Craft Onyx logo

Engineering & CAD — Raleigh, NC

CAD with a maker’s eye — proofed on real machines.

Production-ready CAD without the consultancy invoice. We model the part, run a physical proof on our own equipment, and hand you files that print, cut, and machine cleanly. Design and fabrication share one building — so a fixture goes from problem to your bench in the same week.

$549
Engineering & CAD
from $249
jigs & fixtures
3 formats
STEP · STL · DXF
24 hr
quote, by a human
CAD model on screen beside the freshly machined part it produced in the Craft Onyx studio

Deliverables

What $549 buys.

The Engineering & CAD package is one fixed price: production-ready CAD, dimensioned drawings, a DFM review, and material + finish callouts. Parts run cleanly on our machines — or yours.

Production-ready CAD

STEP for machining, STL for printing, DXF for laser and flat stock. Files your shop — or ours — can run without cleanup.

Dimensioned drawings

Clean 2D drawings any fabricator can quote from. No guessing at the screen, no “what’s this dimension?” emails.

DFM review

We flag thin walls, impossible tolerances, and expensive features before they cost you money — design for manufacturing, applied by people who actually manufacture.

Tolerance specs

Fits called out tight where they matter, loose where they don’t. Over-toleranced drawings are the fastest way to double a machining quote.

Material & finish callouts

Exact materials and finishes specified for the job the part has to do — not a generic “aluminum, anodized” hand-wave.

Built, not just drawn

Fixtures and prototypes fabricated in-house, 3D printed or CNC. Design and fabrication share one building, so iteration happens the same week.

Jigs & fixtures — from $249

On your line
the same week.

A fixture doesn’t need to be a billet-aluminum monument. A 3D printed jig that locates a part the same way every time cuts assembly errors, speeds up training, and pays for itself the first shift it’s on the line — starting at $249, designed and built under one roof.

That’s the gap we fill for manufacturers in RTP, Raleigh, Durham, and Cary: fast-turn manufacturing fixtures without industrial-shop lead times. We design it, build it, and iterate it the same week — because the person doing the CAD is the person running the machine. When v1 reveals a problem, v2 prints overnight.

Need it tougher? We move the same design to CNC-cut plastic or aluminum once the geometry is proven.

Fixtures we design and build

  • Assembly jigs and alignment fixtures
  • Drill and fastener guides
  • Go/no-go gauges and inspection aids
  • Soldering and bonding fixtures
  • Kitting trays and line-side organizers
  • Test and QC holding fixtures

One-offs welcome — quantity 1 is fine. Local Raleigh pickup or tracked shipping nationwide.

Quote a fixture

How it works

Problem to part, four steps.

01

Consult

Tell us what the part has to do. A sketch, a sample part, or a napkin drawing is enough to start.

02

CAD + proof

We model it, draw it, and run a physical proof on our own machines before you commit to anything.

03

Fabricate

We 3D print or CNC the part in-house — or hand you STEP, STL, and DXF files that run cleanly at your shop.

04

Iterate

V2 ships the same week, not next month. Most fixtures get one round of revisions; we plan for it.

Who it’s for

Engineering for people who ship.

Product startups

Get pre-tooling design right before you spend tooling money. Prototype-ready CAD, DFM review, and 72-hour physical proofs.

Manufacturers & assembly lines

Custom jigs, alignment fixtures, and error-proofing aids that cut assembly mistakes — designed, printed, and on your bench fast.

Labs & research teams

Custom holders, sample organizers, and test fixtures for equipment that was never sold with the accessory you need.

Inventors

Turn a sketch or a hand-made sample into a real STEP file with drawings — something you can quote, patent-reference, or pitch.

Engineering & CAD FAQs

How much do CAD design services cost in Raleigh?

Our Engineering & CAD package is a flat $549 — production-ready CAD in STEP, STL, and DXF, dimensioned drawings, a DFM review, and material + finish callouts. Custom jigs and fixtures start at $249, designed and fabricated in-house. Send your project and you’ll have an exact number within one business day.

What CAD file formats do you deliver?

STEP for machining, STL for 3D printing, and DXF for laser cutting and flat stock, plus PDF drawings. You own the files — run them on our machines or take them anywhere.

Can you design and build custom jigs and fixtures for our assembly line?

Yes — that’s the core of this service. We design assembly jigs, drill guides, alignment fixtures, and go/no-go gauges, then build them in-house by 3D printing or CNC. Fixtures start at $249, and Triangle manufacturers get same-week iteration with local Raleigh pickup or delivery.

What is a DFM (design for manufacturing) review?

We check your existing design against how it will actually be made: wall thicknesses, tolerances, tool access, material choice, and finish. The goal is a part that comes off the machine right the first time — and a quote that isn’t inflated by features nobody needs.

Do you just hand over files, or can you make the parts too?

Both. Every design is proofed on our own equipment, so parts run cleanly on our machines — or yours. If you want us to fabricate, the $299 Prototype Sprint puts a functional prototype in your hands in 72 hours.

I only have a sketch or a physical part — can you create the CAD?

Yes. We work from sketches, photos, and sample parts all the time. Bring us the physical part and we’ll measure it and model it as a clean, editable CAD file with drawings.

Get a fixture on your line this week.

Tell us what the part has to do — a sketch, a sample, or a CAD file all work. A real person replies within one business day with options and a fixed price.