SolidWorks, Fusion 360, CATIA, NX — which to use
SolidWorks dominates Indian manufacturing — it's what your vendor's tool room is set up for, and it's the safe default. Fusion 360 is increasingly common for product design teams that prefer cloud-native tooling and don't need the deep customization of SolidWorks. CATIA / NX show up in automotive and aerospace programs. Choose based on the downstream toolchain — if your vendors expect SolidWorks files, working in Fusion just to translate is friction.
Common CAD service types in India
(1) Parametric 3D modeling from sketch / brief — the most common engagement. (2) Reverse engineering from physical samples or 2D drawings. (3) Production drawings (2D, GD&T, BOM) for an existing 3D model. (4) DFM review of CAD before tooling release. (5) Sheet metal flat-pattern generation with K-factor. (6) Plastic part feasibility — draft analysis, parting lines, gate locations. (7) Photorealistic rendering for client presentations. Most engagements combine 2-3 of these.
What it costs in India
Single parametric part: ₹3,000-₹15,000. Complex parametric assembly: ₹15,000-₹60,000. Full product CAD program with DFM and production drawings: ₹50,000-₹3 lakh. Reverse engineering per part: ₹5,000-₹40,000 depending on complexity. DFM review: ₹15,000-₹50,000 for a complete product review. Photorealistic rendering: ₹3,000-₹20,000 per image. Indian pricing is typically 30-60% below US / EU for comparable engineering quality.
How to evaluate an Indian CAD vendor
Three asks. (1) Show me a part you've designed that went into production — with the production drawing. Look at the GD&T quality. (2) What's your DFM checklist? Mature CAD vendors have written DFM checklists tuned to Indian manufacturing realities. (3) Can you handle the full lifecycle — from sketch to production drawing — or do you only do 3D modeling? Vendors who only do 3D and hand off the drawings to your team usually don't ship the quality you need.
What you should provide to brief a CAD project
(1) The design intent — sketches, photos, references, or a written brief. (2) The target manufacturing process — injection molding, sheet metal, CNC, 3D printing. (3) Critical dimensions and tolerances. (4) Mating parts (existing CAD or physical samples) the new part needs to fit with. (5) The downstream stage — is this a prototype CAD, production CAD, or DFM-ready CAD? Vendors that ask for all five before quoting are the ones to work with.
Working with Yantrix on CAD design
We deliver parametric CAD, reverse engineering, DFM review, and production drawings for Indian and international clients. Engagements include manufacturing-aware design from day one, GD&T on all production drawings, and a free DFM review pass before final delivery. Send us your design intent and target manufacturing process and we'll come back with a fixed-scope quote within a business day.
