What do you need from me to get started?

We require a clear project brief including sketches, reference images, dimensions, and functional requirements. Please also specify your intended manufacturing method and target budget to ensure we engineer the product correctly from day one.

Is the cost of the physical prototype included in your packages?

No. Our fees cover the engineering design, 3D modeling, simulation, and technical documentation. We provide the manufacturing-ready files (DFM) you need to send to a prototyping facility or manufacturer.

What if I don't like the initial design?

This is why our workflow includes a dedicated "Concept & Ideation" phase. We present initial directions for your approval before beginning detailed engineering. This ensures the final output aligns perfectly with your vision.

Why should I choose you over a cheaper designer?

We are degreed engineers, not just 3D modelers. We ensure your product is physically viable, manufacturable, and mechanically sound. Investing in professional engineering now prevents expensive re-tooling errors during manufacturing.

Do you provide Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)?

Yes. We respect client confidentiality and are fully willing to sign an NDA before discussing your intellectual property or project details.

What file formats will I receive?

You will receive industry-standard 3D source files and 2D technical drawings ready for manufacturers.

Can you help me find a manufacturer?

While we do not handle manufacturing in-house, we provide comprehensive manufacturing support. We can recommend vetted partners and communicate with vendors to ensure your technical drawings are understood.

Do you only work with clients in Miami?

No. Sebar Design works remotely with startups and businesses across the United States. Our team is based in Miami, FL and Boston, MA, and all engineering deliverables (CAD files, technical drawings, and simulation reports) are delivered digitally, so location is never a barrier to working together.

What is a fractional product designer or engineer?

A fractional product designer or engineer provides senior-level mechanical engineering and industrial design expertise on an as-needed basis, without the cost of a full-time hire. It is the right fit for startups and small businesses that need to take a product from concept to a manufacturable, market-ready design without building an in-house engineering team.

Who is Sebar Design a good fit for?

Sebar Design is built for founders, startups, and small-to-medium businesses anywhere in the United States who need an experienced product designer or mechanical engineer to turn an idea into a manufacturable product, but are not ready to hire a full-time engineering team.

Sebar Design

Sebar Design is a fractional engineering consultant and industrial design studio based in the Miami Design District, Miami, FL. We serve as a fractional technical co-founder for startups and established businesses, bridging the gap between abstract product ideas and manufacturable, market-ready reality. We specialize in mechanical engineering, industrial design, CFD/FEA simulation, and precision prototyping.

Services

Technical Strategy & Fractional Leadership: Acting as your fractional technical co-founder: feasibility assessments, manufacturing roadmaps, and vendor sourcing for startups building physical products.
Mechanical Design & Engineering: Professional mechanical engineering including complex assembly design and structural optimization.
Industrial Design: User-centered industrial design focusing on ergonomics, aesthetics, and manufacturability.
Rapid Prototyping & CNC: Functional and aesthetic prototyping using SLA, FDM, and precision metal CNC machining.
FEA & CFD Simulation: Advanced structural and thermal simulation to validate designs before production.

Selected Work

The Sebar Monocoque (Automotive Design): A minimalist, performance-focused car body designed via CFD and validated through 3D printed prototypes.
The Electric Guitar (Product Design): A study in ergonomic form and acoustic sustain, redefining the connection between player and instrument.
The Heat Exchanger (Fluid & Thermodynamics): A 3D-printed copper heat exchanger using triply periodic minimal surface geometry to manage high thermal loads.
The Reverse Engineer (Furniture Design): A rapid reverse-engineering project delivering production-ready manufacturing files for a commercial furniture factory in a 72-hour sprint.

Studio

We operate through a structured process: Discovery & User Insight, Concept Development & Ideation, Prototyping & Iteration, and Finalization & Production Support, handing over 3D models, manufacturing drawings, and full production support at the end of every engagement.

Contact

Email: hello@sebardesign.com
Location: Miami Design District, Miami, FL 33137

When 3D Printing Metal Actually Makes Sense

March 18, 2026

Additive manufacturing gets pitched as the answer to everything. Most of the time it is not. Printed metal parts are expensive, slow to produce in volume, and often worse than a machined or cast part for the same job. Our heat exchanger project for Meer Lab was one of the rare cases where it was the only answer.

The problem

Meer Lab's solar cogeneration system was producing more heat than it could get rid of. The receivers were heading past 150°C, and the operating limit was 80°C. The space available for cooling was fixed. We needed a lot more heat transfer without a bigger part.

Why conventional designs did not work

More cooling usually means more surface area. Fins, tubes, and plates add surface area in a fairly linear way, and they hit the size limit fast. We needed a geometry that packed far more surface into the same volume.

We landed on a gyroid, a type of triply periodic minimal surface. It is a continuous, curving structure that splits the volume into two interlocking channels with a huge amount of wall between them. It is also impossible to machine or cast. The only way to make it is to print it, so we specified 3D printed copper.

Proving it first

We ran thermal CFD on the design before anything was printed. The model predicted the system would settle around 70°C, comfortably under the limit. The printed part, made by Markforged, matched the prediction. As a bonus, the overall system came in about 30% cheaper than a standard concentrated solar heliostat setup.

How we decide now

This project gave us a simple test for when to print metal:

Is the geometry impossible any other way? If it can be machined or cast, it probably should be.
Does the geometry directly improve performance? Complexity for its own sake is just cost.
Is the volume low? Printing makes sense for prototypes and small runs, not for ten thousand units.
Can you prove it before you print it? Simulation is cheap compared to a failed copper print.

If the answer to all four is yes, printing is worth a serious look. If not, there is almost always a cheaper and better way.