Digital design processes supported by CAD software have transformed the jewelry industry and taken their definite place in the jewelry designers’ workflow. Together with 3D printing, these digital technologies enable unlimited creative possibilities and customization.
From general CAD tools to proprietary jewelry design software, there are now dozens of viable alternatives, each with its own pros and cons, modeling approaches, and niche uses.
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Introduction to Digital Jewelry
Jewelry design has traditionally involved a deep sense of craftsmanship and understanding of processes such as wax sculpting, soldering, bending, weaving, and stone setting, but in this age of digital transformation things have been changing. Designs can be fully prepared using modern computer-aided design (CAD) systems and converted to physical models by 3D printers for rapid prototypes, try-on models, and investment casting.
While manual artisanship will still be required for multi-material techniques involving inlays, drusy, coloring effects such as sgraffito, selective oxidation, multicolor anodizing, and champlevé enameling, or cloisonné with wires as thin as a quarter of a millimeter, digital jewelry design and 3D printing champions sharp and intricate designs with limitless geometrical possibilities such as filigree meshes, interlocking parts, mechanical joints, and complex mathematical shapes.
Instant 3D previews and same-day designs help put the customer in the driver’s seat, reducing development times for personalized jewelry and increasing customer satisfaction. Personalization makes it possible to serve niche markets, leading to an increase in the number of online jewelry brands; jewelers, on the other hand, can gain self-sufficiency by learning to design for in-house production.