Retro Design Ventures
Now taking engineering projects

From concept to full‑scale production.

We take products and equipment from first idea to a design your manufacturer can build, backed by more than 30 years of combined experience.

Start an engineering project See what we do
Written quote before work starts You own every file NDA on request
30+Years of combined experience in product development, engineering and program leadership
WorldwideProducts we've worked on are in stores around the world
Your formatClean 3D files in the formats your manufacturer asks for
STEPSTLDXFNative
Product engineering

Everything between the idea and the factory floor

We turn early ideas into designs that work, make sense on cost and can be built. Your manufacturer, shop or supplier makes the parts from there. You can hire us for the full project or for one stage.

Concept to production

We carry the engineering from first idea and feasibility through detailed design and prototype rounds. It ends with a clean hand-off to your manufacturer.

Equipment development

Machines, fixtures and other equipment follow the same path, from the first requirements to a design your builder can make.

Design for manufacturing and cost

Each design is shaped around how it will be made. Cost, quality and performance are balanced before anyone pays for tooling.

Technical risk reduction

We tackle the hard technical questions early, so problems surface on the test bench instead of the production line.

Engineering and program leadership

Hands-on leadership keeps engineering teams and programs on schedule, on budget and in step with suppliers.

3D CAD and reverse engineering

Send a sketch or photo and we model the part or assembly in 3D. We can also measure an existing part and rebuild it as an editable model.

Showcase

From a rough sketch to a 3D model

A few lines and some best guesses are enough to get started. Here is what that sketch becomes.

~120 across? 6 holes, even 1" shaft?
What you send
Ø 120.00 Ø 26.00 BORE 6× Ø 9.0 THK 20.0
What you get back
Sizes confirmed with youWe check each rough size with you, then model the part to exact dimensions in your shop's units.
Parts that fit togetherThe model shows how mating parts line up, so clearances and hole patterns are right before anyone cuts material.
Ready for your manufacturerYou get a clean 3D model in the formats your shop or supplier asks for.
Design for manufacturing

Designed for how it will be made

A part that prints well can be hard to machine. Tell us how it will be made, and we shape the model around that process. That way, the first quote from your manufacturer reflects the real part.

Ask about your process

  • 3D printing

    We keep walls thick enough to print and overhangs light on support. Holes are sized for how printers actually behave.

    • Minimum wall thickness
    • Overhangs and supports
    • Print orientation
    • Hole and fit clearance

  • CNC machining

    Every feature stays within reach of the cutter, and inside corners get a real radius. Standard hole sizes mean no special tools.

    • Tool access
    • Inside corner radii
    • Standard drill and tap sizes
    • Fewer setups

  • Laser or waterjet cutting

    You get clean flat profiles as DXF files. Each one allows for kerf and skips features too small to cut cleanly.

    • Clean DXF profiles
    • Kerf allowance
    • Minimum feature size
    • Tabs and nesting

  • Sheet metal

    We model parts as true sheet metal, so the flat patterns bend to the right size the first time.

    • Flat patterns
    • Bend radii and relief
    • K-factor
    • Hole-to-bend distance

  • Injection molding

    Plastic parts are designed to release from the mold, fill evenly and hold their shape as they cool.

    • Draft angles
    • Even wall thickness
    • Ribs and bosses
    • Parting line and undercuts
Deliverables

Files your manufacturer can use

Every project ends with 3D files you can send straight to your manufacturer, your print service or another engineer. The files are yours to keep and reuse.

What you can send us

  • Hand sketches
  • Phone photos
  • Old drawings or scans
  • Existing CAD files
  • The physical part
  • Measurements and notes
STEPA solid 3D model that opens in almost any CAD or CAM program
STLA mesh file for 3D printing
DXFFlat cut profiles from the model, for laser and waterjet
NativeThe editable source model, for future changes
Process

How an engineering project runs

Every project follows five steps, from your first message to a design your manufacturer can build.

  1. Send what you have

    Share your idea, sketch, files or part, and tell us where you want to end up.

  2. Scoping call

    We talk through your goals, limits and production volumes. Together we agree on what success looks like.

  3. Written quote

    You get the scope, price and timeline in writing. Work starts once you approve it.

  4. Design and review

    You review the models and key decisions at set checkpoints. Ask for changes at any of them.

  5. Hand-off to your manufacturer

    You receive the final 3D files and design notes. Your shop, supplier or factory builds from there.

Engagements

Ways to work with us

Every engagement starts with a short call and a written scope. Choose the setup that fits your work.

Most common

Quoted project

Fixed priceSet in writing before work starts

Best when you have a defined product, part or assembly with a clear finish line.

  • Scope and deliverables in writing
  • Review checkpoints along the way
  • Revision rounds included in the quote
Request a quote

Hourly consulting

HourlyPay only for the hours used

Best for quick fixes, design reviews and questions that don't need a full project.

  • Design and model reviews
  • Model edits and file conversions
  • Advice on making parts easier to build
Ask about hourly

Ongoing support

MonthlyBilled through our LLC

Best for teams that need steady engineering help or a part-time engineering or program lead.

  • Part-time engineering or program lead
  • Contract-to-hire available
  • Help with design, suppliers and schedule
Talk about support
FAQ

Questions we hear a lot

Can you take a product from concept to production?

Yes, we can lead the engineering from concept and feasibility through detailed design and design for manufacturing. The work ends with a hand-off to production. Your shop, supplier or factory makes the parts, and we work alongside them. You can also hire us for a single stage.

What do I need to send to get started?

Send whatever you have. A sketch with rough sizes, a few photos, old drawings or a CAD file is enough for a first conversation. It also helps to tell us how the part will be made and which files you need at the end. We'll ask for anything that's missing.

Can you work from photos or a broken part?

Yes. Photos help most when a ruler or a known dimension is in the frame. For a broken or worn part, we work from the part itself and its measurements. Before modeling, we flag any features we need to confirm with you.

Which file formats do you deliver?

We deliver 3D files as STEP, STL and native CAD files, plus DXF flat profiles for cutting. Tell us what your print service, shop or manufacturer asks for, and we'll deliver in that format. 2D drafting and drawing sets are not part of our service.

Do you sign NDAs?

Yes. If your design is confidential, send us your NDA before you share files, or ask for ours. We can sign it before the scoping call.

Who owns the files?

You do. Once the project is paid for, the models and native files are yours. Use them, change them or send them to any shop you choose.

How do revisions work?

Quoted projects include review checkpoints where you can ask for changes. Your quote states how many revision rounds are included. Any change outside the agreed scope gets its own quote before work begins, so the invoice holds no surprises.

Start a project

Start an engineering project

Tell us what you're building and where it stands today. We'll reply with questions or a time for a short scoping call. A written quote follows.

  • Written quote before work startsYou approve the scope, price and timeline before we begin.
  • Confidential by defaultWe'll sign your NDA before you share designs.
  • You own every fileModels and native files are yours to keep.
Based in
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Step 1 of 3Engineering quote

What do you need help with?

What do you need help with?

Kind of work

Details that shape the quote

How it will be made (optional)
Files you need (choose any)
Budget (optional)
Timeline (optional)

Tell us about the project

Have sketches or files? Email them after we reply.

Ready to take it to production?

Send us the idea, the sketch or the part. We'll engineer a design your manufacturer can build at the right cost and quality.

Start an engineering project Email us