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CAD / CAM Designer
As a junior, midweight or senior CAD CAM designer, you are at the heart of product design and the manufacturing process either in a business’s production department or, with the right experience, freelance or for an agency.
As an integral part of the business, you sit between production, design and the shopfloor / sales, working mostly on bespoke and white label engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery.
The role can be wide and diverse, covering hand sketching concepts and designs, providing illustrative renders, presenting ideas, interpreting briefs and making designs for bespoke pieces to client specifications, creating viable working production models, producing printed RP resins for production moulds, creating designs for the company catalogue and overseeing castings for quality control.
You produce robust and cast-ready files (and catalogue them) and liaise directly with casters. If models need alterations for repeat production, you work with mounters and setters. You’re a technical problem solver with manufacturing knowledge you can explain to clients, sales staff and production if needed.
Length of Training
1-3 Years
Salary Expectations
£25,000+
Qualification Requirements
Knowledge
• A solid understanding of jewellery manufacture
• Proficient Maxtix, Rhino, 3D, zbrush, Gemvision, Photoshop, Illustrator and similar
• Experience with 3D printing
• An understanding of tolerances
Skills
• Proficient in CAD
• Have hand drawing skills
• Have bench skills
• IT literate and conversant with MS Office and GSuite
• Extremely organised
• A multi-tasker
• Able to manage your time and work to deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• A critical thinker and problem solver
• A keen eye for detail
Personal Attributes
• Detail orientated
• Deadline driven
• A self-starter who gets things done
• A natural problem solver who relishes a challenge
• A collaborative team member
• Able to work under pressure
• Open-minded and innovative
• Can work accurately in a fast-paced environment
• Adaptable
• You’re passionate about jewellery and follow jewellery designs and trends
Qualification Requirements
Commonly, a degree and 1 to 5 years’ industry experience. Great CAD CAM designers have bench experience and good knowledge of jewellery manufacturing processes.
Role Also Called
CAD CAM technician, CAD CAM operative, CAD CAM assistant
Meet the CAD / CAM Designer
Insights from George O’Connor, a young CAD Designer from Andrew Everest Fine Jewellery.
Question
Describe the training that you have received. How much did you know about CAD beforehand?
Answer
I received training from Jack Meyer (CAD/CAM specialist and educator) to start off with through 3design, then from there my boss, Andy, has carried on with the training. I had a small amount of CAD skill from school from a CAD programme called Solid Works which gave a good grounding. Andy and Pooja (the CAD specialist from Sierra Consultancy), recommended that I start my journey by taking the online 3DESIGN CAD short course with the British Academy of Jewellery.
I found transitioning from the bench into CAD to be a very easy/smooth one. Having had that bit of experience in understanding jewellery manufacturing, definitely helped.
The course gave me a good foundation to get started. Pooja regularly checked to make sure I understood everything and was there when I got stuck. I had a few one-to-one training sessions with her, where I was shown more advanced features and given tips to avoid error.
Question
What is the best thing about your current job?
Answer
I enjoy the design aspect of 3design, and the speed – it allows you to go from a concept to a finished piece, doing both the design and manufacturing, which is very rewarding. With 18 months of CAD experience under my belt, I’m able to create many designs on the computer. Andy and I have found that this has helped speed up our workload and gives us accurate weights and a realistic render (image) for the client before they commit.
Question
What advice would you give to somebody thinking of utilising CAD?
Answer
I would advise anyone to get adequate time spent at the bench learning the basic skills of how to make jewellery by hand before using CAD.
Question
What has been a career highlight for you?
Answer
I like seeing jobs that I’m proud of making being admired and appreciated by the client.
