Raw 3D scan on the left converted into a fully-dimensioned parametric CAD model on the right

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Turn a 3D scan into production-ready CAD

Already have an STL, OBJ, or point-cloud scan? I'll reverse-engineer it into a clean, fully-dimensioned, editable parametric model ready for machining, molding, or redesign.

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When there's no CAD file to start from

This comes up more often than people expect: a legacy part with no digital record, an OEM component you need to replicate or modify, a competitor product you're benchmarking, or a broken part for equipment that's been discontinued for a decade. In every case, the starting point isn't a clean CAD file — it's a raw 3D scan or mesh.

This service handles the scan side: I take your mesh — from your own 3D scanner or one I arrange — and rebuild it as a genuine parametric solid model, not a static surface copy of the scan data, but a real, feature-based CAD file with dimensions, tolerances, and design intent baked in. Don't have a scan yet, only the physical part? See Physical Part to CAD instead — that path starts from precision measurement rather than an existing scan file.

Typical inputs I work from:

  • Mesh files — STL, OBJ, PLY from structured-light scanners, laser scanners, or photogrammetry rigs
  • Raw point clouds — unprocessed scanner output, before any mesh cleanup
  • Multi-scan alignment — combining several partial scans into one complete mesh when a single pass couldn't capture the whole part

Scan to solid model, four steps

01
Scan intake

Receive your mesh file. Assess scan quality, missing detail, and identify critical features and datum surfaces before any modeling starts.

02
Mesh cleanup & alignment

Clean scan noise, fill holes, decimate where needed, and align the mesh to a proper coordinate system and datum structure.

03
Parametric rebuild

Rebuild the part as a true feature-tree solid — extrudes, revolves, fillets, patterns — with real dimensions, not a dumb surface trace of the mesh.

04
Verification & handoff

Overlay the new model against the original scan to confirm deviation is within tolerance, then deliver native and neutral-format files.

Deliverables

Fully parametric solid model

Feature-tree CAD in SolidWorks or Fusion 360 — real, editable features and dimensions, not a static mesh or dumb surface body.

Dimensional accuracy report

A deviation analysis overlaying the final model against your original scan, so you know exactly how tight the rebuild is.

Manufacturing-ready drawings

2D drawings with GD&T callouts, suitable for machining, molding, or incoming-inspection QC.

Multi-format delivery

STEP, IGES, and native SolidWorks/Fusion source files — whatever your downstream tools need.

Have a part with no CAD file behind it?
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Common questions

What file formats can you work from?+

STL, OBJ, PLY, and raw point clouds from most structured-light or laser scanners.

I don't have a scan — can you still help?+

Yes, but that's a separate service — see Physical Part to CAD. Ship the part directly (or I arrange scanning) and I measure it myself instead of working from an existing scan.

Is the result an actual editable CAD model, or just a copy of the scan?+

A true parametric solid model — real features, real dimensions, editable like any CAD file designed from scratch. A dumb surface trace of the mesh isn't useful for machining or molding, so that's never the deliverable.

My part has worn or damaged surfaces from use — can you still reverse-engineer it?+

Yes. Worn features get reconstructed to their likely original design intent using surrounding geometry and any reference dimensions you can provide, rather than modeling the damage itself.

Can you also fix or improve the design while reverse-engineering it?+

Yes — this is a common request. If you want dimensional or material changes for a new manufacturing process, let me know before the rebuild starts so the parametric structure supports the change.

How much does 3D scan to CAD reverse engineering cost?+

Cost scales with part complexity — feature count, surface type, and tolerance requirements — not just physical size. Send the scan and you'll get a fixed-price quote, usually within an hour, so there are no surprises mid-project.

Let's build this

Have a 3D scan that needs to become a real CAD model? Send it over and I'll take a look.

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