Frequently Asked Questions
-What services do you offer?
See the "Services Menu" tab above for services offered.
-What are your rates?
See the "Services Menu" tab above for rates.
-How much does it cost and how long does it take to have a product designed?
Product development cost can vary widely depending on the complexity of the product and the materials and processes involved. A very simple product intended for 3D printing could cost as little as $500 and be finished in a day or two while a complex mechanical device with multiple kinematic actions and high numbers of custom tooled parts could take months. Use the "Contact Form" tab above and you will be contacted about the feasibility and projected timeframe and costs associated with your project.
-If you can't firmly estimate how long a project will take, how will I know how to budget time and money for it?
While exact estimates are impossible for certain projects, it is often possible to give rough timeframe estimates for a project. To ensure that you are getting value for your money, Cohesive will send you e-mails with 3D PDFs (viewable with free Adobe Reader software) that allow you to track your project's progress every time a major step is completed. This way, you can decide for yourself if the project is meeting your budgetary needs or not and you can choose to stop the project and receive your models as-is at any time in any format Solidworks can export to and will only be responsible for the work hours incurred to that point.
-What software do you use?
Solidworks by Dassault Systèmes, a 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) program that creates dimensionally-based 3D models that can be easily used to create 2D manufacturing prints or exported to a number of file formats for direct digital integration with Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software. The list of compatible formats can be viewed here (note: some formats cannot be imported): http://help.solidworks.com/2012/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_File_Types.htm
-My product is innovative and has not been patented or includes trade secrets, is that OK?
Cohesive will never disclose or sell any proprietary information shared. The images and specifications of your products will only be disclosed if your permission is granted to do so.
-Can you guarantee that the product you design will not violate patents or other intellectual property?
While Cohesive will never deliberately copy existing designs or infringe intellectual property, due to the expansive nature of product-related intellectual property and the sheer number of products in existence, it is nearly impossible to be absolutely sure a product doesn't violate any intellectual property rights. If infringing patents or other intellectual property appears to be an issue with the nature of your product, it is recommended that you hire a patent attorney to review the design early and often as it develops to ensure the design is infringement-free (or licenses necessary technologies) before going forward with manufacture where infringement can lead to costly penalties. It is the client's responsibility to inform Cohesive of any and all potentially infringing features of a product as they become known.
-Do you design things like humans, animals, plants, and other organic forms for animation or statues?
Typically, no. Solidworks, the CAD software used by Cohesive, is meant for dimensionally defined shapes intended for consumer or industrial products. While an organic form like a person or plant is conceivably possible with Solidworks, this type of rendering is better left to a company or freelance individual specially suited to free-form mesh-based art software. For some examples of the types of projects Cohesive typically deals with, please review the portfolio by clicking the "Portfolio" tab above.
-Where are you located?
Downtown Houston, TX
Cohesive primarily serves the Houston, TX metropolitan area, but can work virtually with anyone via the internet. In fact, even local customers typically communicate via e-mail, phone calls, and occasionally video calls.
See the "Services Menu" tab above for services offered.
-What are your rates?
See the "Services Menu" tab above for rates.
-How much does it cost and how long does it take to have a product designed?
Product development cost can vary widely depending on the complexity of the product and the materials and processes involved. A very simple product intended for 3D printing could cost as little as $500 and be finished in a day or two while a complex mechanical device with multiple kinematic actions and high numbers of custom tooled parts could take months. Use the "Contact Form" tab above and you will be contacted about the feasibility and projected timeframe and costs associated with your project.
-If you can't firmly estimate how long a project will take, how will I know how to budget time and money for it?
While exact estimates are impossible for certain projects, it is often possible to give rough timeframe estimates for a project. To ensure that you are getting value for your money, Cohesive will send you e-mails with 3D PDFs (viewable with free Adobe Reader software) that allow you to track your project's progress every time a major step is completed. This way, you can decide for yourself if the project is meeting your budgetary needs or not and you can choose to stop the project and receive your models as-is at any time in any format Solidworks can export to and will only be responsible for the work hours incurred to that point.
-What software do you use?
Solidworks by Dassault Systèmes, a 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) program that creates dimensionally-based 3D models that can be easily used to create 2D manufacturing prints or exported to a number of file formats for direct digital integration with Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software. The list of compatible formats can be viewed here (note: some formats cannot be imported): http://help.solidworks.com/2012/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_File_Types.htm
-My product is innovative and has not been patented or includes trade secrets, is that OK?
Cohesive will never disclose or sell any proprietary information shared. The images and specifications of your products will only be disclosed if your permission is granted to do so.
-Can you guarantee that the product you design will not violate patents or other intellectual property?
While Cohesive will never deliberately copy existing designs or infringe intellectual property, due to the expansive nature of product-related intellectual property and the sheer number of products in existence, it is nearly impossible to be absolutely sure a product doesn't violate any intellectual property rights. If infringing patents or other intellectual property appears to be an issue with the nature of your product, it is recommended that you hire a patent attorney to review the design early and often as it develops to ensure the design is infringement-free (or licenses necessary technologies) before going forward with manufacture where infringement can lead to costly penalties. It is the client's responsibility to inform Cohesive of any and all potentially infringing features of a product as they become known.
-Do you design things like humans, animals, plants, and other organic forms for animation or statues?
Typically, no. Solidworks, the CAD software used by Cohesive, is meant for dimensionally defined shapes intended for consumer or industrial products. While an organic form like a person or plant is conceivably possible with Solidworks, this type of rendering is better left to a company or freelance individual specially suited to free-form mesh-based art software. For some examples of the types of projects Cohesive typically deals with, please review the portfolio by clicking the "Portfolio" tab above.
-Where are you located?
Downtown Houston, TX
Cohesive primarily serves the Houston, TX metropolitan area, but can work virtually with anyone via the internet. In fact, even local customers typically communicate via e-mail, phone calls, and occasionally video calls.