Mechanical product design that gets ideas working in the real world
Whether you’re developing a new product, solving a difficult mechanical problem or need extra engineering capacity, we can help turn the idea into a practical design that can be prototyped, tested and manufactured.
We work directly with founders, product businesses and engineering teams across a broad range of mechanical products.
New product development
Turn an idea into something that can actually be engineered
If you’ve got a product idea but aren’t sure how to make it work mechanically, we can help develop it from an early concept into a practical design.
That can include:
Concept development and refinement
Mechanical layout and architecture
3D CAD modelling
Material and manufacturing considerations
Mechanism development
Prototype design
Design iteration and refinement
Production-ready documentation where required
The goal isn’t just to create something that looks good in CAD. It’s to create a design that works, can be made and makes sense commercially.
3D CAD modelling and analysis
Work through the design before committing to manufacture
We use 3D CAD to develop, test and refine mechanical designs before physical parts are made.
Depending on the project, this can include:
SolidWorks 3D modelling
Assembly modelling
Detailed engineering drawings
Design visualisation
Interference and fit checks
Motion analysis
Stress and FEA analysis where appropriate
Design changes and optimisation
CAD is a tool, not the outcome. The real value is using it to make better design decisions before time and money are committed to tooling or production.
Mechanical engineering design
Solve difficult design problems without adding another full-time engineer
Sometimes the idea already exists. The problem is making it work.
We work with product businesses and engineering teams on specific mechanical challenges, whether that means developing a mechanism, improving an existing design, packaging components into a limited space or solving a manufacturing issue.
Typical work includes:
Mechanical component and assembly design
Mechanism development
Design improvement and redesign
Design for manufacture
Engineering calculations and analysis
CAD modelling and detailed drawings
Integration of mechanical components and systems
This is also useful when your internal team has more projects than available capacity, or you need specialist experience for a particular problem.
Prototyping and testing
Find the problems before production does
A prototype can answer questions that CAD alone can’t.
We can help develop prototypes to test fit, movement, usability, strength, assembly and overall function before progressing further.
Depending on the project, prototyping may involve:
3D printed parts
CNC-machined components
Functional assemblies
Proof-of-concept mechanisms
Prototype testing
Design refinement after testing
The purpose is simple: learn quickly, fix what needs fixing and reduce the risk of carrying problems into manufacture.
3D scanning and reverse engineering
Turn an existing physical part into usable design data
3D scanning can be useful when an existing component needs to be captured, reproduced, modified or incorporated into a new design.
Typical applications include:
Reverse engineering
Capturing existing components
Creating CAD geometry from physical parts
Part modification
Fit and packaging studies
Inspection and comparison
Recreating difficult or unavailable components
This is particularly useful where original CAD data doesn’t exist or where a design needs to interface accurately with an existing part.
Not sure exactly what service you need?
You don’t need to know which service you need before getting in touch.
Tell me what you’re trying to build, what’s not working or where the project is stuck.
We can help work out the most practical next step.
Got a mechanical product idea or design problem?
If you need experienced mechanical design capability to move a project forward, get in touch.
Email: contact@3dmdesign.co.nz
Phone: +64 4 2376 591
Industrial design
Make the product work well for the person using it
Good mechanical design also needs to consider how the product looks, feels and is used.
Industrial design support can include:
Product form and proportion
Ergonomics
User interaction
Packaging of internal components
Surface and enclosure design
Integration of mechanical and visual requirements
Design development from concept through to manufacturable geometry
The aim is to balance appearance, usability, engineering and manufacture rather than treating them as separate problems.
How We work
You work directly with the designer
When you engage 3DM Design, you work directly with me.
There’s no sales person handing the project to someone else and no junior designer sitting between us.
I’m involved in understanding the problem, developing the concepts, doing the design work and working through the engineering decisions with you.
That keeps communication simple and means the person doing the design understands why the decisions are being made.