01
The file went to a broker by email
It sits in an inbox you cannot audit, then gets forwarded to a factory you never approved. Two weeks later the same housing shows up on a trading site. You have no log of who opened it or when.
IP Protection
How We Keep Drawings Safe
Your CAD files are your product. We limit who can open them, log every download, and sign an NDA before quoting. Files stay inside our network and never reach a third-party site.
NDA on requestISO 27001:2022Access-limited files12-hour quoteNo third-party uploads
ISO 27001:2022Information security management
3Wholly-owned plants, one network
150Technicians under access control
2011Manufacturing since
Where files leak
Four ways a drawing leaves your control
Most leaks are not dramatic. They are small process gaps.
02
No NDA was signed before the quote
Quoting often starts before paperwork. A shop with your STEP file and your tolerances can bid the part to someone else, or keep the geometry for a future customer. The quote is cheap because the risk was never priced in.
03
Your file was uploaded to a public quoting portal
Some platforms push drawings to a pool of suppliers. You get fast bids. You also lose track of how many parties hold the model, and there is no way to pull it back once the project ends.
04
Engineers share a single login
When the whole shop floor uses one account, download records mean nothing. A junior operator can copy a customer's model to a USB stick. You would never know until a competing part appears.
How we handle it
Protection is a process, not a promise
Three controls do most of the work: signed agreements, access limits, and file handling that never leaves our network.
Agreement first
NDA before we see the geometry
A mutual NDA can be signed before you send anything. We return the countersigned copy and only then open a project folder. No drawing enters the shop until the paperwork is on file.
For long programs we also accept your own NDA template. If your legal team needs changes, we mark up the clauses instead of pushing back on the whole document.
- 1Mutual NDACovers both directions, your design and our process data.
- 2Your template acceptedWe review and redline rather than refuse.
- 3Signed before quotingThe countersigned copy goes back to you the same day.
Access control
Who can open your file, and who cannot
Files live on our internal server, not on individual laptops. A programmer gets read access only for the job they are running. Machinists see the setup sheet and tool list, not the full assembly.
Every open, download and edit is logged against a named account. When a project closes, access is revoked and the log stays archived. ISO 27001:2022 is the framework behind these controls, and it is audited.
- 1Named accounts onlyNo shared logins on the shop floor.
- 2Role-based accessSetup sheets for operators, models for programmers.
- 3Logged and archivedOpen, download and edit events are recorded.
Choose your channel
How to send files without widening exposure
Pick the row that matches your project stage.
| Channel | Best for | What we do with the file |
|---|---|---|
| Encrypted archive by email | One-off prototypes | Stored in the project folder, deleted on request |
| Secure upload link | Full assemblies, large STEP files | Held on the internal server, access limited to the job |
| NDA plus drawing review | New programs with tight IP | Reviewed by one engineer, no copies outside the folder |
| Physical drawing handover | Defense and legacy prints | Scanned once, original returned, scan locked to the project |
What we make from those drawings
Machining services behind the same file controls
Every process below runs under the same access rules and one network across three plants.
01
5 Axis CNC Machining
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers for contoured housings and brackets. One setup means fewer people handle the model.
02
CNC Milling & Turning
Mill-turn centers for parts that need both operations. Fewer handoffs, fewer copies of the drawing.
03
Rapid Prototyping
First articles from one prototype up. Useful when you want to test fit before releasing the full model.
04
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Enclosures, panels and brackets. Flat patterns stay in the same controlled folder as the 3D model.
05
Part Surface Finishing
Anodizing, plating, powder coating and laser marking. Outsourced steps are covered by the same NDA.
06
Custom 3D Printing
For jigs and low-volume covers. Build files are treated as production data, not shared externally.
File handling scope
What is covered, and what is not
| Item | Covered | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CAD models (STEP, IGES, X_T) | Yes | Stored on internal server, access by role |
| 2D prints (PDF, DWG) | Yes | Same folder as the model, same log |
| Third-party finishing | Yes | Vendor works under our NDA, not yours |
| Subcontracted heat treat | Yes | Drawing shared only as a controlled excerpt |
| Your customer's end-customer data | On request | Needs a separate agreement naming both parties |
| Open-source or public models | Not applicable | No confidentiality claim on public geometry |
Why engineers pick us for sensitive work
Six controls you can audit
ISO 27001:2022
Certified information security
The management system covers file storage, access review and incident handling, not just the shop floor.
NDA on request
Signed before quoting
We accept your template or provide a mutual one. Countersigned copy returns the same day.
Named accounts
No shared logins
Every engineer, programmer and operator has an individual account tied to a job role.
3 plants
One controlled network
Dongguan and Singapore sites use the same access rules. Files move internally, never by public link.
150 technicians
Limited by role
Operators see setup sheets. Only programmers see the full model. That is the default.
12 hours
Quote and DFM without uploads to third parties
Your file goes to our engineers only. Free DFM comments come back with the quote.
ISO 9001:2015Quality management
IATF 16949:2016Automotive quality
ISO 13485:2016Medical device quality
ISO 27001:2022Information security
Sectors with strict file rules
What these industries require, and what we deliver
Robotics & Automation
Joint housings and end-effector brackets. Customers need the model locked to one programmer, with no copies on the shop floor.
- ±0.005 mm
- 16 five-axis centers
- Role-based access
Electronics
RF shields, heat sinks and connector bodies. Programs often start under NDA before the product is announced.
- NDA before quoting
- ISO 27001:2022
- 3–5 day shipping
Medical Devices
Instrument parts and fixture plates. Traceability and controlled drawings are the baseline, not an add-on.
- ISO 13485:2016
- 100% inspection
- Archived access log
FAQs
Questions about file confidentiality
Can I get an NDA before I send the STEP file?
Yes. We sign a mutual NDA before any drawing reaches an engineer. If your legal team has a template, send it and we will redline the clauses we cannot accept.
The countersigned copy comes back the same day, and quoting starts after that.
Are my drawings uploaded to a third-party quotation platform?
No. Files go to our internal server, and only our engineers open them for quoting and DFM review.
We do not push your model into a supplier pool or a public bidding portal. That is a different business model, and it is not ours.
How long do you keep my files after the order ships?
By default, production files stay archived so repeat orders do not need a re-upload. Access is revoked for the job team once the run closes.
If you want deletion, say so in the purchase order or email. We remove the folder and send written confirmation.
Do outside finishing vendors see my full drawing?
They see only the excerpt needed for the step they perform, such as an anodize note and a masked area. Vendors work under our NDA, not yours, which keeps the contract chain short.
If your program forbids any subcontracting, tell us at quoting and we will keep the part in-house.
What stops an operator from copying a file to a USB stick?
Operators work from setup sheets and tool lists, not the CAD model. USB ports on shop-floor terminals are disabled, and downloads are tied to named accounts.
A copy would appear in the access log, which is archived and reviewed.
Can you machine a part if I only send a PDF print?
Often yes, if the print carries enough dimensions and tolerances. We will flag missing datums and callouts in the DFM comments rather than guessing.
For contoured surfaces, a 3D model saves a round of questions and reduces the risk of a wrong setup.
Is there a minimum order quantity for confidential programs?
No minimum order quantity. One prototype and a 10,000+ part run go through the same access controls.
The paperwork is identical either way, so a single unit does not create a weaker process.
What happens if a breach occurs?
The ISO 27001:2022 management system defines the response: contain access, identify the accounts involved, and notify the affected customer.
We share the access log for your project so you can verify what was opened and when.
Send the drawing when you are ready to protect it
Sign the NDA first, then upload. You get a quote and free DFM analysis within 12 hours, with no minimum order quantity.
NDA on request12-hour quote100% inspectionNo MOQ
