About the job
I’m looking for a 3D/CAD product designer to help turn my concept for a customizable collectible figure into a functional, 3D-printable prototype.
The figure will be approximately 4.5 inches (115 mm) tall, with a stylized large head and smaller articulated body. The goal is to create a base character that can eventually be customized with interchangeable faces, hairstyles, clothing, and accessories.
Body & Articulation:
The figure should have good poseability, with articulation at the head/neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. A torso/waist joint can also be considered if it improves posing without making the design unnecessarily complicated.
The base body should have a simple, clean, neutral appearance because clothing and other accessories will be developed separately in the future.
Interchangeable Face System:
I want the character to have interchangeable face pieces without requiring the entire head to be removed.
Instead of exposing a large hollow head when the face is removed, I would like the front of the head to have a shallow recessed area where the face piece fits. The removable face should sit flush with the surrounding head when installed, with minimal visible gaps.
My current idea is to have a small button underneath the chin that releases the face. The button should blend into the character and be as unobtrusive as possible. Pressing it would release the face enough for the user to remove it and replace it with another face...
read more
I’m looking for a 3D/CAD product designer to help turn my concept for a customizable collectible figure into a functional, 3D-printable prototype.
The figure will be approximately 4.5 inches (115 mm) tall, with a stylized large head and smaller articulated body. The goal is to create a base character that can eventually be customized with interchangeable faces, hairstyles, clothing, and accessories.
Body & Articulation:
The figure should have good poseability, with articulation at the head/neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. A torso/waist joint can also be considered if it improves posing without making the design unnecessarily complicated.
The base body should have a simple, clean, neutral appearance because clothing and other accessories will be developed separately in the future.
Interchangeable Face System:
I want the character to have interchangeable face pieces without requiring the entire head to be removed.
Instead of exposing a large hollow head when the face is removed, I would like the front of the head to have a shallow recessed area where the face piece fits. The removable face should sit flush with the surrounding head when installed, with minimal visible gaps.
My current idea is to have a small button underneath the chin that releases the face. The button should blend into the character and be as unobtrusive as possible. Pressing it would release the face enough for the user to remove it and replace it with another face.
The face could use a small peg/attachment point and corresponding hole or another internal locking method to keep it aligned and secure.
I am open to the designer modifying or redesigning this mechanism if there is a better way to achieve the same result. The main goals are for it to be smooth, durable, secure, visually clean, easy to swap, and practical to manufacture.
Interchangeable Hair System:
The character should also have removable/interchangeable hair.
My current concept uses two small, shallow attachment dents/holes on the head, with matching attachment points located inside the removable hair piece. I do not want large holes to be visible when the hair is removed.
The hair should stay securely aligned when attached but still be reasonably easy for the user to remove and replace.
The two-point attachment system is only my initial idea. I am completely open to the designer tweaking, improving, or redesigning the hair attachment mechanism based on their professional experience. If another mechanism would be stronger, smoother, easier to manufacture, or better for repeated swapping, I would like to hear their recommendations.
The important goals are that the hair attachment is secure, durable, easy to swap, visually clean, and suitable for future manufacturing.
Prototype & Deliverables:
For this first stage, I am looking for a functional prototype design, not necessarily the final mass-production design. I want to be able to 3D print the figure, physically test the articulation and interchangeable parts, identify problems, and make revisions afterward.
I would like the final deliverables for this stage to include the 3D-printable files as well as the editable/source CAD files, so the design can continue to be developed later.
I already have a concept/reference sheet showing the approximate proportions, dimensions, articulation points, face mechanism, and hair attachment concept.
I am open to professional recommendations regarding joint design, tolerances, wall thickness, attachment mechanisms, durability, 3D printing, and future manufacturability. I would prefer someone who can engineer the mechanisms rather than simply reproduce the reference image exactly.
Experience with articulated toys, collectible figures, action figures, snap-fit mechanisms, small mechanical products, 3D printing, or design for manufacturing (DFM) would be especially helpful.
My goal for this stage is to create one working prototype that I can test and improve before considering larger-scale manufacturing.
read less
I’m looking for a 3D/CAD product designer to help turn my concept for a customizable collectible figure into a functional, 3D-printable prototype.
The figure will be approximately 4.5 inches (115 mm) tall, with a stylized large head and smaller articulated body. The goal is to create a base character that can eventually be customized with interchangeable faces, hairstyles, clothing, and accesso...
read more
I’m looking for a 3D/CAD product designer to help turn my concept for a customizable collectible figure into a functional, 3D-printable prototype.
The figure will be approximately 4.5 inches (115 mm) tall, with a stylized large head and smaller articulated body. The goal is to create a base character that can eventually be customized with interchangeable faces, hairstyles, clothing, and accessories.
Body & Articulation:
The figure should have good poseability, with articulation at the head/neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. A torso/waist joint can also be considered if it improves posing without making the design unnecessarily complicated.
The base body should have a simple, clean, neutral appearance because clothing and other accessories will be developed separately in the future.
Interchangeable Face System:
I want the character to have interchangeable face pieces without requiring the entire head to be removed.
Instead of exposing a large hollow head when the face is removed, I would like the front of the head to have a shallow recessed area where the face piece fits. The removable face should sit flush with the surrounding head when installed, with minimal visible gaps.
My current idea is to have a small button underneath the chin that releases the face. The button should blend into the character and be as unobtrusive as possible. Pressing it would release the face enough for the user to remove it and replace it with another face.
The face could use a small peg/attachment point and corresponding hole or another internal locking method to keep it aligned and secure.
I am open to the designer modifying or redesigning this mechanism if there is a better way to achieve the same result. The main goals are for it to be smooth, durable, secure, visually clean, easy to swap, and practical to manufacture.
Interchangeable Hair System:
The character should also have removable/interchangeable hair.
My current concept uses two small, shallow attachment dents/holes on the head, with matching attachment points located inside the removable hair piece. I do not want large holes to be visible when the hair is removed.
The hair should stay securely aligned when attached but still be reasonably easy for the user to remove and replace.
The two-point attachment system is only my initial idea. I am completely open to the designer tweaking, improving, or redesigning the hair attachment mechanism based on their professional experience. If another mechanism would be stronger, smoother, easier to manufacture, or better for repeated swapping, I would like to hear their recommendations.
The important goals are that the hair attachment is secure, durable, easy to swap, visually clean, and suitable for future manufacturing.
Prototype & Deliverables:
For this first stage, I am looking for a functional prototype design, not necessarily the final mass-production design. I want to be able to 3D print the figure, physically test the articulation and interchangeable parts, identify problems, and make revisions afterward.
I would like the final deliverables for this stage to include the 3D-printable files as well as the editable/source CAD files, so the design can continue to be developed later.
I already have a concept/reference sheet showing the approximate proportions, dimensions, articulation points, face mechanism, and hair attachment concept.
I am open to professional recommendations regarding joint design, tolerances, wall thickness, attachment mechanisms, durability, 3D printing, and future manufacturability. I would prefer someone who can engineer the mechanisms rather than simply reproduce the reference image exactly.
Experience with articulated toys, collectible figures, action figures, snap-fit mechanisms, small mechanical products, 3D printing, or design for manufacturing (DFM) would be especially helpful.
My goal for this stage is to create one working prototype that I can test and improve before considering larger-scale manufacturing.
read less