Raymond M

CAD Designer

Freelancer.com

May 2022 - Present • 4 yrs

On Freelancer.com, my focus has been primarily on technical, engineering-heavy projects that demand a high level of dimensional accuracy, mechanical understanding, and manufacturing expertise. The clients here are typically engineers, product manufacturers, and hardware companies who need more than just a 3D model, they need a complete, fully documented design package that a factory can actually work with. I specialize in designing complex mechanical components and multi-part assemblies, where every dimension, tolerance, and fit must be precisely controlled. I work to GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) standards, ensuring that parts not only look correct digitally but will function exactly as intended when physically manufactured. This level of engineering detail is what separates a professional deliverable from a basic CAD file. A core part of my process on every project is applying DFM, Design for Manufacturability, principles from the very beginning of the design phase. Rather than designing first and fixing production problems later, I proactively evaluate geometry, wall thickness, material flow, and assembly logic throughout the modeling process. This reduces part count, eliminates unnecessary complexity, and ensures that the final design can be produced efficiently without expensive tooling changes or redesigns. My technical deliverables here go well beyond 3D models. I produce fully detailed 2D engineering drawings with proper dimensioning, tolerancing, and annotations, as well as Bill of Materials documentation that manufacturers and procurement teams can use directly. I also handle prototype-ready file conversion and optimization, repairing broken geometry, fixing non-manifold errors in STL files, and ensuring every output is clean and compatible with the client's manufacturing workflow.

Product Design & CAD Specialist

Upwork

Feb 2021 - Present • 5 yrs 3 mos

My work on Upwork is centered around one core mission, helping startups, inventors, and early-stage entrepreneurs move from a raw idea to a tangible, production-ready product as efficiently as possible. Many of the clients I work with come with nothing more than a rough sketch on paper, a voice note, or a concept they have been sitting on for months without knowing how to move forward. My job is to bridge that gap. I specialize in translating those early-stage concepts into precise, fully detailed 3D CAD models using Autodesk Fusion 360 and SolidWorks, ensuring that every model is not just visually accurate but structurally sound and ready for the next stage of development. Speed and accuracy are equally important here, and I have built a workflow that allows for rapid design iteration without compromising engineering quality. Beyond just modeling, I conduct product feasibility assessments at the start of each project, evaluating whether the concept is structurally viable, whether the chosen materials are suitable, and whether the design can realistically be produced within the client's budget and timeline. This saves clients from investing in prototypes that would fail, and it positions me as a product development partner rather than just a CAD operator. Every project I deliver includes clean, optimized files in STL, STEP, and IGES formats, prepared specifically for 3D printing, CNC machining, or injection molding depending on the client's production path. I also provide 3D product visualizations where needed, giving clients photorealistic renders they can use for investor presentations, crowdfunding campaigns, or early marketing materials, all before spending a single dollar on physical production.

3D Product Design & Manufacturing Support Specialist

DesignCrowd

May 2018 - Jan 2026 • 7 yrs 8 mos

This role gave me the deepest exposure to the full lifecycle of physical product development, from concept refinement all the way through to manufacturing support. A significant portion of the work involved taking existing designs that were not production-ready and completely transforming them into manufacturable, optimized solutions. This is where I developed a strong foundation in reverse engineering and design optimization that I still apply across every project today. Reverse engineering was a frequent requirement, clients would bring physical parts with no existing digital files, or outdated CAD models that no longer matched their physical products, and I would rebuild them from scratch with precision and accuracy. This required a strong ability to analyze physical geometry, understand original design intent, and recreate it digitally in a way that was both accurate and improvement upon the original. A large part of my manufacturing support work here focused on injection molding design, one of the most technically demanding areas of product design. I developed deep expertise in injection molding rules including draft angle application, wall thickness optimization, rib and boss design, parting line placement, and gate location planning. Getting these details wrong means costly tooling failures, so my role was to ensure every design was fully compliant before it ever reached the mold maker. I also worked extensively on CNC machining projects, designing geometry that was specifically optimized for toolpath efficiency, avoiding undercuts, minimizing setups, and ensuring clean machinability. Consumer products, industrial components, and mass production concepts were all part of the project mix here, giving me a broad perspective on how different manufacturing methods demand different design decisions.