What a custom project request actually needs
The custom project form exists for exactly this case. Instead of a file, you describe what you need made and attach whatever supporting material you have.
- Photos of the original part, the space it fits into, or something similar.
- Measurements — even rough ones with a ruler are better than none.
- A sketch, hand-drawn is fine, with the dimensions you know marked on it.
- Reference material: a product listing, a diagram, a manual page.
- A plain description of what the part does and what it attaches to.
Why measurements matter more than drawing skill
Nobody is judging your sketch. What we need is the constraint set: which dimensions have to be exact, which are cosmetic, and where the part meets something else.
A hole diameter, a bolt spacing, a slot width, or an overall envelope will get a project moving faster than a beautiful drawing with no numbers on it.
Tell us how the part will be used
A part that sits on a shelf and a part that gets clamped, heated, or loaded repeatedly are designed differently even when they look the same. Describing the job the part does lets us suggest material and geometry that will hold up.
If you are not sure, describe the situation rather than guessing at a spec. "It clips onto a vibrating machine housing and gets warm" is genuinely useful information.
What happens next
We review the request the same way we review an STL submission: is this a good fit for additive manufacturing, what would it take to make, and what is a realistic timeline. Then we come back with next steps, questions, or a quote.
If a project needs design work before it can be printed, we will say so and describe what that involves rather than quietly absorbing it.
Common projects that start without a file
- Replacement parts for equipment where the original is no longer available.
- Custom brackets, mounts, and adapters for a specific setup.
- Fixtures, jigs, and tooling for a workshop or production line.
- Enclosures and housings sized around existing hardware.
- Models and demonstration pieces built from reference photos.