Drafting
From a Rough Sketch to Manufacturing-Ready: How a Custom Part Gets Drawn
Plenty of good parts start life as a sketch on a job sheet, a photo of a worn-out component, or a description over the phone. The gap between that idea and something a workshop can actually build is where a lot of projects stall. Turning a rough concept into manufacturing-ready drawings is one of the core things we do at CAD TECH, and the process is more straightforward than most people expect.
You don't need CAD experience or a finished design to get started. A sketch, a sample part, or even a clear description of what the thing has to do is enough to begin. From there the job moves through a few clear stages, and you stay in the loop at each one.
For a lot of custom work - particularly automotive, marine and fabrication jobs - the part has to fit something that already exists. In those cases we come to you. We'll measure and sketch the relevant parts on site, straight off the vehicle or the existing structure, so the model is built around real dimensions rather than a guess. That on-site step is what stops a bracket or a mount ending up 5mm out and useless once it's cut.
With the measurements in hand, we build the 3D model in SolidWorks. This is your chance to see the part before any steel is bought or cut. We send the model through for approval, you tell us what needs changing, and we adjust it. Sorting out a clash or a fitment issue on screen costs nothing; sorting it out after it's been fabricated costs a lot.
The path from idea to finished drawings
01. Concept and measurements
We start from your sketch, sample or idea - and for parts that bolt onto something existing, we measure on site so nothing is left to chance.
This is also where the practical questions get asked: how it's made, what it bolts to, what load it has to carry.
02. 3D model and approval
The part is built in SolidWorks and sent to you to review. You see exactly what you're getting, and we make changes while it's still cheap and easy to change.
03. Manufacturing drawings
Once the model is signed off, we produce the 2D manufacturing drawings - fully dimensioned, with materials, welds and tolerances called out - ready to hand straight to a fabricator.
The result is a part that's been thought through before it's been built, and a set of drawings that leaves no room for guesswork. If you've got an idea, a sketch or a part that needs replicating, get in touch with CAD TECH in Newcastle and we'll take it from concept to manufacturing-ready.
