Design as a stand-alone service
Buy in design capacity without outsourcing manufacturing: CAD-IS offers tooling design as a stand-alone service. We design fixtures, gauges and inspection tooling and deliver a 3D model, manufacturing drawings and a bill of materials. The result serves as the basis for your own shop, for outsourcing or for further development in-house. It is backed by our design experience from building our own tooling since 1999.
Design without manufacturing
You receive the complete design documentation without having to order manufacturing. Ideal for companies with their own machine shop, an established supplier network or a fully booked design department.
Experience from fixture building
We design what we build ourselves. This feedback loop leads to manufacturable solutions: achievable tolerances, sensible clamping concepts, available standard components and serviceable designs.
Complete documentation
3D model in STEP or IGES, dimensioned manufacturing drawings with tolerances and surface finish, plus a bill of materials listing all machined parts, purchased parts and standard components.
What does the design service include?
Tooling design starts with a technical review and ends with a complete document package that can go into manufacturing without further questions. You decide whether the design is built by us or whether you use the documents freely.
3D CAD model
Parametric 3D model of the fixture or gauge as a STEP file (universal) or in an agreed CAD format. Usable in all common CAD systems.
Manufacturing drawing
Fully dimensioned manufacturing drawings with tolerances, surface finish, material and standard-part references, ready to hand to any machine shop.
Bill of materials
Complete bill of materials listing all machined parts, purchased parts and standard components with description, material and quantity. Ready for purchasing and production planning.
Optional: manufacturing
If you want CAD-IS to build the design: a seamless handover with no second review. Designer and shop floor under one roof.
What tooling design covers
Tooling design is the umbrella term for designing all the aids that production needs but that are not part of the product itself. Unlike product design, the result is usually built only once, tailored to a specific part and a specific process. That is exactly the challenge: there is no pre-series run in which mistakes could show up and be corrected.
Fixture design
Clamping, welding, straightening and assembly fixtures. The design defines how the part is located, positioned and held without deforming it or blocking access for the operation.
Gauge design
Checking fixtures, bend gauges and contour gauges. Here the design determines whether the gauge captures the right features and whether the result is repeatable, regardless of who performs the check.
Inspection tooling and stations
Setups for part inspection, from a simple inspection nest to a station with multiple check features. Designed for repeatability, cycle time and ease of use.
Custom fixtures and assemblies
Design solutions for requirements that no standard product covers. Often a combination of machined parts, standard components, guides and pneumatic elements.
From task definition to manufacturing documents
The process is structured so that review loops happen early, while changes are still inexpensive. You see the concept before detailed design begins.
Task definition
You describe the part, the operation and the constraints. The basis is the part drawing or CAD file, the required cycle time, the available space and existing interfaces such as table grids or mounting dimensions.
Concept and review
We develop the locating and clamping concept and review it with you. We clarify the datum system, access, handling and which elements are manual and which are pneumatic.
Detailed design in 3D
The approved concept is developed into a complete 3D model. Collision checks, motion sequences and the installation situation are verified in the model before a single chip is cut.
Manufacturing documents
From the model we derive dimensioned part drawings with tolerances and surface finish, an assembly drawing and the complete bill of materials with machined, purchased and standard parts.
Handover or manufacturing
You receive the document package and are free to use it as you wish. On request we build the design right away, with no need for a second technical review.
What you receive
The deliverables are complete enough that the documents can be handed to any machine shop without further questions. We match file formats to your systems.
| Document | Format | Content and use |
|---|---|---|
| 3D model | STEP, IGES | Complete assembly, reusable in all common CAD systems, basis for CAM programming |
| Part drawings | PDF, DXF | Dimensioned with tolerances, geometric tolerances (GD&T), surface finish and material |
| Assembly drawing | Item numbers, installation position and assembly notes for completing the assembly | |
| Bill of materials | PDF, Excel | Machined parts, purchased parts and standard components with description, material, quantity and supplier reference |
| Standard parts list | Guides, bearings, clamping elements and pneumatic components with manufacturer part numbers for purchasing |
Other formats and customer-specific title blocks can be accommodated on request.
When outsourcing design capacity pays off
Outsourcing design is rarely a matter of principle; it depends on the situation. The following cases are the most common in practice.
Absorb workload peaks
Your own design team is tied up and a project is urgent. External capacity gives you breathing room without hiring staff who would be underutilized after the peak.
Manufacturing stays in-house
You have your own machines and want to keep the value creation in-house, but you need the design work. You receive the documents and build it yourself.
Sourcing from multiple suppliers
With vendor-neutral manufacturing documents you can put the job out to tender and compare quotes. The design does not tie you to any particular machine shop.
No in-house tooling expertise
Product designers think from the part; tooling design thinks from the process. Those who rarely design fixtures easily underestimate clamping forces, distortion or handling at cycle time.
Design with manufacturing option
You start with the design and decide about manufacturing later. If you choose us, there is no need to get a second party up to speed.
Revise existing tooling
Existing fixtures need to be adapted to a part change or improved for longer service life. If documentation is missing, we capture the geometry with our measuring arm.
Questions about tooling design
What is the difference between tooling design and fixture design?
Tooling design is the umbrella term and covers all production aids: fixtures, gauges, inspection tooling and custom setups. Fixture design refers to the sub-area concerned with locating, positioning and holding parts during an operation. In practice the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Do I have to order manufacturing as well?
No. Design is a stand-alone service. You receive the 3D model, manufacturing drawings and bill of materials and are free to decide whether you build it yourself, outsource it or have us build it. The documents are vendor-neutral and do not tie you to any machine shop.
What information do you need for a quote?
Ideally the part drawing or CAD file, a description of the operation, the required accuracy and constraints such as available space, cycle time and existing interfaces. The clearer the task, the more reliable the quote. Open points are clarified in a preliminary call.
In which formats are the data delivered?
3D models as STEP or IGES, drawings as PDF and on request as DXF, bills of materials as PDF or Excel. These formats can be processed in all common CAD and ERP systems. Customer-specific title blocks and other formats can be accommodated on request.
Can existing tooling be revised?
Yes. Adapting to changed parts, adding variants or design improvements for longer service life are a common type of order. If no documentation exists anymore, we capture the geometry of the existing tooling with our portable measuring arm and create a CAD model as the starting point.
How long does a design take?
The time required depends on complexity and the amount of coordination. Simple nests and inspection fixtures are often designed within a few days; extensive assemblies with moving elements take correspondingly longer. After the concept review we commit to a firm date.
Who owns the design documents?
The documents created under the order are transferred to you and are yours to use freely. You can build from them yourself, put the job out to tender or have the design developed further later. The specific terms are set out in the quote.
Request a design quote
Describe the task and send existing part drawings or CAD data – you will receive an assessment within 24 hours.