3D product design
Parametric CAD models of enclosures and assemblies developed with the electronics.
Discuss thisPrototyping & ProductMechanical design that holds together
Mechanical design that holds together
in the enclosure, not just in CAD.
Mechanical design for an electronic product is constrained from both sides: by the components that must fit, and by the manufacturing process that must produce it. We work within both, and verify fit, thermal behaviour and assembly before the design is released.
- CAD with real components
- Thermal & structural
- Manufacturing drawings
Why mechanical rework is expensiveTooling cost is set by the
Tooling cost is set by the
last week of design, not the first.
Enclosure problems surface late because they are usually small: a boss that clashes with a mounting hole, a wall slightly too thin to mould reliably, a screw head that cannot reach the boss, a connector that meets its mating cable at an angle. Each is trivial to fix in CAD and expensive to fix after a tool is cut.
We resolve these while design changes are still free, using the real component geometry and the target process’s rules, and we verify on a prototype before the design is frozen.
Designed for the process, not just the shape. A model that looks right but cannot be moulded or machined consistently will still cost you, so the process is part of the design from the start.
- 01Real component geometry
Boards, connectors, displays and controls modelled at their true dimensions.
- 02Process-aware design
Draft, walls, ribs and parting lines designed for the intended manufacturing method.
- 03Thermal considered early
Heat sources and dissipation paths planned rather than added after assembly.
- 04Verified before release
Fit and function checked on a prototype before the design is frozen for tooling.
- True dimensionsComponents modelled at real size, so fit assumptions are replaced with measurements.
- Process built inDraft, walls and ribs designed for the chosen manufacturing method from the start.
- Thermal plannedDissipation paths considered during layout, not retrofitted once the board is fixed.
- Prototype verifiedFit and function confirmed on a physical build before the design is frozen.
What we deliver
Mechanical and 3D design services
Design work covers a new enclosure, mechanical revision of an existing product, or specific analysis of a design problem.
Enclosure & housing design
Housings designed for fit, sealing, handling and the intended manufacturing process.
Discuss thisMounting & fixings
Mounting features, bosses and fixings designed so every fastener actually reaches its target.
Discuss thisThermal mechanical design
Heat paths, spreading and isolation designed around the board’s heat sources.
Discuss thisStructural analysis
Impact, vibration and deformation analysis for the product’s environment.
Discuss thisManufacturing drawings
Tolerances, datums, draft and material guidance released for production.
Discuss thisWhat is included in scope
Scope is agreed in writing before work starts, so deliverables and responsibilities are clear.
- Requirements & constraintsEnvironment, handling, sealing, appearance and process requirements agreed.
- Concept & layoutEnvelope, internal arrangement and mounting strategy developed in 3D.
- Detailed designFeatures, fixings, ribs and sealing designed to the real component geometry.
- AnalysisThermal and structural checks run against the intended assembly and load cases.
- Prototype verificationModel built and checked for fit, assembly and function before release.
- Release & drawingsCAD and manufacturing drawings issued with tolerances and material guidance.
Capabilities
Mechanical design capability
Mechanical work is done with the electronics known, so the two are designed as one product rather than negotiated late.
Parametric CAD
Editable models so the design can be refined rather than redrawn for each change.
Enclosure design
Housings covering sealing, handling, appearance and manufacturing process.
Mounting design
Mounting features and fixings designed so every fastener reaches its boss.
Thermal integration
Heat sources, spreading and isolation designed around the actual board.
Structural analysis
Impact, vibration and deformation checked against the real environment.
DFM
Draft, wall thickness, ribs and parting lines designed for consistent production.
Sealing & ingress
Gasket channels and sealing geometry designed to the required rating.
Drawing release
Toleranced drawings and CAD released for manufacturing and assembly.
Full enclosure engineering with thermal and structural simulation is in enclosure design; printed form studies in 3D prototyping.
Our process
How mechanical design proceeds
Requirements, layout, detailed design, analysis, then prototype verification before release.
Requirements
Environment, handling, sealing and process constraints agreed before modelling.
Design briefLayout & detailed design
Envelope, arrangement, fixings and features designed in 3D against real components.
CAD modelAnalysis
Thermal and structural checks run on the intended assembly and load cases.
Analysis resultsVerify & release
Prototype confirmed and toleranced drawings released for manufacturing.
Released design
Technologies
Mechanical design methods
The manufacturing process is chosen against volume, geometry and cost, because it shapes the whole design.
- Parametric CADEditable solid models so revisions are changes rather than redraws
- Assembly modellingFull internal assembly modelled to verify fit and assembly order
- Thermal simulationHeat source modelling and dissipation paths for the sealed assembly
- Structural simulationImpact, drop, vibration and deformation analysis
- Material dataMaterial properties used for temperature, impact and process selection
- DFM guidanceDraft, walls, ribs and parting lines matched to the chosen process
We design for the process the product will actually use. A model optimised for a different process will look correct and still produce inconsistent parts.
Industries
Built around how your product is actually used.
Handling, temperature, ingress and certification expectations are captured before tooling, not after the first enclosure.
Industrial
Control panels, motor drives, gateways and automation hardware for continuous operation.
IndustrialAutomotive
In-cabin electronics, LED drivers and control units designed around automotive electrical and thermal expectations.
AutomotiveHealthcare
Diagnostic and monitoring devices designed with patient safety and compliance in mind.
HealthcareEnergy & power
Monitoring, metering, conversion and control electronics for energy and power systems.
Energy & powerRailways
Onboard and signalling electronics built for vibration, temperature cycling and long maintenance cycles.
RailwaysBeauty & wellness
Skin, hair and wellness devices with careful low-voltage design and safe user interfaces.
Beauty & wellnessCapability examplesSee the engineering problem.
See the engineering problem.
Imagine the possibilities.
The scenarios below illustrate the kind of work we do — they are not published client case studies or measured results. Ask us about relevant experience for your product.
Illustrative · New concept
A concept that had to be proven cheaply
Challenge: The team needed to know whether the idea worked before committing to tooling.
Approach: A proof-of-concept build answering one specific question before further investment.
Explore prototypingIllustrative · Mechanical fit
A housing that had to fit a crowded board
Challenge: Boards, connectors and controls competed for a limited internal volume.
Approach: Internal layout developed in 3D, with fit verified before any tooling was cut.
Explore mechanical designIllustrative · Production readiness
A design moving towards manufacturing
Challenge: The prototype worked, but documentation and assembly were not repeatable.
Approach: Design-for-manufacture review and a complete release package prepared for the assembler.
Explore manufacturing supportFrequently asked questionsGood questions.
Good questions.
Clear starting points.
What buyers usually want to know before scoping this kind of work.
Ask about your requirements →What mechanical and 3D design services do you offer?
3D product design, enclosure and housing design, mounting and fixings, thermal mechanical design, structural analysis, and manufacturing drawing release.
Do you design around our existing electronics?
Yes, and that is the normal case. Boards, connectors, displays and controls are modelled at their true dimensions so fit is verified rather than assumed.
Which manufacturing processes do you design for?
Injection moulding, die casting, sheet metal and machined assemblies. The process is selected against volume, geometry, cost and environment, and the design is tailored to it.
Can you resolve a mechanical problem on an existing design?
Yes. We can review an existing housing or assembly for fit, thermal performance, structural strength, manufacturability and assembly, and propose targeted changes.
Do you check that fasteners actually reach their bosses?
Yes. Mounting features and fixings are verified against real hardware, because a screw that cannot reach its boss is a common and easily missed problem.
When are drawings released?
After the design has been verified on a prototype, so the released drawings reflect a design that has physically worked rather than only one that looked right in CAD.
Related services
Prototyping & Product
Explore the rest of the programme, or get in touch about this service directly.
Start your projectLet’s get the mechanics
Let’s get the mechanics
right before the tool is cut.
Tell us about the electronics, the environment and how the product will be made. We will design to that and verify it physically before anything is committed.
No complete specification needed. A short brief of your product and goals is enough to start.
What happens next?
- Share your product goal, application and current stage.
- Discuss the components, interfaces and constraints that matter.
- Agree a practical next step and the scope for a proposal.