CAD Files for Jewelry Manufacturing: What a Factory Actually Needs
A CAD file is the instruction set for the piece, not just a picture. What matters is not the software you used, but whether the file tells the factory what to build — dimensions, tolerances, and where the stones go.
What a useful file contains
- Real units (millimetres), not an unscaled drawing
- Wall and section thicknesses the metal can actually hold
- Stone seats cut to the specific stone, with depths
- The intended finish and any textured or polished areas
What we can work from
A dimensioned sketch, a reference image with sizes, or an existing sample are all valid starting points. The file does not have to be perfect — it has to be enough to evaluate structure and routing before anything is made.
Where files go wrong
- Thin sections that look fine on screen but cannot be cast or welded
- Stone seats drawn but not sized, so the setter guesses
- Dimensions that contradict the render
- A beautiful model with no tolerance for how metal behaves
How to send it
Send the native file if you have it, plus a PDF or image of the same design with the key dimensions marked. If something is undecided — the exact karat, the stone size — say so. Ambiguity in the design is cheaper to resolve than ambiguity in the sample.
What this means for your project
You do not need a jewellery-specific CAD to start. A clear sketch with dimensions gets a useful evaluation; a full file just shortens the route to a sample.
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