A CAD Model Checklist for Mechanical Engineer

A beautiful CAD model proves nothing. A manufacturable CAD model proves everything.

Most designs fail not on screen, but on the shop floor, because DFM wasn't considered early enough. Designing without manufacturability in mind is like writing an essay the teacher can't read.

It looks good but it won't pass.

Early Checks Every Designer Should Do:
- Draft angles, parts should release from molds, not fight them
- Wall thickness limits, avoid warp, sink, weak sections
- Tolerance stack, parts must fit when reality kicks in
- Tooling direction, machinists shouldn't need extra setups
- Assembly access, if you can't reach it, you can't build it

I once redesigned a component and cut machining setups from 3 down to 1, simply by aligning a fillet with the tooling direction.

Same function, less cost, faster production. Manufacturability isn't a final step. It's a filter you apply from the first sketch to the last revision. Because a CAD model that looks good is art. A CAD model that manufacturers can build is engineering.