CAD Outsourcing Handover Checklist
6 min read
Written by Guntis Endziņš — Mechanical Engineer & Founder, Guenzo Engineering
Outsourced CAD projects fail at the two handovers, not in the middle. This checklist covers both directions: what you give the partner at kickoff, and what you must get back before you call the project closed.
Part 1 — Kickoff: what to send the CAD partner
- Signed NDA before any technical detail is shared.
- Function statement: what the part or machine must do, and what "good" looks like.
- Manufacturing process and volume: sheet metal, machined, welded, molded, printed — and how many.
- Constraints: envelope, mounting interfaces, loads, duty cycle, environment, applicable standards.
- Existing data: current CAD, scans, photos with a scale reference, supplier drawings, competitor teardowns.
- Standards pack: your drawing template, title block, part numbering scheme, tolerance defaults, preferred fastener and component libraries.
- CAD environment: software and version, units, and whether the partner must match your release version exactly.
- Deliverable list: native CAD, STEP, PDF, DXF, BOM, renders — state each one explicitly.
- Decision owner: one named person who can approve a design direction within a day.
- Milestones: concept review, design review before drawings, final release.
Part 2 — Delivery: what to receive back
- Native CAD in your version, opening without missing references or broken external links.
- Neutral exports: STEP for parts and assemblies, DXF flat patterns for sheet metal, STL only where printed.
- Drawings in PDF, matching the model revision, using your template.
- BOM with make-or-buy status and manufacturer part numbers for purchased items.
- Design rationale note: the assumptions, the load cases considered, and the decisions that would need revisiting if requirements change.
- Open items list: anything unresolved, so it does not surface at the supplier.
- Confirmation of deletion: written confirmation that project files were removed from the partner's systems after handover, per the NDA.
Part 3 — Acceptance test before you sign off
- Open the native assembly on a clean machine with no custom library paths. It must rebuild.
- Regenerate one drawing sheet from the model. It must not change.
- Send the STEP file to one supplier for an indicative quote and see whether questions come back.
- Check mass properties against your expectation — a wrong assigned material is the most common silent error.
What we do differently
On our own projects the design review happens before drawings are produced, not after. Producing a full drawing package on geometry that has not been reviewed against the manufacturing process is how a project ends up documented twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I send a CAD outsourcing partner at kickoff?
A signed NDA, the function and constraints, the intended manufacturing process and volume, existing CAD or scans, your drawing standards, the exact deliverable list and one named decision owner.
What files should I receive at the end of an outsourced CAD project?
Native CAD in your version, STEP exports, PDF drawings matching the model revision, DXF flat patterns for sheet metal, a BOM, a design rationale note and a list of open items.
How do I protect IP when outsourcing CAD?
Sign an NDA that assigns deliverables to you, share files through a workspace you control and can revoke, and require written confirmation that project files were deleted after handover.
How do I verify an outsourced CAD delivery?
Open the assembly on a clean machine, regenerate a drawing from the model, check mass properties against expectation, and send the STEP file to a supplier for an indicative quote.