What 3D Engineering Solutions does

3D Engineering Solutions (3DES) is a privately held metrology and engineering services company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a 30,000 sq. ft. ISO/IEC 17025-accredited temperature-controlled metrology laboratory. The company delivers professional engineering services built around advanced 3D data capture technologies, including industrial CT scanning (Nikon XTH 450kV and 225kV micro-focus systems), structured/white light scanning (Steinbichler Comet L3D), short range laser scanning with 7-axis portable CMMs, and long range laser scanning (FARO Focus S 350). Downstream from data capture, the company provides multi-sensor CMM inspection (Zeiss O-Inspect 863), dimensional inspection with FAI/PPAP support, 3D reverse engineering into CAD, design engineering including GD&T and gauge/fixture design, laser tracking, ANAB-accredited calibration services, tool life wear analysis, and expert engineering witness services.

The company serves customers across all 50 US states and 14 countries, with primary verticals in Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Off-Highway, and Tool & Die, and secondary verticals in Medical Device, Architecture/Engineering/Construction, Firearms & Explosives, and Forensics & Heritage. Notable named customers include the US Military (helicopter and jet re-engineering), an automotive OEM (high-volume certified X-ray inspection), a Fortune 100 energy facility (turbine BIM scanning), an airsoft gun manufacturer, the Frirsz Music Company, and the Cincinnati Union Terminal National Historic Landmark. The business operates with ITAR registration, GSA Advantage federal procurement access, ASNT corporate partnership, and AmericaMakes membership.

3DES generates revenue through professional services billing on hourly engineering rates, with quote-based pricing (typically delivered within one hour during business hours) for on-site and in-house scanning, inspection, reverse engineering, and design projects. The company is founder/owner-operated with no disclosed external funding, M&A activity, or institutional investment. Leadership disclosed includes Rob Glassburn (VP Operations, BSME/MSME/MBA, Professional Engineer, GD&T certified, Six Sigma Green Belt) alongside a team described as 12+ CT metrology engineers and a larger staff of degreed engineers across multiple disciplines. The operating model is direct B2B enterprise sales with quote requests via website forms and phone, complemented by content marketing (blog, YouTube, LinkedIn) and conference presentations (ASNT).

Name

3D Engineering Solutions

Legal name

3D Engineering Solutions

Website

https://3d-engineering.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3D Engineering Solutions is a Cincinnati-based, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited metrology and engineering services firm offering industrial CT scanning, 3D laser scanning, dimensional inspection, reverse engineering, and design engineering to aerospace, automotive, defense, and manufacturing clients across the US and 14 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Metrology & 3D Scanning Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus (3844)

akta.pro primary industry

Metrology & Scanning Services (Inspection Labs, On-Site Measurement) (IMAAAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inspection, Metrology & Certification Services for Additive Parts (IMAAADAN), Scan-to-CAD & Reverse Engineering Software (IMAAAHAE), Metrology & Inspection Systems (CMM, Laser Trackers, Optical Comparators) (IMAAAHAC), Inspection, QA & Certification for Finished Parts (NDT, CT, Surface Roughness, Documentation) (IMAAAGAM)

Keywords

• 3D laser scanning
• Industrial CT scanning
• Metrology services
• Dimensional inspection
• Reverse engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Contract Engineering Services: Hourly-based professional engineering services including 3D scanning, metrology, reverse engineering, and design engineering. Service cost derived by quoting the number of hours required for each project with internal hourly rates applied.
2. Industrial CT Scanning Services: 24/7 industrial CT scanning services with metrology-grade accuracy. Services include internal/external dimensional analysis, non-destructive testing, and voxel analysis.
3. Training Services: On-site training for customer staff on 3D scanning equipment and techniques, with one set price for as many staff as needed.
4. Programming Services: CMM and laser scanning programming services to help customers jump-start their newly trained staff or handle complex inspection requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

3D Engineering Solutions is a contract engineering services firm that captures physical objects as high-density 3D point clouds and CAD models using industrial CT scanning, structured/white light scanning, short range laser scanning, and long range laser scanning, then converts that data into reverse-engineered CAD models, dimensional inspection reports, metrology calibration certificates, and design engineering deliverables (GD&T, gauge/fixture design). Services are delivered both on-site at customer facilities and in the company's ISO 17025-accredited Cincinnati metrology lab for aerospace, defense, automotive, medical device, AEC, and industrial customers.

Product overview

3D Engineering Solutions operates as a metrology and engineering services company offering a unified portfolio of advanced data capture, measurement, and design services. The core offerings center on multiple 3D scanning technologies — Industrial CT Scanning (Nikon XTH 450kV and 225kV), Structured/White Light Scanning (Steinbichler Comet L3D), Short Range Laser Scanning (7-axis portable CMMs with laser line probes), and Long Range Laser Scanning (FARO Focus S 350) — which feed into downstream services including reverse engineering (CAD model creation from scan data), dimensional inspection/CMM services (Zeiss O-Inspect 863, FARO arms), metrology lab services, and design engineering (GD&T, gauge/fixture design). The company is ISO/IEC 17025-accredited and provides on-site and in-house services. The portfolio functions as an integrated suite where scanning data supports inspection, reverse engineering, and quality certification workflows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3D Scanning & Digitizing Services Comprehensive 3D scanning and digitizing using multiple technologies including Industrial CT Scanning, Structured/White Light Scanning, Short Range 3D Laser Scanning, and Long Range Laser Scanning to capture physical objects as high-density point clouds and 3D CAD models for reverse engineering, inspection, and digital archiving.
• Industrial CT Scanning Non-destructive X-ray based computed tomography scanning that captures internal and external structures of assemblies without disassembly, using voxel data sets to distinguish solids, liquids, and gases. Features Nikon XTH 450kV micro-focus CT and Nikon 225kV metrology-grade CT with VDI 2630 MPE values.
• Structured/White Light Scanning Blue LED light-based scanning using Steinbichler Comet L3D technology capturing up to two million points in 1.5 seconds, optimized for small intricate parts with tight point spacing requirements.
• Short Range 3D Laser Scanning High-density point cloud capture using 7-axis contact/non-contact measuring devices with laser line probes collecting up to 500,000 points per second, used for reverse engineering, rapid prototyping, and product inspection.
• Long Range Laser Scanning Large-scale 3D data capture for architecture/BIM modeling, industrial facilities, civil engineering, and large components using FARO Focus S 350 and other portable laser scanners, enabling millimeter-accuracy data collection across wide areas.
• Metrology Services ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory offering multi-sensor CMM/Vision inspection using Zeiss O-Inspect 863, dimensional inspection, quality inspection certifications, and programming services for precision measurement.
• Multi-Sensor CMM/Vision System (Zeiss O-Inspect 863) State-of-the-art optical/tactile inspection system featuring white light focal sensor, camera, and scanning probe capabilities for measuring parts at hair-width scale precision, integrated into the ISO 17025 scope of accreditation.
• Dimensional Inspection / CMM Inspection Contact and non-contact dimensional measurement using portable and fixed coordinate measuring machines, including FARO arms and fixed CMMs, providing first article inspection (FAI), PPAP support, and scan-to-CAD color mapping reporting.
• 3D Reverse Engineering Services Digitization of physical parts and assemblies into CAD models using laser scan data, supporting legacy product modernization, tool & die design, and competitive analysis, with deliverables as STLs or native CAD models.
• Design Engineering Services CAD/3D modeling, freeform surface modeling, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) engineering, and gauge/fixture design and build services complementing scanning and inspection workflows.
• Laser Tracking Services Large-volume precision measurement using laser tracker technology for alignment and inspection of large-scale industrial components.
• Metrology Calibration Services ANAB-accredited calibration services for custom gauges and fixtures per ISO 17025:2017, providing accredited certificates of calibration with as-found/as-left values and full traceability to international units.
• Tool Life Wear Analysis Proprietary analysis process documenting tool wear patterns over production life through regular sampling, enabling early indication of tool integrity problems and CNC toolpath optimization from 3D scan data.
• Expert Engineering Witness Services Professional engineering witness services for legal and regulatory matters involving dimensional measurement, quality disputes, and manufacturing compliance.
• Training Services On-site training for customer staff on 3D scanning equipment and techniques, with one set price for as many staff as needed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce FAI/PPAP time & cost by 80%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nikon Metrology, Inc. (NMI)coreTechnology or Integration · 11 July 2014Strategic partnership with Nikon Metrology for industrial CT scanning technology. Company has purchased multiple advanced industrial CT systems from Nikon including XTH 450kV and 225kV micro-focus systems. Nikon CT uses X-rays to penetrate components and retrieve all surface and internal details. This partnership established 3DES as a Center of Excellence for Metrology & Engineering Services.
• American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner with ASNT, the leading technical society for nondestructive testing professionals. Company personnel present at ASNT events and conferences on topics including precision non-destructive inspection of complex parts.
• ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board)coreOthersAccreditation body providing ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories. 3DES maintains ANAB accreditation for metrology services.
• GSA (General Services Administration)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed on GSA Advantage government procurement platform, enabling federal government agencies to access company's engineering and metrology services.
• AmericaMakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner/member of AmericaMakes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute.
• Faro TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner providing FARO Focus S 350 long range scanners and FARO articulating arm CMMs for portable measurement services. Company uses FARO equipment for on-site measurement and long range scanning applications.
• Hexagon Manufacturing IntelligencecoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner providing portable laser scanning technology and measurement solutions. Hexagon is one of two leading providers of portable laser scanning technology.
• Zeiss Industrial MetrologycoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner providing Zeiss O-Inspect 863 multi-sensor CMM for high-precision optical and tactile inspection. Adds to ISO 17025 scope of accreditation with enhanced measurement capabilities.
• Steinbichler Optronic (now part of Electro Scientific Industries)coreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner providing Steinbichler Comet L3D structured light scanner with LED blue light technology for high-speed precision scanning of parts like turbine blades.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shape Fidelity: 3D scanning, reverse engineering, and metrology services firm targeting heritage preservation, aerospace, and industrial clients with a similar on-site and in-house service delivery model.
• Exact Metrology: US-based 3D scanning, CT scanning, and dimensional inspection service bureau with multiple offices, offering laser scanning, structured light, and CMM inspection directly comparable to 3DES's core metrology service portfolio.
• Laser Design Inc. 3D scanning and reverse engineering service provider serving manufacturing and medical device customers across the US — comparable scan-to-CAD and dimensional inspection workflow.
• Creaform (part of AMETEK): Provider of portable 3D scanners, CT inspection, and metrology services for industrial and aerospace clients — direct overlap in laser scanning, CT, and inspection service delivery.
• 3D ScanCo: 3D scanning service bureau providing long range laser scanning, BIM modeling, and dimensional inspection for AEC and industrial customers — comparable service model and scanning tech stack.
• NVision Inc. 3D scanning and reverse engineering service bureau serving aerospace, automotive, and medical device customers with non-contact measurement and inspection — directly comparable service portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• TRIMBLE Inc. Large provider of scanning hardware (laser scanners, total stations) and engineering services for AEC and industrial customers — broad incumbent with overlapping long-range laser scanning and BIM offerings.
• Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence: Global metrology and 3D scanning equipment plus services portfolio — one of 3DES's equipment partners and a broad incumbent competing across portable CMM, laser scanning, and dimensional inspection.
• Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology: Provider of ZEISS CMM, optical, and CT metrology systems and services — equipment partner to 3DES and broad incumbent in industrial dimensional inspection.
• Nikon Metrology: Industrial CT and metrology equipment supplier and 3DES's strategic partner / Center of Excellence designation holder — competes with 3DES for some CT scanning services while supplying its core CT capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/robglassburn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/3DEngSolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3d-engineering-solutions

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3D Engineering Solutions