess set after anything that catches your fancy. You can have a Star Wars chess set, a micro planter chess set, or a Pokémon chess set.

So, the choice of what to model your chess set after is solely dependent on your individual needs and interests. Is it a gift? Is the chess set for ornamentation? Do you want to keep a memory alive with the chess set? Or do you just want something unique your friends will talk about?

Whatever your reasons are, you can design and print the ideas you’re imagining by yourself using 3D printers. Or alternatively, outsource the work to a company that specializes in CAD design and prototyping 3D ideas down to the most minute detail to perfectly capture your chess set and chess board ideas.

In the following paragraphs, we will delve into how to make your own custom 3D printed chess set.

Making your 3D printed chess set

In the hands of a professional, development of 3D images and manufacturing them is a walk in the park. However, achieving this level of expertise requires significant work and financial resources. The development of a 3D printed chess set requires the following steps;

a. Choosing the object(s) to model your chess set after

b. 3D modeling

c. 3D printing

d. Post-print processing

e. Finishing and painting.

We will discuss making your 3D printed chess set under the subheadings below.

Choosing the object(s) to model your chess set after

This is the first step toward customizing your chess set. This step will determine what your finished chess set will look like. If you are a fan of exquisite civic architecture, the chess set could be modeled after famous buildings or structures like the empire state building, Sydney opera house or Eiffel tower.

Unlike in regular chess or even the Bauhaus chess set, your chess set can also be modeled after your favorite famous figures. There have been cases of pieces inspired by movie characters so you could model them after the Star Wars franchise for a Star Wars chess set and have your Jedis and stormtrooper pawns (although there are intellectual copyright ownership issues in this case).

Some chess sets have been inspired and modeled after family members too. You could also decide to make a simple design / low poly chess set or a Minecraft inspired set.

Whatever your decision, move on to the second step and continue until you have your pieces printed.

3D modeling your chess set

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling is an advanced technology that is a subset of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) in which you utilize CAD software in the design process to model your chess pieces and chess board. This computer model will enable you to outline all the required details of your pieces like the dimensions, material type, and even spatial orientation.

In summary, 3D modeling will show you on a computer screen, what your chess pieces will look like when 3D printed given your outlined parameters.

This design process is highly efficient as the modeling program will permit a user to modify and optimize the designs of his custom chess set, document measurements, and materials for the 3d printed finished product.

To design your 3D printed chess set models, you need 3D modelling software such as CAD software. If you already have a developed model of the chess set in mind, you need to download the STL file of the already created model before you can proceed to have it 3D printed.

Methods of modeling

CAD modeling software is equipped with different methods of developing a cool design. These include;

Direct Modelling

In this mode, models are created by manually manipulating a three-dimensional object using a variety of manipulation techniques and geometrical creations. Below are the types of geometry commonly used in this method;

Solid Modelling

In Solid Modelling software, the 3D objects for your chess set are manipulated as solid objects instead of hollow shells. This modeling geometry is suitable for ready-to-print objects and aids the user in avoiding certain model problems like parts that are too thin for the 3D printers to print.

Fusion 360 and Solidworks are highly reputable solid modeling programs. This however may make it difficult if adding weights to your 3d printed chess sets.

Polygon Modelling

This form of modeling will treat your chess piece as a hollow shell bearing several discreet flat surfaces comprised of points and edges. This modeling technique bears the advantage of creating objects rapidly, especially ones with flat surfaces. Several programs are popular for this modeling style but Blender, Maya, and 3DS Max are quite well known.

Non-uniform Rational Basis Spline (NURBS) Modelling

This modeling technique differs from polygonal modeling in not having the control points directly attached to the surface of the model. So, unlike in the polygon model where moving the control points account for straight facets and edges, it causes a smooth distortion in the surface.

Popular NURBS modeling programs are Maya and Rhinoceros.

Parametric Modelling

As the name implies, in this modeling method, the designer creates an object by explicitly stating its parameters. To some degree, this method is often used with direct modeling. These parameters are represented in lines of code that the modeling program computes into a representative object. This gives you full control of the object design process as you can alter these parameters before the program renders the finished image of your chess set.

Fusion 360, Solidworks, Maya, Rhinoceros, and Openscad are equipped with parametric modeling tools.

3D Scanning

As an alternative to 3D modelling, 3D scanning is perhaps one of the easiest ways of obtaining the physical attributes of the object(s) which you want to model the chess set or chess boards after.

3D scanning is perfect for making 3d printed chess sets. It is the process of digitizing a three-dimensional physical object within a 3D modeling setting. Most models for a 3D printed chess set can be obtained via scanning.

Different kinds of 3D scanning exist and they utilize different technologies to collect and interpret data that will be transformed into the individual pieces of the finished 3D printed chess set.

Some scanning models create only geometric models while some others obtain color data. Below are some of the different kinds of 3D scanning technology available to you for making your 3D printed chess set:

Photogrammetry

This is the most easily accessible form of 3D scanning and uses photos of the object taken from different angles to reconstruct a 3D model that approximates the physical object. This scanning technique also offers the advantage of capturing color for your proposed 3d printed chess sets.

However, this scanning method is better suited for medium-sized objects measuring between 8 and 36 inches. Smaller objects or objects with lots of crevices or tiny parts may not produce detailed models with photogrammetry.

Structured Light Scanners

This process digitizes objects for your 3d printed chess sets by projecting a pattern of light on them and simultaneously taking photographs. It recreates a 3-dimensional digital representation of the object by measuring the light scatter across the surface of the object. An example is the Autodesk Pier 9 scanners. They are quite expensive and come with clunky software.

If you decide to want to use 3D scanning for your 3d printed chess sets, we can help. We already have the technology and it’s surprisingly affordable to outsource the fine details to us.

Laser scanning

This process recreates the 3D representation of objects by projecting laser dots or lines onto the surface of the object and measuring the distance to the object at varying points. It triangulates these points with the scanner’s location while taking pictures simultaneously. Although expensive, these scanners can produce highly detailed models for your 3d printed chess sets.

Of note, one of the most common scanning tools is the Microsoft Kinect and 123D Catch. To use the Kinect you will need the scanning software Skanect or Reconstruct Me to take the scans and clean them up. If you intend to use live objects like family members to create your 3d printed chess sets, this will prove helpful.

The 123D Catch software will create models without a scanner from a series of pictures on your mobile device. Although the quality of models created in this way are not equivalent to laser scanners, they capture enough detail that will still make for a nice model for your 3D printed chess set, even with a wide range of different pieces.

After scanning, it is advisable to clean up your scan with Meshmixer, add a chess base / board and prepare for production.

Whatever scanning technique you choose, below are a few pieces of professional advice to ensure an optimal outcome:

1.    Avoid intricate or overly-detailed objects:

Intricate facial expressions or hand gestures or extremely fine or detailed objects will be lost during the production of your 3d printed chess sets owing to the small size of the chess pieces to be made.

2.    Avoid Overhangs:

This is especially important if you are using a single extrusion method. When the parts of your model are printed, you will likely require a support material for the chin, hair, or other overhanging features.

If you do not have an option for easy-to-remove, dissolvable supports, it is better to avoid overhangs so as not to have to go through picking off supports for all your chess pieces once they are 3d printed.

3.    Strike a pose you can hold:

This is particularly important if you are extracting models by scanning individuals. Since scanning takes a couple of minutes, the person must strike a pose they can maintain for that long – this is harder than it sounds!

4.    Refine the scanned model with Meshmixer

Refining the model will include making a few changes like the removal of excess parts using the sculpt tool, editing unwanted parts, and adding a chess base. This needs to be done to ensure a polished product once your set is 3d printed.

3D Printing Your Chess Set

Having had all the models for your file ready, it is time to have them 3d printed. Ordinary printers use 2D paper and ink to print text and graphics while 3D alternatives print using different raw materials (plastic, ceramic, metal, etc.) to create 3-dimensional objects by layering these materials and making them stick together. These materials are converted into thin layers by laser, heating, light, etc.

The most common 3D printing technology is fused filament fabrication (FFF) also known as the FDM method (fused deposition modeling). Others include SLA and SLM. These technologies have shortened print time and enabled finer detail in the finished product.

It is advisable to print the individual pieces on a high quality setting with higher infill owing to their small size in relation to the object and fine details. You can print each set in different colors (black and white traditionally) or the same color and paint them afterward.

Because there are two colors in a full set in a game of chess you will need to print a total of 32 pieces for the board; one king, one queen, two bishops, 2 knights, 2 rooks, and 8 pawns respectively for each color.

There are 3 basic considerations to printing your model. These are:

• A 3D printer
• Filament
• Slicing software

Choosing a suitable 3D printer

This choice is highly dependent on your needs. As stated above, the FFF printing technology is the most common in use. This tech is made up of:

• Printing bed: this is the stage for printing the models and it is usually heated to aid the layers to stick to each other strongly.
• Extruder: the extruder is the major part of the printing device. It melts and stretches the filaments for building the model. It consists of the stepper motor, a heating nozzle, and a print nozzle.
• Touch screen: this part mainly serves an operational function. Printers usually have an in-built RaiseTouch LED touch screen through which the designer can operate and complete various settings.
• Moving parts: the printer parts make movements in three (3) axis, X, Y, and Z. X and Y are for forward and backward movements while the Z is tasked with vertical motion.

There are several good ones with good reviews and varying costs if you’re looking to buy. They differ most importantly in dimensional accuracy and overhangs. If you get one with problems relating to dimensional accuracy and overhanging troubles, printing your modeled chess set or board may prove to be extremely cumbersome in the context of print speed and part stability. Some models cost as high as $3975 while some may cost as little as $999.

You can also decide to make your own DIY 3D printer. There are kits available for anyone with knowledge of electronic principles to assemble and make their own. Making your own will no doubt save you some dollars but it is also a huge investment in effort.

The third and best option is to oursource your printed pieces. Send us your files for the light and dark side pieces and board if you are customizing your own. A designer on our team will download the collection of files needed for your 3d printed board and pieces. Once the king, queen, pawns etc. are printed, the designer will finish the pieces and send them to you.

That way you get a cool modern board and chess set to play on, without the cost, space requirements or stress that trying to print your own board pieces can bring! Without that stress you’ll have much more fun when you play chess games with your friends or loved ones of course.

Choosing a filament

The filament is the material you choose to use for your print. Your choice of material will depend on:

• How flexible you want the chess pieces to be
• Heat resistance of the chess pieces; and
• The expected durability of the chess pieces.

As a beginner it is advisable to use PLA (Polylactide) for your print because it is, generally speaking, modern, easy to print using a standard algorithm and equally cost-effective, without requiring you to play around with the settings too much (save your playing for the chess games instead!).

Another great material for your chess set is the PET-G (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol), although this requires a bit more technical acumen to use. It can withstand higher temperatures and has a different chemical makeup that gives it higher strength and relative flexibility.

Several other plastics-based filaments exist such as ABS. Metal-based filaments are also available for your 3D printed chess set, which could be useful if you want a sleek modern set that could even look a bit space age.

Choosing a Slicing Software

Slicing software collects the model from the CAD design software and if need be, adds support structures for overhangs before exporting the model in a readable format for printing. The name “slicing” is derived from the fact that the print is built-in horizontal slices.

To work properly, the CAD software used to create the model must be able to export it in an STL format native to the slicing software. The slicing software then translates the STL file into a Gcode (a set of instructions that are interpreted for the print) that dictates axis movements, how much material to use, temperature to maintain the extruder at and the location of support structures.

Several slicers are available and each varies in price and quality. Bearing in mind that this is an important aspect of making your 3D printed chess set, you must choose one that gives you the best quality.

Free slicers are available for download but do not work for all users.

Meshmixer and Print Studio are free slicers that produce beautiful results and have a relatable user interface but only use tree-style support structures. These support structures will work well on DLP 3D printers but significant overhangs in FDM machine-printed models will require parallel wall-type support structures as seen in MakerBot’s software and Cura by Ultimaker.

Simplify 3D is another slicer with excellent results but which costs $150.

After choosing your slicing software, go ahead and print your model.

Creating Your 3D Prints

Upload the sliced file to your device, calibrate the extruder and printing base to improve printing accuracy in space, and start printing. The course of the printing can be observed through the glass panel on the side of your device. You can print the chess set in one color and have them painted later on.

Post-processing

This is the last step in making your 3D printed chess set. It involves removing the support(s) (if any), sanding (using sandpaper to make the chess set smoother), coloring (if not already colored during the printing), and polishing (if you’d like to finish your pieces in that way).

Aside from sanding, several other methods can be applied to smooth out the printed chess set. Using Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) for PLA is advocated as a best practice to produce smoother results. Care should be taken as MEK is highly toxic and should only be used in an open space with adequate ventilation.

Should you make your own chess set?

Having outlined the steps required to make your custom-made chess set, it is important to note that modeling them requires a high degree of expertise. It is tough but not impossible.

Unless you intend to venture into the world of 3D modeling as an ongoing hobby, you may have realized that it is going to be expensive and probably impractical to try to make a 3D printed chess set yourself, so you might be wondering “How Much Does It Cost to 3D Print Something?“.

When you consider the cost of purchasing the CAD and slicing software, the 3D scanner, 3D printer and the time it will take to learn how to use all these, as well as the filament cost to print, a much more practical approach to getting your 3D printed chess set is to outsource it.

In an outsourced project, the designer assures you of high quality 3D modelling and finished pieces when compared to what you can achieve as a beginner.

You can outsource your custom 3D chess set project to us at a surprisingly affordable rate. At J CAD-Inc. your ideas will be turned into magnificent chess pieces with great attention to detail.

So to get a 3D printed chess set you will really love get in touch with us today through our quote form, live chat, or by calling us on 1-888-202-2052.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post 3D Printed Chess Set Pieces: A Complete How-to Guide For Custom Making Your Own appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Maybe you’ve created a rough prototype of a keyboard case, or a revolutionary new key cap profile that you’re preparing for a group buy, but you don’t know the most efficient and affordable way to professionally manufacture it?

Do you have an idea for a new type of ergonomic keyboard that you’re sure everyone will love, but you just don’t know how to get it out of your head and into reality?

Maybe you just want to affordably print an .STL file or cut an acrylic plate for a keyboard design on Github that you’ve had your eye on for awhile, but where the parts are no longer available online.

Or would you like to take an existing keyboard design, for example a Dactyl Manuform, but modify the CAD file to perfectly fit your finger length and the number of keys you would like it to have before 3D printing it?

For all of these scenarios, and almost everything design, prototyping and manufacturing of custom keyboards, the team here at JCAD Inc. are perfectly positioned to help! We offer CAD design, 3d printing / prototyping and manufacturing all under one roof. That means that you only have to work with one company for the majority of the non-electrical components for your build, rather than working with multiple contractors in different areas, having to try and find your own factory facilities for manufacturing, or having to learn how to design in CAD and pay for a 3D printer (which will be inferior to our industrial printers in terms of DPI and finished print quality in any case).

Please note: If you’re looking to prototype keyboard PCBs, manufacture diodes, LEDs, OLED displays, or other electrical or PCB components you’ll be better served looking for a manufacturer who specializes in electrical components for that part of the project.

The basic components of custom mechanical keyboard design

When designing your own custom mech keyboard, there are components which are already readily available (eg. keyswitches) which you can purchase from a keyboard store. Beyond the basics though, you have flexibility and control over every aspect of your build.

For example, you will need to decide on your perfect keyboard layout, shape, style, number of keys, whether the board will be high or low profile etc.

Once you’ve figured out the layout (consider using a tool like Compare Split KB as a starting point if designing a split keyboard), you will need to design a PCB prototype, build your layout in QMK and flash it to the controllers to make sure everything is working as expected.

Then you may need to create plates or cases for your keyboard, and that’s where we come in!

How to design your own custom split, ergonomic, ortholinear, 40%, 60%, 65%, 75% etc. mechanical keyboard

The beauty of custom mech keyboards, and the open source nature of many previous projects, is that you already have a base to build on, but you also have ultimate freedom to design and customize a keyboard however you’d like!

For the best ergonomics, consider creating a keyboard that is split, ortholinear (eg. with column stagger rather than row stagger), with built in tenting options and only 36 keys or so and lots of layers to avoid having to reach excessively for keys. If you want to really level up the ergonomics, consider a board along the lines of a Dactyl Manuform or Skeletyl from BastardKB.

Materials usually used to make custom keebs

Custom mechanical keyboard plates

Most plates for custom keyboards are made either from the same material as PCBs (in which case we’re not the best people to help), or laser cut from acrylic. We can help with the latter, especially if you’re looking to produce acrylic plates in bulk.

There are however a number of other materials that could possibly be used to create plates, including various fabrics, metals, natural materials such as wood or cork and more.

If you have an idea, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help!

Custom mechanical keyboard plates

Most cases for custom keebs are made from 3D printing filament, ABS plastic, aluminum or wood.

For once off or prototyping purposes, 3D printed cases are a good route to take, as 3D prints are durable, inexpensive and quick to produce.

However if you have a need to create cases in bulk, and are able to handle the cost of creating a mold for your case, we’d recommend first prototyping with 3D printing, and then mass producing in some form of hard ABS plastic, or alternatively, laser cutting the components from metal or wood.

How to design custom tenting kits for ergo mech keyboards

To design and create a fully ergonomic keyboard, it’s important to incorporate some form of tenting. It is very unnatural to have our forearms twisted with palms down for 8 hours per day. If you don’t believe us, try using a split, tented keyboard for awhile then going back to a regular “flat on the desk” approach!

It’s ideal to be able to vary your hand position throughout the day, so while it is possible to design a case that has a permanent tenting angle, it may be healthier to build a case that incorporates tenting that is variable. This will also likely save you prototyping and production cost, as if you build in a fixed tenting angle, you may find after your case is produced you don’t actually like it and need to change it!

If you search for “DIY keyboard tenting” on Google there are lots of innovative solutions. Everything from people using iphone or ipad stands, to beanbags, to building a tenting kit out of cardboard, wood or lego.

For built in solutions, however, most tenting options either include:

• fixed tenting in the case
• some form of folding legs
• tripod mounts which attach the case to mini tripods (one for each side)
• bolt holes that allow tenting with bolts and nuts; or
• aluminum feet of varying sizes

We can help you design and build any of these options into your custom keyboard case.

How to make custom designed keycaps

Most keycaps that are mass produced are made out of PBT or ABS plastic. PBT keycaps have a textured, higher quality feel and are mostly considered to be superior to ABS. ABS is what you will find on most cheaper mass produced keyboards. ABS plastics will typically develop a gloss or shine from prolonged or repeated use, whereas PBT caps tend to hold their color and texture better and are considered more durable.

In most cases legends are either laser engraved into keycaps, or printed onto them (as in the case of cheaper keyboards). When printed onto the caps, the legends can rub off over time. On higher end keycaps, a dual molding process called double shot manufacturing is sometimes used. This approach means that legends will never rub off, as the legend is molded as part of the keycap itself.

Custom keycaps can also be 3D printed, although the texture of 3D printed caps is unlikely to be as good as PBT or ABS caps without further tooling, even when printed at very high resolution.

When designing keycaps, one thing to consider is the many different profiles of keycaps out there. There are all sorts of profiles, from angled cherries, to the consistency of DSA caps with higher edges, or similar consistency with XDA caps which are wider and flatter. The type of keyboard you’re creating will often determine your preference in this regard, as well as the type of switch you’re using. Low profile keycaps may not fit Cherry or Gateron switches for instance.

In terms of custom or uniquely shaped keycaps for special keys, the sky (and your imagination) is the limit in terms of what we can create!

Making custom wrist and mouse rests for keyboards

Another aspect of custom keyboards we can help with is creating custom wrist rests or mouse rests, that can either be built-in or attached to your keyboard, or sit up next to them. We can create these for you in multiple ways:

• Either as part of the keyboard case you’re designing during the CAD design process
• By using pre-made CAD files you give us, and creating the custom wrist or mouse rest in that file in order to make sure we have the dimensions perfect; or
• If there are no CAD files available, we can 3D scan your current keyboard, in order to create an exact replica in a 3D CAD design program, which can be used as suggested in the second point above.

How to make travel cases and display cases for mechanical keyboards

One of the problems with mechanical keyboards, particularly the more unique ergo mech keyboards, is that they are not standardized at all.

That means that things like travel cases to protect your keyboards on the go, and display cases to show off your keebs when they’re not in use, are not widely available. So what do you do if you can’t find something the fits your keyboard? You can create it yourself with our help!

If you have an idea for a case, making it a reality is easy:

1. To begin with, measure all the dimensions of your keyboard.
2. Decide if you want to allow space to add foam or other padding if you’re making a protective travel case.
3. Consider what material you want to make the case in. Should it be a strong, rigid material for the best protection or to hold your keeb when displaying it? Or do you want something made out of silicone that will fit more easily in your bag for example?
4. Consider the color of the material/s you would like to use. Do you want to keep it simple, or match it to your keyboard to create a set?
5. Consider also if you want to make a one-off case for yourself, or whether you would like to mass produce your items, in which case you will likely want to prototype the design before making a mold and mass manufacturing.
6. Finally decide whether you want the whole process taken care of for you. Or do you just want a CAD design that you can print on a 3D printer yourself?

Where to get a Dactyl Manuform case customized and 3D printed inexpensively

While not for everyone, if you’re looking for the ultimate split ergo mech keyboard, you might like to look at Dactyl Manuforms. Similar to a split version of a Kinesis Advantage in terms of the contoured keywells and thumb cluster, the DM keyboards are split, with ortholinear stagger, contoured key wells and built in tenting. Build one and it might just be the talking piece of your office!

If you already have an .STL file for your DM, but don’t have a 3D printer, we can help. Just send us the file and we can affordably print and send the case to you.

If you need help with any CAD design, 3D printing, prototyping or manufacturing for custom keyboards, get in touch with us today on or by sending us a quote request. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Design and Manufacture Your Own Custom Mechanical Keyboard, Cases, Plates, Keycaps & Tenting Kits appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Converting a two-dimensional photograph into 3D can be lots of fun. Imagine 3D printing your own bobblehead or turning a memorable moment like an engagement photo into a 3D statue or piece of art that you can display somewhere in your house and treasure long term.

But there are also lots of more serious applications for turning a photograph into a 3D model that can be used as part of your business or as part of a professional service.

In this article we’ll suggest a few common methods of converting photos into 3D models, and some of the ways this technology is being used by people.

How Do You Convert a Photograph Into a 3D Model?

There are various approaches to converting photographs into 3D models. If you just need a computer model or 3D file for personal purposes, there are many different programs that can be used to convert 2D photographs into 3D. One thing all these software programs require however is a high-resolution photograph. If you don’t have a good quality photo, it doesn’t matter how good the software is, you won’t get great results when the photo is converted. Some of these programs are user friendly even if you are a beginner, but free, easy-to-learn programs are usually only good for hobbyist purposes as they are mostly automated, lack control over the final output and are sometimes unable to be exported to usable files that can be manipulated in CAD programs.

If you are planning on making a 3D printed model from your photograph, you will either need to find a piece of software that will create a CAD file (STEP, STL, OBJ and IGES are common file types that can be manipulated in most CAD software suites), or if you need the conversion for a professional purpose or you need a professional finish in your output, it’s best to consider getting help to turn the 2D photo into a 3D file from professional CAD designers, like those we have on our team here at J – CAD Inc.

A 3D file created by a CAD design team has many benefits. 3D designers familiar with 3D printing, manufacturing and prototyping processes can ensure the file is ready to be used for the manufacturing area you’re interested in. 3D designers can also clean up the photo as it is being converted to a high degree, smoothing surfaces, removing unwanted objects and more. This is typically not possible with 2D extrusion software which only allows you very minimal editing capabilities, and will often produce a file that is not able to produce a professional product in manufacturing processes.

Turning a photo into a 3D model as a hobbyist

Below we discuss a couple of different ways that hobbyists can create 3D models from photographs. If you have an idea you’d like to turn into a product and you’re not sure where to start, these tools can be a useful way to experiment and get a rough idea of what your 3D model would look like based on the photo you’re experimenting with.

Specialized Apps Using Extrusion Tools

If you are fairly computer savvy, there are online extrusion tools that are free to use that can turn a photo into a reasonably good 3D model.

Smoothie 3D

Smoothie 3D is a popular and widely-used converter that is available for online use. It’s also completely free. All you need to do to use Smoothie 3D is to upload an image and use the tools to draw an outline around the photo. Based on this outline, the software generates a 3D render. You can export this into an OBJ or STL file. Take for example this video showing how to create a 3D model of a squirrel based on its photo.

When using Smoothie 3D, the best results come from images that are symmetrical. With asymmetrical structures, there is a possibility of the details getting lost.

The ease of use of this program sits around the medium level and the flexibility to customize elements of your model is quite decent, but you may find it difficult to achieve very fine grained control over your model. Since it is online, it is supported by almost all platforms.

What could you achieve with software like this? Here are a few ideas:

• Make prototypes for toys (eg. farm animals, model cars etc.) based on your photographs
• Create the base for semi-realistic 3D printed indoor fountains based on waterfalls you have taken photos of
• Make your own 3D printed models of tourist destinations that you can display in miniature as keepsakes, for example the Eiffel Tower or Golden Gate Bridge

Lithophane Creators

“Lithophane” by Leapfrog1980 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Another interesting form of 3D photo conversion software for hobbyists are lithophane creators. Lithophanes are translucent surfaces (which can be made easily via 3d printing) into which an image is carved in great detail. The idea is to block more light in some areas than others, so that when you hold the material up to light, you see a clear 3D image. Lithophanes can be surprisingly beautiful, and make excellent presents.

What kind of gifts or decorations can you make with lithophanes? Think of things like:

• Lamp covers and shades with a picture of your family or a favorite memory
• Light boxes or nightlights
• Wall hangings or decorations that you can stick onto the window
• Fireplace screens or candle shields (although 3D printed plastic or polymer is no good in any situations where they will be exposed to a lot of heat)

Lithophane Maker

This software is a great choice for beginners who want high-quality 3D lithophanes as the process of creating lithophanes from photos is practically automatic. Upload your photos, change settings according to the instructional videos on the site, and create your 3D model ready for printing! Once you have the output file you can 3D print it on your material of choice.

Here is a walkthrough video showing how to create a lithophane for a lamp shade:

The site has recommendations for personal 3D printers, but if you only want to create one lithograph or you want really high quality, it will be more cost effective to get us to do the print for you, and it will be higher quality because we use cutting edge 3D printers with very high resolution output!

Why Turn a 2D Photo Into a 3D Model for Business Purposes?

There are many reasons why people might want to convert a 2D picture into a 3D model for professional or business purposes. Some examples are included below, but the possibilities are almost limitless depending on people’s imagination:

1. Developers can create miniature display villages for marketing purposes from photos of their buildings
2. Crime specialists can use 2D photos to create 3D representations of crime scenes for posterity, thereby avoiding contaminating the actual scene of the crime.
3. Period architectural elements that in years past would have taken many hours to create individually can be photographed, then turned into a mold and replicated quickly and easily on mass
4. Missing parts for furniture or car restoration can be recreated.
5. Making a new product based on a previous design. If you have a product idea that develops upon a physical object in some way, a photo of that object can be used to create a base model to build upon
6. Finessing a prototype – if you have created a prototype for a product idea out of cardboard or some other rough or handmade material, a photo of the prototype can also be used to create a 3D model for further, more refined prototyping, mold making and manufacturing
7. Turning a hand drawn logo into a 3D sign or insignia which can be used on your products
8. Creating unique phone covers by taking photographs and etching them into phone covers, or creating unique additions to basic phone covers, the ears of an elephant you photographed in Bali for example
9. Creating negative spaces. Eg. if a product you want to design needs to fit around a specific object, photographs of that object can be used to create a 3D model to act as the negative space in your design.

When you are looking to turn a photo into a 3D model for professional, business or mass production purposes, it pays to hire professionals to do the job for you.

Advantages of Hiring Professionals to Turn Your Photo into a 3D Model

If you have a serious need for 2D photo to 3D model conversion, you’ll be much better placed hiring a pro than trying to go it alone and create the 3D model yourself, even with the use of free online software.

Some of these reasons include:

1. Expert CAD designers will be able to get a level of finish and quality that’s not possible for a beginner or free online tool
2. Learning how to use software, even if it’s “free software”, has a cost, as it can take a long time to learn and even after all that time spent learning you may end up with subpar results. As another example in a different industry, if you were trying to build a two storey house and had nowhere to live, would you pay a builder to do a great job in a short amount of time, or try and learn how to build an entire house yourself from youtube or online tutorials, only to take forever to build it and waste a lot of money on materials by making mistakes along the way? Our CAD designers have spent tens of thousands of hours perfecting their art, and you might be surprised just how inexpensive it can be for us create your 3D models for you.
3. Paying for better quality software can be expensive. If you don’t need it ongoing, getting a CAD design done can cost less than the price of buying the software.
4. If you have a specific application in mind like prototyping or 3D printing, hiring people who understand the interaction between creating a 3D model using CAD design and those processes can go a long way towards a better finished product.

Making Your 3D Model Today

If you search on Google, you will find a range of options that will let you convert a regular photograph into a 3D model. It usually won’t look very professional, but a lot of them are good enough for basic hobbyist 3D printing applications. If nothing else, it is a great first step to envisage how your end product might look and feel.

But if you want a professional outcome, give us a call on or fill out our quote request form. We do 2D to 3D conversions all the time and would be happy to help.

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Convert a Photograph into a 3D Model appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

There are a lot of reasons to choose CAD Design over manual drafting techniques which we’ll cover below, but just as a quick example, imagine you were assessing a new product design and you had to compare the same product mocked up on paper, versus seeing that product in full three dimensional color, in the environment it is intended to be used in. Which one would you find more compelling? Which would you rather present to investors or use when trying to pre-sell the product? Presentation is paramount, and that’s one of the key benefits of computer-aided design compared to manual drafting techniques.

How Computer Aided Design (CAD) is Different From Manual Drafting

Manual drafting is the process of using pencil, pen or marker on paper or polyester film to create a design. CAD, on the other hand, uses technology to create the same design much more quickly, in a way that can be endlessly iterated upon with ease, as there’s no need to redraw the entire design if you want to make a little change. This is just one of the reasons that the introduction of CAD design in the 1960s created a complete paradigm shift in product development.

Why Should You Pick CAD Design Over Manual Drafting Techniques?

There are a multitude of reasons why CAD design is a better choice for product design than manual drafting techniques, way too many to cover in one article. Here, however, are some of our favorites:

CAD Files Can Easily Be Changed

When you are designing a product, you will likely have to make a lot of changes throughout the process. It’s pretty rare that we find a client who has their design right the very first time. Since the initial design of a product is almost never the one that gets approved for production, changes are inevitable. Even if your design is perfect, you may want to release updated versions of your product in the future with changes or additions. CAD design makes this very easy, as you can quickly make changes to the original without having to start over, and save different versions of the file as it progresses. Manual drafting on the other hand, is not well suited to this, as it takes much longer to manually change designs, and sometimes even requires redrawing the entire design from scratch. And, of course, there is no undo button. So you just can’t make a mistake then undo it in a second like you can on a computer.

Further reading:

Are online CAD File Converters safe?

Converting AutoCAD Files to PDF format

CAD Files Can Be Easily Shared, Duplicated and Backed Up

CAD files can be easily shared, even with companies across the other side of the world. In fact, this is a necessity if you want to manufacture your products off shore in any capacity. CAD files can also be duplicated quickly and easily, allowing multiple people to work on iterations of your product design at the same time, or allowing the file to be used in multiple processes at once. Because CAD files are created on the computer, they can also be backed up easily and to multiple places, creating redundancy copies that can be used in the instance of failure, loss or damage. With paper-based drawings you can’t easily or quickly send or share the file, and you are at risk of losing the original document unless you drew copies as a back up, which is not a common practice because it’s time-consuming and a waste of resources.

CAD Files Don’t Require Physical Storage Space

Recently we heard of a business who refused to create and save digital versions of their files. Their office was full of paper-based documents that hadn’t been filed, to the point where they were even walking on some of them!  Unlike manual paper-based drafting, you don’t need a lot of physical space to save CAD drawings. This can really add up to a lot of cost and space savings over a lifetime of designs by a company or individual!

Instead of the time and expense of storing paper copies, you can keep your designs on your computer, a server or even a thumb drive that can be carried in your pocket and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. You can also back up your files in a secure location to protect them in case of fire or theft. If you do find you need hard copies of your file, you can always print them out as you need them, knowing that if you lose or damage the printed copy it’s not a problem.

CAD Design is Much More Eco-Friendly Than Manual Drafting

This may be a small point in your considerations, but every time you avoid the use of paper, you are being eco-friendly. With an increasing amount of consumers looking to work with companies that have a focus on sustainability, it’s in your own interest as well as that of the environment to use computer based drafting techniques as trees won’t have to be cut down to facilitate your designs! Even though it takes power to run your computer, it would have been on anyway, and you can minimize the impact of computer use by adding solar panels to power your business sustainably as well.

CAD Files Can Be Opened in Many Different Programs

3D CAD files are easily convertible. You can convert your model into other 3D formats for use in alternate CAD programs if you need to send it to someone else to edit who isn’t using the same software you are. You can also easily convert your CAD files to PDF for printing or sharing via email.

CAD Design Allows Multiple People to Work on a Project At the Same Time

In fields like architecture, drafters often use a technology called Building Information Modelling (BIM). With this technology, multiple stakeholders are able to plan and design different parts of a structure at the same time. This is only possible when the original plan is available as a 3D CAD file. BIM is used in the early stages of an architectural project to help everyone make informed choices. It makes everything from communication to operation really easy and is extremely helpful in avoiding design clashes. Find out more about our architectural drafting services here.

CAD Design Makes Estimating Production Costs For Your Project Easier

CAD software has some unique abilities in that as well as being used to design and draw your model, it can also be used to make quick and easy budget estimates for a project based on the CAD file you create with excellent precision. This is something that’s just not possible with manual drafting techniques, which require you to not only manually draw the design, but also to manually calculate the amount of materials that will be required in the finished product and how much they will cost.

CAD Drawing is Much More Precise

CAD drawing is also much more precise than manual drafting techniques. When it comes to manually drawing individual objects, it can sometimes be a challenge to get everything aligned and measured properly to meet the required specificity of the product design process. Molds have to be made very precisely for example, to end up with an accurate final product. With manual drafting you also need to validate that everything is correct manually too. With CAD design, there are a lot of techniques and tools to make sure the dimensions are what they need to be automatically, which makes the design more accurate, and saves a lot of time. You can also get designs accurate to less than a millimeter, which is just not possible when drafting manually.

You’ll Need CAD Files For the Rest of Your Project Anyway, So Why Do Twice the Amount of Work?

CAD files are easily transportable to other processes. For example, once you have a finished CAD file you can easily use it for 3D printing to make a prototype, or as part of the manufacturing process to design and fabricate a mold. This is not possible with a manually drawn design, which would need to be converted into a CAD format anyway in order to be used for manufacturing. So essentially by choosing a manual drafting technique you are creating extra cost and effort for yourself as you’ll need to do twice the work.

Making CAD Design Work For Your Project

Unless you are Amish, there are hardly ever any good arguments for using older skills and technology, when newer ones can make your projects quicker, easier and cheaper. So if you speak to a drafting or product design firm and they tell you that you’re better off starting with manual designs, it might be time to looks somewhere else!

You might be surprised just how quickly and affordably (much more so than anyone using manual drafting techniques) we can create CAD designs for your product idea or project. We need a minimum amount of information from you in order to get started, and we’ll have your design back to you in no time at all. Give us a call on or fill in our quote request form today and let’s talk about how we can help you on your next project.

You may also be wondering, is CAD Drafting a good career?

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post Advantages of CAD Design over Manual Drafting Techniques appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

It is very exciting to have a bright new idea for a product with a ton of applications. It’s even better if you can make money from it. But the process of getting through the design, budgeting, procuring raw materials and production stages can be daunting if you are not well prepared.

In this post, we will take you through that process. Keep in mind though that you can save money, time and a lot of stress as well as dramatically shortening the process and learning curve by seeking guidance and help from a company that specializes in manufacturing (like us here at J – CAD!).

The very first step after having a great idea is to design the product. For instance, if you want to make a new type of speakers, you will need to design the look and feel of the product including understanding the raw materials you are going to use. Since we are in the 21st century, we use computer-aided design (CAD) to create a product mock up.

Factoring in Costs For Computer Aided Design

To begin with, we need to create a 2D or 3D model of your product using a user-friendly CAD program that allows us to easily make changes to the design if we need to. A CAD design is basically a highly accurate computer simulation / model of your product idea.

In the past, CAD design software was used to analyze physical qualities of a project, like estimating how much heat and pressure a product could withstand or measuring the thickness and toughness of a product. You can do the same manually using geometric and numeric values of the design but why would you when it’s so much easier using a computer to do the calculations for you. Today, you can also get an estimated cost by analyzing the parameters of your digital model. That means you don’t have to wait until you have a physical prototype to make a budget estimate for producing anything from a single unit to many thousands or hundreds of thousands.

The cost of estimation with some software is literally as simple as this:

• We either design the CAD file for you, or if you already have a CAD file (in which case you don’t have to factor CAD design into the cost) we can import the file into our CAD programs.
• Create a price list with details like a description of the required materials, unit of measurement and unit price. You can also import a reference price book if you have one.
• Then we return to the CAD drawing and match each part of the product with its corresponding price and define the measurements.

For example, if you are costing the outer material of a speaker casing, define the area that the fabric covers in the measuring system you are following (cm/m/in etc).

We can do this for each part or the whole product. The ‘bill of quantities’ will give you a final tabulation of what materials you need and how much money it will take to manufacture one unit. This is incredibly useful information when you get to the next stage: prototyping, although fairly complicated for beginners to implement and understand. This is where enlisting the help of a manufacturing company comes in. We have experience with many different types of projects in many different industries. Based on previous projects we can give you an estimated cost, and then when we have a CAD design for your project we can do all the heavy lifting for you in terms of getting an accurate quote for mass production.

It’s also important to factor in economies of scale, which can be hard to understand and predict if you’re not doing this all day every day. Although more relevant for smaller production runs, the cost of the CAD design also needs to be factored into the overall per unit price, by dividing the cost for the design by the number of units you are planning to produce. This is also true for any prototyping costs as we’ll see in the next section.

Prototyping and Costs

The first step of physically manufacturing a product that has only been available as a design in your head and then on the computer up until this point is prototyping. Prototyping is the process of making a sample of your product. Because prototypes are one-off samples, they cost more to produce than your unit price will when manufacturing in bulk, but they can save you untold amounts of money in the process.

Imagine for a moment if you went ahead with mass producing a part that had a critical structural fault in it. You may waste an entire production run, effectively doubling your per unit cost, as you would need to re-do the whole production run with the structural issue resolved. Prototypes allow you to uncover these sorts of issues early on in the process. It may seem like a waste of money to create one of more iterations of prototypes, but it can potentially save you a large amount in the long run.

Part of the prototyping cost can include having engineers review your prototype to tell you what’s working and what’s not so that you can make changes until it is perfect for full production. Remember that if you miss or forgo this step you might try and mass produce a product which is not physically sound, viable or fit for purpose.

Formula For Estimating the Cost Per Unit When Producing Items in Bulk

Whether you want to make 10 mugs or 10,000 engine parts, to calculate the total manufacturing cost, you must know how much it costs to make one unit. Total cost is calculated by adding all the resources required to make one finished unit including materials, labor charges and overheads, minus discounts that can be applied for economies of scale.

To keep it simple for now however, the basic formula assuming no discounts for large scale production is:

Materials (for prototypes and the finished product itself) + labor (CAD design, wages for factory staff) + overheads (factory rent, equipment purchase and upkeep etc.) = Total manufacturing cost

What Do Material Costs For Production Include?

Direct materials are basically the cost of the inventory, eg. the raw materials used in the manufacturing process minus any materials leftover at the end if they can be re-used in other production processes.

For example, if you spend $10 for the inventory and you are left with $2 worth of excess material at the end of the process that can be re-used or sold back to the factory your unit cost for materials is: $8

What Labor Costs Are Involved in Manufacturing a Product?

Then there is direct labor cost which is this instance are the wages and payroll taxes of the people running the factory where your product is made, the CAD designers who design your product, the project manager who makes all the moving parts work together etc. This may be worked out at a daily or hourly rate depending on the kind of labor you employ. In that case, you also need to calculate units made per hour or day.

What Are Manufacturing Overhead / Indirect Costs?

Finally, there will be overhead costs which are over and above what you need to produce the product. Things like factory rent, maintenance, depreciation of equipment, etc. all fall in this category. Sometimes, these are also referred to as indirect costs.

With their powers combined…

All of these factors combine to calculate your total cost per unit, and will be factored together into a cost when getting an estimate on your project from a manufacturer. If the estimated cost is beyond your budget, there are ways to reduce your unit cost including for example:

• Using cheaper materials or getting creative with production waste
• Increasing the unit quantity. Efficiencies of scale generally mean that the more units you buy the less each of them cost
• Making use of cost of living differences to choose where you manufacture. Manufacturing in China for instance is much cheaper than manufacturing locally (but can still be the same quality)

Wrapping Up

If all of the above information seems overwhelming and makes you want to give up, don’t!

If you’d like a ballpark figure of how much your project is likely to cost, give us a call on or fill out our quote request form and we’ll get back to you asap. We can even explain the process and how all the costing is worked out if you’d like.

We look forward to speaking with you!

Further reading: What manufacturing industry types are there?

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Estimate the Cost of Manufacturing a Product Using a Per Unit Formula appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

In this article we’re going to discuss some of those concerns, and try to take the overwhelm out of choosing the right company or freelancer to work with.

Should I look for a company closer to home, or use a freelancer overseas?

With the proliferation of online freelancing platforms, one of the first questions you might be asking is whether you need to work with someone close to home, or whether working with an international company might be better.

This question has a couple of different aspects. CAD design is a digital service and can be delivered remotely, so in our view as long as you can communicate with someone easily in a similar time zone to yourself it doesn’t matter too much where they are.

There are other things to consider here though. For example, working with a company who have all their staff in North America is going to be much more expensive, because cost of living and wages are higher here.

You could instead pay a freelancer in a developing country to do your CAD design, which will be much cheaper (while still paying them an excellent wage comparatively), but then you have to deal with project management headaches due to language differences and misunderstandings, and possibly problems with work ethic which will see you micromanaging everything.

It can be hard without hiring experience to tell if a freelancer is going to be good or bad to work with, so you may find you end up hiring a dud the first time around. This means having to hire multiple people to do your project, costing you more time and probably the same amount of money it would have cost to hire a company more locally in the first place.

It’s also important to avoid CAD design mills, as they just won’t care about you or your project. These types of companies operate in a churn and burn fashion where they will push your work out as quickly as they can before moving onto the next project, without much attention to detail in the quality of their output.

We feel the best approach is to hire a company like J – CAD Inc. where our company owners and project managers are based in North America, but we also have a distributed team of over 40 people built up over many years. This has allowed us to source the best talent from around the world, while also passing on cost savings from cost of living arbitrage to you in our project prices.

How to find the best company or freelancer that provides CAD services?

This is a bit of a tricky question, as the “best” company or freelancer is the one most suited to your project. If you talk to someone and they tell you that they can do any and all projects, that’s a bad sign as it means they’re generalists, not specialists, and are likely to have lower quality skills, or be in desperate need of the work. Good companies should actively turn away projects they’re not a good fit for.

Something else to keep an eye out for is the “are they just in it for the money” test. A great sign of a good company to work with is if they will be up front and tell you that your idea will either:

a.) Not work the way you expect

b.) Will not compete in the market, as someone else is already doing it better, cheaper, on a larger scale etc.

This can save you a lot of time, money and heartache, so it’s in your best interests to listen if a company says something like this to you!

Other things to consider are:

• What is your budget? Some companies will only work with high value clients. CAD design with a good company can be surprisingly inexpensive, but if you have a very low budget (less than $200 – $300) you will probably need to find a freelancer to work with.
• When do you need the project completed by? If you need the project completed quickly, working with a freelancer is not always ideal, as a freelancer is responsible for delivering all work they take on and can bottleneck projects quickly if they’re overstretched. If you need a quick turnaround time, look for someone who responds to initial emails quickly, and has a large team so they have capacity to take on your work.
• How complex is the project? Complex projects typically require someone with lots of experience, or experience in multiple different areas. If your CAD design is part of a larger project involving manufacturing or prototyping with 3D printing, it’s useful for a company to be able to provide all those skills under the same roof. Make sure whoever you hire has the skills and experience to take on the project you’re hiring for.
• Is the project niche specific / does it require special skills? There are different types of CAD services, eg. electrical / mechanical / product / architectural and more. A generalist freelancer may not have the skills to accurately do your CAD drawing if they don’t have experience in a relevant sector. In this instance it’s useful to find a company that has a broad range of experience working across different types of projects like we do.

Should you choose a company that uses CAD design compared to manual drafting techniques?

Why you might prefer to work with a company that does CAD design rather than a freelancer

We may be a little biased here, but we think in general (unless you’re the kind of person who likes to micromanage everything), you will have a better experience and get better results with a company rather than a freelancer.

Companies with a big team typically have more streamlined and refined processes than freelancers do and better business practices, allowing projects to run much more smoothly and efficiently. If they didn’t their whole business would fall apart!

There are some other unique issues when working with freelancers rather than companies as well however, including:

• Working with a freelancer can be slower. For example, if the freelancer gets sick it can hold up or even cause your project to fail as they are directly responsible for it. Conversely, a company has multiple staff, team leads and project managers. If someone is sick or on leave, there are other people who can pick up the slack, and you probably won’t even notice the difference.
• Less project backlog. Freelancers can only take on so much work. If they overstretch themselves they can be trying to fit too much work into too little time. This can mean poorer quality, rushed output, or more frequently project deadlines that just extend and extend almost forever.
• Less worry of having your project idea stolen. Companies should have protections in place to ensure you are comfortable working with them. For us that means signing non-disclosure agreements before starting any new project for your peace of mind and ours. Freelancers on the other hand can be unreliable. A friend for example who is a server administrator hired someone to work in their (large) company’s servers. Later they found out that someone else entirely had been logging into their system with admin access!
• More combined experience = more successful projects. A freelancer only has the knowledge of one person. A company has a team that can combine hundreds of thousands of hours of experience across a very broad range of projects. This means they’re more likely to know the best approach to take on your project and any pitfalls to watch out for.

What questions you should ask before starting a project?

There are a number of questions you should ask a company or freelancer before starting a project with them. Maybe surprisingly, “how much?” is not the first question you should be asking. If it is, you may have your priorities wrong for the project. For example, sometimes paying a bit more will actually save you a lot of time and stress, or get you a much higher product. So try to avoid the race to the bottom on prices if you can, as this is a sign of an inexperienced or desperate freelancer or company who don’t value themselves or their product. On the flipside of this, watch out for companies or freelancers who overprice their services. Sometimes pricing exorbitantly is a strategy used to try and make their service look more valuable, in a “if it’s expensive it must be really good” kind of scenario. In reality finding a company priced towards the upper middle is a better approach.

Some other questions you might like to ask include:

• Can you show me examples of similar projects? This way you’ll know they can handle your project. If they are under a non-disclosure agreement they may only be able to explain similar projects to you.
• How do they keep your idea protected? Look for things like non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
• Do they offer more than just CAD design services? This can be important if your project involves manufacturing or prototyping where it’s much easier and less stressful to keep the entire project under one roof, rather than trying to bring different freelancers or companies into the mix.
• Do you own the CAD files? We don’t think you should even have to ask this question (you should always own files you pay to have designed!) but sadly some companies will actually retain ownership of your files. If you find out that’s the case, go somewhere else instead.
• Will they be available down the track if changes are needed? How will those changes be priced? Some companies will charge you a small amount of money to get you in the door, only to charge you a lot more down the track. It’s good to confirm this up front if you are expecting changes to your project.
• When can we start the project? Ideally a good company should have capacity to start straight away, or within the next week or two at the most. If they can’t start for a long time, or take ages to get back to you, that’s a warning sign that they may be stretched to or beyond capacity and won’t be able to give your project the attention it deserves.

If you’re looking for a great company that does CAD design as is easy to work with, try us!

We hope after all the above we have convinced you to hire a company rather than a freelancer for your next CAD design project.

If you’d like to hire a company with a large team, lots of experiences and great prices, we’d love to hear more about your project.

Fill out our quote form or give us a call on and we’ll get back to you asap!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Choose a Company or Freelancer That Provides CAD Services appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

3D scanning is the process of taking a physical object and using one of several ways to turn that physical object into a three dimensional representation of it that can be manipulated in computer programs such as CAD software, or can be used for taking accurate measurements without having to do them all manually.

3D scanning has been around since 1960s, and there are different ways that 3D scanning can be accomplished, using lights or lazers for example. Up until recently however this process has been very costly and required specialized equipment that was usually static and could easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. This has meant it has been prohibitive for most people, unless they were willing to pay for a 3D scanning service.

The type of 3D scanning we’re going to talk about today however is called photogrammetry. Essentially the way photogrammetry works is that you use a camera to take lots of photographs of a static object from many different angles. These photos are then stitched together in 3D scanning software to create a 3D model.

While this sounds complicated, with the rise of high quality smartphone cameras and 3D scanning smartphone apps, with a bit of practice and a relatively new smartphone almost anyone can start 3D scanning!

Why would you want to 3D scan something with your phone?

Apart from the inherent novelty value of making cool 3D scans with something you can carry in your pocket, there are a lot of different uses for personal 3D scanning. Some people use 3D scanning to make realistic representations of themselves to use for avatars in 3D worlds. Others use 3D scanning to make house plans or take measurements that would be much more tedious to do manually.

What we’re really interested in though is the potential to use 3D scanning technologies for 3D printing applications, and to streamline the process of reverse engineering and prototyping products.

3D printing uses

The possibilities for creating 3D models ready for printing using smartphone 3D scanning are almost endless.

For example:

• This article explains a great way to use 3d scanning to create a CAD file of a unique architectural feature a couple wanted to incorporate into their new house.
• Ever wanted your own action figure? Get a friend to scan yourself and 3d print the model. This can be a quicker and easier option than using a photograph for 3D character modelling.
• Want to create realistic model scenery for a railway set or props for a miniature wargame? You could scan an old, abandoned railway station and then 3D print a miniature version.
• Really like a particular statue or ancient monument at a museum? 3D scan it so you can remember it for posterity, or to 3D print a replica for your living area. If you want to go down the rabbit hole in this regard, read this paper on 3D scanning for museums and cultural heritage applications.

You’re basically only limited by your imagination. If you don’t have a 3D printer or the skills to clean up the file for printing that’s no problem at all, we can help!

3D scanning application: Check out how to use 3D scanning to create 3D printed chess pieces!

Reverse engineering uses

Not too long ago we were approached by the Ritz Carlton to create protective casings for a model cruise liner, because it had previously been damaged in transport, was expensive to fix, and they didn’t want to have that issue again in the future! This project used 3D scanning to create a 3D file for the model which we were able to use in negative to create protective foam sidings.

There are many similar reverse engineering uses for 3D scanning. Imagine that you work restoring old cars or furniture, where the parts you need are no longer available to purchase from anywhere. If you are able to scan the parts, you can then manufacture more of the parts on your own for any future restorations. It can even be used for one off pieces, for example cloning a missing part which is mirrored on both sides of an object.

You could even scan an object that you want to make an addition to – say for example a pot holder for a specific type or brand of pot – cutting out the guesswork and accurate measurements of the product that would be required if you were going to prototype your product idea from scratch.

Prototyping uses

For simple parts and products, all we need to get started with designing and prototyping your product is a sketch with some dimensions.

If you are working on a more complex project however, and like to begin with manual prototypes from cardboard, foam or other similar building materials, 3D scanning can be a great help. Make your physical prototype, and once you’re happy with it, then it can be scanned and turned it into a 3D CAD file ready for refining and 3D printing as a prototype, and then eventually for manufacturing.

How do you get started 3D scanning with a smartphone?

This isn’t a tutorial on 3D scanning with a smartphone – there are plenty of those online already, and once you download an app you can simply learn through experimentation with the software. But to get started it might be helpful to know where to look.

Some phones are starting to build 3D scanning technology into their operating systems. For example check out this promo for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10’s 3D scanning capabilities:

3D scanning software also comes as standard with Sony’s latest Xperia models.

There are also many standalone smartphone apps for 3D scanning available. Most of these come with a small fee, but the amount you’ll pay for the app is nothing compared to the cost of a complete photogrammetry set up (which can require many high quality cameras) or the use of professional 3D scanning services.

Here is a good example walkthrough of how to use a free 3D scanning app with your smartphone:

What to do once you have your 3D scan

Send it to us! Because your 3D scan, while good, may not be up to professional standards, it may need to be cleaned up if you want to use it to 3D print.

If you’re using 3d scanning to reverse engineer a part or to prototype a product, we can use that as a starting point to finalize your CAD drawings, and then to begin manufacturing your product.

Of course if all this seems like too much hassle for you, we can help you with all parts of the process. In most cases all we need to get started is a rough sketch with some dimensions on the back of a napkin or envelope

If you’d like to get a quote, give us a call on , get in touch with us through our live chat, or send us more info about your project through our quote form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post Easy 3D Scanning With a Smartphone For Reverse Engineering, Prototyping Products and 3D Printing appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

There’s an obvious reason for this. Retail stores were already starting to struggle in recent years, but since the COVID pandemic first emerged globally many of us have been unable to go to stores for more than staple purchases. Some people have literally been buying everything online. This trend seems likely to continue as people get more and more used to shopping online for all their needs, and due to the ease and simplicity of home delivery.

For this reason, clients are starting to ask us about creating 3D product renderings specifically for online stores.

What you might not guess however, is that there are a lot of benefits to using CGI product images over images created through traditional product photography. Even the IKEA catalogue whose rooms and furniture look so real are predominantly designed in 3D CAD programs.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Our photorealistic product and furniture renderings can go one step further and make you thousands of dollars!

Benefits of 3D rendered product images over traditional product photography

Photorealistic images that can be more eye-catching

In this world of massively reduced attention spans and social media dopamine fixes, if your product images don’t stand out and make an emotional impact on the viewer, they’re likely to look for something which lights their brain up a little more. If you can create an emotional connection with the product you’re promoting just through amazing product imagery, you’re more than half way to the sale already.

We can make stunning product images for you that are just as good as the IKEA catalogue with expert color, lighting, backgrounds and more.

No need to send your product to us. It doesn’t even have to exist yet!

If you are hiring a product photographer, either they have to come to you, or you have to send them the product. This can be costly if the product is large (like a bed or wardrobe), and adds unnecessary shipping time to your project.

We can create amazing product renderings for you without the need for you to send the product to us. In fact, we can create product photos for you before the product has even been manufactured (or during the manufacturing process), using the same CAD designs we use to prototype and manufacture your product.

No need to set up a photography studio

Photography backdrops and lighting and the support staff needed to manage them are expensive, especially if this is a one off project. They’re also quite limited as we’ll see in the next point.

We can create product images from any angle, even cross sections and exploded views

Traditional photography is limited to what can be seen of the product. If you want to show potential customers what it looks like from all angles, or what the product looks like on the inside, you might be out of luck.

Where traditional photography fails, 3D rendering excels. We can create images showing all sides and the top and bottom of products, and can create cross sections and exploded views, without having to destroy the product to do it. We can even create 360 degree spin models that let your potential customers rotate the images themselves, choosing which angle to view the product from.

Very fast turnaround

We can turn around product renderings very quickly. In many cases we can get the product images back to you before our competitors even get back to you with a quote, or before you could take your product to the post office to send it to a photographer who would then have to style, shoot and process your images before getting them back to you. 3D rendered product images are therefore much more efficient.

Easily show product variations

Does your product come in different colors, textures, finishes, or with optional upgrades? These are easy to create in 3D renderings. Rather than needing five different couches in alternating fabrics for a photographer to shoot, we can change the textures on our renderings to easily show as many attributes as you’d like (even if that’s hundreds).

This is also great if you’d like to test different product variations before they have been created.

Test out business and product ideas quickly and affordably

3D renderings of products can help you test out business ideas quickly and affordably. For instance we can create a virtual reality rendering of your product idea which you can show test groups and prospective buyers before it’s even reached the prototyping phase. These designs can be easily iterated upon, errors or omissions fixed, and ideas tested without the expense of having to fully prototype a physical product. This lets you find your minimum viable product sooner so you can get your product to market much more quickly and with less risk of failure.

Mock up digital products, eg. books, courses, software

Some products just don’t exist in real life, for example ebooks and software packages that are provided as online downloads. We can quickly and easily mock up representations of these products you can use in your marketing materials.

How you can use 3D rendered / CGI product images in your e-commerce business

Websites

The most obvious place to use 3D product renderings is on your own e-commerce site (Shopify, WordPress, Magento, Prestashop etc.) or on a site like Amazon. We can create product images on white backgrounds, on stock photos, in use through action shots and more.

Affiliate marketers

Promoting a product with a high commission value but with poor quality product images? Ask the product owner if you can create your own product images for better conversions.

Pre-selling / pre-order products

Want to sell a product before it has been manufactured? 3D product renderings are a great way to show your audience what they will be buying. You may also be able to use 3D renderings for crowd funding projects, but you should check with the platform’s rules first and make sure never to misrepresent your product when trying to sell it.

360 spin models

360 degree spin models, along with virtual reality product renderings are the next evolution in product marketing. Rather than showing prospective customers a static product image, you can let them spin the product around with their mouse or through swiping to see the image from all sides and angles. This is the next best thing to holding the product or having it right there in front of them.

Branding a generic product you’re reselling

If you’re reselling a generic product, you may have been provided with product images that don’t clearly represent your brand. With 3D rendering you can superimpose your logo, branding and packaging onto the generic products so people don’t realize they’re generic and try and get them from somewhere else, and in order to strengthen brand recognition and product scarcity!

Need help finding US-based product suppliers for Amazon FBA? Read this.

How to start a new project

Starting a product image rendering project is easy. You can send us some quick photos taken on your smartphone. Or if the product has not been created yet, all we need are some hand drawn sketches and notes about how you would like the product to look in real life. We’ll also ask you for colors, or designs you are inspired by to help us tailor the finished product.

We will then create CAD designs from your photos or sketches. These designs can be used for prototyping and manufacturing as well as for creating amazing product photos.

Once we have initial CAD files, we can also use them for product animation and virtual reality renderings, which can both add an extra dimension to your marketing campaigns.

If you’re ready to start a product rendering project, get in touch through our quote request form, or call .

We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post Where to Get the Best 3D Rendering Product Images and Mockups for Shopify, Amazon and E-Commerce Stores appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Paul approached us yesterday with the idea of creating an open source face mask design that could incorporate a standard coffee filter, and that anyone with access to a 3D printer could make for themselves or others. We helped Paul create the 3D CAD designs and 3D printing files needed for his design.

The CAD design files for 3D printing your own face masks are completely free of charge and can be accessed below.

Homemade Face Masks for Personal Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Currently there is an unprecedented global shortage of face masks. It’s very important that our medical staff, sick people and those in closest contact with the coronavirus have access to these limited supplies. That has meant, however, that there are restrictions for the general public who may want to take extra precautions against getting sick by using a face mask in public. Even our hospitals are running out!

As a result, a cottage industry of mask makers has emerged around the world with people from all walks of life stepping up to make do-it-yourself face masks in the thousands.

These masks are being donated to medical facilities, used personally and provided to others who would like to take some extra precautions against getting sick, for example if having to go to crowded places where risk of infection might be higher, or to help prevent the spread of illness if the mask wearer is sick themselves.

In just a few recent examples, fabric retailer JOANN Fabric and Crafts Store has released a video showing how people can make masks at home which has been viewed over a million times, Thailand’s health authorities are encouraging people to make cloth face masks to guard against the spread of COVID-19 amid local mask shortages and the hashtag #millionmaskchallenge is trending on twitter, with makers around the world using it to share their creations and ideas.

Homemade masks are not a substitute for N95 respirators or professionally made surgical masks, and no mask can guarantee 100% protection against illness. There is also contention among experts about the effectiveness of masks in preventing illness if the wearer is not sick or in close contact with someone with COVID-19. The World Health Organization suggest that masks are only needed when looking after someone suspected of 2019-nCoV infection.

Some believe however that even though not 100% effective, homemade masks may be beneficial to a degree in helping to stop people catching the virus by blocking at least some of the airborne droplets from infected people coughing or sneezing in their vicinity. Others suggest that homemade masks only serve as a reminder for us to not touch our faces.

With all this in mind, if you would like to take the precaution of using a face mask but would prefer to 3D print a mask rather than sewing one, read on.

Free .STL Files For 3D Printed Face Mask

This mask design is comprised of two 3D printing files; the main cup section of the mask, and the ring section which clips onto the cup section.

Standard Style Mask

Standard Version containing both .STL files is available to download here (18.3MB)

Cross Style Mask

Cross Version containing both .STL files is available to download here (12.7MB)

How to Use the Files for the Face Mask

The face mask is 3D printed in two separate parts, one which clips into the other. The video below shows how the two parts of the mask fit together.

To use the mask:

1. Acquire some coffee or carbon filters – either disposable paper ones or washable fabric ones
2. Unclip the two sections of the mask
3. Put the filter inside the cup shaped part of the mask
4. Clip the ring onto the cup section, pinning down the filter to keep it in place
5. Attach elastic or string to the mask so it can be secured to your head / face. The fit should be as airtight as possible.

The mask file is currently sized to print for an “average” face. If you have a smaller or larger face you can increase or decrease the size of the CAD model prior to printing.

Disclaimer:

Please note that these designs and this concept have not been industry tested or assessed in any way for their efficacy in preventing illness, disease or infection. They are not a guaranteed way of avoiding illness.

According to the FDA, even a properly fitted N95 mask “does not completely eliminate the risk of illness or death.”

Before you use a face mask you should inform yourself of their limitations, risks, and proper use so that you can decide whether using a home made face mask is appropriate for your individual situation.

JCAD — Inc. will not be held liable for any loss or damage in connection with the use of the files described and shared in this article.

The decision to use these files is solely your own. Use at your own risk. The publication of this article is intended for educational purposes only.

Resources about using or making face masks in light of COVID-19:

The World Health Organisation’s recommendations on when and how to use masks

Different points of view on the use of masks and their effectiveness in preventing illness:

Should you wear a face mask to prevent COVID-19? Experts disagree.

People are making DIY masks to fight coronavirus. But do they actually work?

Articles about people around the world making face masks:

Sheltered in Place? Make Masks – Bloomberg article

Calling All People Who Sew And Make: You Can Help Make Masks For 2020 Healthcare Worker PPE Shortage – Forbes article

How To Make Coronavirus Face Masks, And How Effective They Are – Huffington Post article

Million mask challenge: Public rushes to create DIY face covers against coronavirus – Washington Times article

People around the country are sewing masks. And some hospitals, facing dire shortage, welcome them – CNN article

Other resources for DIY face mask patterns including sewing resources:

Below you can find some other resources for making DIY face masks.

Many of these are for people interested in sewing masks for their own use or for donating to medical facilities.

How to make a face mask – Deaconess

1 Page PDF Face Mask Pattern

JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores – How to Make a Face Mask

Thank you for reading and wishing you all the very best of health!

The post Free 3D Printing Files for DIY Face Mask That Incorporates a Standard Coffee Filter appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.