Independent product design & engineering support

Practical engineering support without the permanent overhead.

D&L Design Engineering helps UK SMEs with 3D CAD, product design, 3D-printed prototypes, jigs & fixtures, component obsolescence, manufacturing drawings and engineering backlog support.

Discuss a projectView pricing
Fixed-scope workNDA-friendlyManufacturing focusedUK based
General enquiriesenquiries@dlengineering.co.uk
Exploded electromechanical product assembly shown alongside CAD drawings and precision components.
Concept • CAD • integration • manufacturing support

Services

Engineering support across the product lifecycle

From one-off CAD tasks to structured engineering investigations and ongoing project support, the service is designed for businesses that need useful outputs rather than extra overhead.

Illustrative 3D CAD product design showing an exploded electromechanical enclosure and internal components.

3D CAD & Product Design

Concepts, enclosures, brackets, assemblies and design changes.

  • STEP / Parasolid
  • STL / 3MF
  • DXF / drawings
Explore service →
Illustrative CAD-to-prototype workflow showing a 3D printed engineering housing.

3D Printed Prototypes

Physical prototype parts to support fit checks, concept evaluation and design iteration.

  • Print-ready customer files
  • CAD + prototype packages
  • Iteration and reprint support
Explore prototyping →
Illustrative precision assembly jig and fixture designed around a machined component.

Jigs & Fixtures

Production tooling designed around repeatability, assembly and inspection.

  • Assembly aids
  • Locating fixtures
  • 3D-printable tooling
Explore service →
Illustrative electronics component engineering workspace with PCB and alternative components.

Component Engineering

Replacement assessments for obsolete, unavailable or single-source parts.

  • Datasheet comparison
  • Second-source research
  • Validation plans
Explore service →
Illustrative engineering BOM rationalisation and component management workflow.

BOM Optimisation

Clean up legacy BOM data, reduce duplicates and expose lifecycle risk.

  • BOM clean-up
  • Rationalisation
  • Cost-down support
Explore service →
Illustrative precision engineering component shown with detailed manufacturing drawings.

Manufacturing Drawings

Clear controlled drawings for suppliers, production and engineering change.

  • Dimensions and tolerances
  • Revision support
  • Supplier-ready files
Explore service →
Illustrative engineering design workspace combining CAD, electronics, drawings and project planning.

Fractional Engineering

Additional engineering capacity for defined tasks, backlogs and project peaks.

  • Project peaks
  • Backlog clearance
  • Defined support blocks
Explore service →
3D printed prototype housing shown beside its CAD model and engineering drawings.

Concept to prototype

Design it, review it, then hold it in your hand.

Where useful, CAD work can be taken through to a 3D-printed prototype so fit, form, clearances and interfaces can be checked before committing to production tooling or manufactured parts.

CAD developmentPrototype partsFit & form checksDesign iteration
Explore prototype support

Who we help

Built for SMEs, manufacturers and busy engineering teams

The service is especially useful where a business has engineering work to move forward but does not need, or cannot justify, another permanent engineer.

ManufacturersProduct and production support
Electronics SMEsMechanical integration and parts
Machine buildersFixtures, drawings and changes
Product developersConcept through prototype
FabricatorsSupplier-ready drawings and DXF
Overloaded teamsTemporary engineering capacity

Based in Birmingham

Engineering design support for Birmingham & the West Midlands

D&L Design Engineering is based in Birmingham and supports local manufacturers, product businesses and technical teams with 3D CAD, product design, prototypes, jigs & fixtures, manufacturing drawings and component engineering.

Engineering design in Birmingham →

Local capability, project-based support

Useful for West Midlands SMEs that need experienced engineering resource for a defined task, backlog or project peak without adding permanent overhead.

  • Mechanical and electromechanical design
  • Manufacturing and production support
  • Fixed-scope quotations available

Experience & qualifications

Engineering experience behind the service

D&L Design Engineering combines a formal electronic and electrical engineering background with more than 15 years of hands-on engineering and design experience across both mechanical and electrical disciplines.

BEng (Hons)Electronic & Electrical Engineering
15+ yearsEngineering & design experience
Mechanical + ElectricalHands-on product design and integration
Prototype capability3D-printed parts for fit, form and design iteration
More about experience & capability →

What you get

Clear scope, useful files and visible engineering decisions.

Projects are defined around the output you actually need: a CAD model, drawing pack, comparison report, fixture design or block of engineering support.

Defined deliverablesRevision controlNeutral CAD formatsStructured reports

Practical deliverables

Files and reports intended to support purchasing, prototyping, manufacture or engineering review.

Manufacturing mindset

Interfaces, fasteners, tolerances, sourcing and assembly are considered where relevant.

Flexible project size

Suitable for a single drawing or component review as well as a larger defined work package.

Commercial clarity

Guide pricing is published, with fixed quotations available when scope can be clearly defined.

How it works

From first message to usable engineering output

1

Send the problem

Share a sketch, photo, drawing, BOM, part number or existing CAD file.

2

Agree scope

Define the deliverable, assumptions, exclusions, price and timescale.

3

Engineering work

The design, comparison or investigation is completed with checkpoints where useful.

4

Receive the pack

Get the agreed models, drawings, report or supporting technical documentation.

Representative project scenarios

Typical engineering problems the service is built to solve

These are illustrative project types rather than client case studies. They show how a brief can be turned into a defined engineering deliverable.

Illustrative PCB and enclosure integration concept shown as an exploded electromechanical assembly.

CAD / Mechanical

PCB and enclosure integration

Brief: Retain a PCB securely inside a restricted moulded cavity.

Deliverable: Updated 3D geometry, location strategy and manufacturing detail.

Illustrative PCB and component comparison workspace for replacement component assessment.

Components

Obsolete component replacement

Brief: Identify realistic replacements for an end-of-life component.

Deliverable: Side-by-side comparison, risk notes and focused validation recommendations.

Illustrative assembly fixture holding a precision component for repeatable manufacture.

Manufacturing

Assembly jig development

Brief: Reduce operator variation in a repetitive assembly step.

Deliverable: Fixture concept, prototype CAD and drawing / print-ready files.

Example starting prices

Transparent enough to budget before you enquire

Most engineering work varies by complexity, but a published guide helps you understand the likely scale before sending a brief.

CAD

Simple 3D part

From £85

Basic part modelling or straightforward conversion from a sketch or existing information.

Component engineering

Replacement assessment

From £175

Structured review of an obsolete or unavailable component and realistic alternatives.

Engineering support

Half-day block

From £220

Useful for a compact group of drawings, investigations or engineering backlog tasks.

See full pricing guide

Free engineering tools

Choose software and equipment with engineering criteria, not sales copy

D&L Engineering Tools is a free companion resource with practical selectors and comparison guides for CAD software, 3D printers and engineering automation. Recommendations are based on workflow, material, capability and commercial-use requirements rather than commission level.

01

CAD Software Finder

Answer a short set of engineering-focused questions and compare suitable CAD platforms by workflow, file formats, operating system, budget and commercial use.

  • Mechanical & product design
  • Commercial-use checks
  • Feature-led comparison
Find suitable CAD software →
02

3D Printer Finder

Compare Bambu Lab machines and broader printer requirements around build volume, enclosure, material capability, chamber temperature and engineering workload.

  • Functional prototypes
  • Engineering materials
  • Bambu Lab comparisons
Find a 3D printer →
03

Engineering Software & Automation

Independent guides covering design software, workflow automation and practical digital tools for small engineering and manufacturing businesses.

  • Software comparisons
  • Automation platforms
  • Engineering-led buying guides
Browse all engineering tools →
04

D&L Engineering Shop

Downloadable engineering tools developed for repeatable qualification, measurement and product-development workflows.

  • Professional engineering templates
  • Qualification & measurement packs
  • Instant digital delivery
Visit the D&L Shop →
Explore D&L Engineering ToolsVisit D&L Shop

Start a conversation

Have an engineering problem that needs moving forward?

A drawing, photo, part number, BOM or rough sketch is usually enough to start scoping the work.

Useful things to send

  • Existing CAD or drawings, if available
  • Photos, sketches or key dimensions
  • The required output or file format
  • Any critical interfaces or constraints
  • Your target timescale
Discuss a project

Engineering insights

Detailed guidance for engineering and manufacturing teams

Technical articles covering PCB integration, tolerance analysis, BOM risk, component replacement, manufacturing drawings and product industrialisation.

View all engineering insights