
Computer-Aided Design Experts in Essen
matched in minutes with vetted, available specialistsHire experts who create accurate 2D drawings, 3D models and production-ready documentation across tools such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor. FRATCH finds the right vetted, available freelancer with fast, precise AI matching.
Meet FRATCH Experts in Essen, who have recently used Computer-Aided Design
Gundolf S.
Last position:
Project Manager at Self-employed – Freelancer
- Project Manager steel works crane and material handling at ArcelorMittal in Eisenhüttenstadt for their decarburization project, December 2024 to March 2025
- Project Manager Cranes and Logistics for the new converter at Aurubis Hamburg via Hays AG, May to October 2024
- Specification for placing the orders and coordination of interfaces
- Erection of a powder production plant for an Indian customer in Bengaluru, 2024
- Leading the erection and assembly team of the customer Indo MIM
- Responsible for Health, Safety and Environment
- Technical and commercial project management at Belimed Life Science AG in Sulgen, Switzerland, with SAP, 2022
- Revamp of a slab rolling mill for copper for Siam Poongsan including engineering, construction and site and quality management, own order directly from the end customer, 2021 to 2023
- Site and quality management for a powder production plant (gas atomization system) in Penang, Malaysia, Oryx Advanced Materials, 2022
- Interim Head of Services at ALD Vacuum Technologies, Hanau/Bangkok, installation, service and construction management, 2019 to 2024
- Interim Head of Service Cold Rolling Mills and continuous casting at Danieli Thailand/Vietnam, 2016 to 2018
- Interim Manager Quality Assurance at SMS Concast for four months in 2018
Dane C.
Last position:
Mechanical Design Engineer at SUSS MicroTec
- Independent work as a mechanical design engineer.
- Design work in SolidWorks 2022.
- Creation of drawings for assemblies and individual parts, taking surface finish, machining, and material into account.
- 3D design and new development of modules for manufacturing computer chips.
- 3D design and implementation of concepts in close coordination with the design team.
- Design of an extraction system for solvents (acids and alkalis), focusing on cost reduction and automatic retention.
- Use of 3D sketches to design hose routing.
- Reading pneumatic diagrams and implementing them in CAD.
- Development of a gas component plate for supplying four lines, including the integration of filters and design simplification.
- Prototype construction and new development.
- Import and further processing of STEP files.
- 3D design of E-cabinet equipment based on templates.
- Use of the SAP and ECTR PLM systems for storing, copying, linking, attaching data, changing statuses, and versioning.
- Creation of work lists, maintenance of material master data, and change numbers.
- Structure maintenance and BOM export.
- Work with transactions for changes, documents, and material masters.
- Creation of layouts for complete systems and individual modules for internal coordination.
Joachim Q.
Last position:
Managing Director & Project Manager at POWERJO GmbH
- Project planning and project management of packaging lines
- Support of the entire project process and optimization through claim management, open points list, regular project meetings, stakeholder management
- Feasibility analysis, packaging development and tendering of a packaging line for frozen baked goods for a large bakery
- Technical consulting on the process and production of a circular packaging solution
- Support for startups (design office, food producer, consulting company, ...)
- Project manager on the customer side for a heating equipment manufacturer, packaging technology/central palletizing
- Technical sales in packaging technology in northern and western Germany
Artjom I.
Last position:
Implementation and Process Manager Warehouse Management and Material Flow & Lean at Siemens Mobility
- Process improvement and harmonization in logistics for the worldwide rollout of SAP EWM in the business segment
- Supporting tasks in Lean topics for the strategic development of the organizational units in the Siemens Performance System
Sven H.
Last position:
Director Recycling Technology / Authorized Representative at FormaTurf GmbH
- P&L shared responsibility
- Leading FormaTurf’s global strategy
- Responsible for all technical departments (R&D, production, engineering, HSE, quality)
Fabian S.
Last position:
ABB
- Handling of various components between feed conveyor, machine, discharge conveyor and, depending on the component, XZY palletizing and depalletizing with handling of intermediate layers
- Position recognition of parts using a robot-guided Sensopart camera communicating via PC interface with the robot
- Search runs during depalletizing for parts and pallet stack height
- Insertion of the part on two centering pins in the machine within a tolerance of <1.5 mm
- Complete 3D CAD simulation, offline programming, first configuration on site, full commissioning of the camera
- Profinet configuration to the PLC and gripper
- On-site commissioning at customer
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Statistics of experts using Computer-Aided Design
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
17 years (Germany: 22 years)

Position duration
3.9 years (Germany: 5.7 years)

Positions per freelancer
8 (Germany: 12)

Top business areas
Production, Project Management, Operations

Top industries
Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Transportation

Certification focus areas
Operations, Information Technology, Legal
Bachelor's degree or higher
100% (Germany: 86%)
Master's degree or higher
75% (Germany: 52%)
Doctorate
25% (Germany: 9%)

Certifications per freelancer
1 (Germany: 3)

Most common languages
German, English, French

Speak two or more languages
100% (Germany: 96%)
Based on our profile pool as of 29 Oct 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts in this technology in Essen are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows the share of experts charging within that range.
Average rates of experts in Essen using Computer-Aided Design
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 29 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Computer-Aided Design experts industry focus
See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Manufacturing (100%)
- Food and Beverage (33%)
- Transportation (33%)
- Metals and Mining (33%)
- Professional Services (33%)
- Aerospace and Defense (17%)
- Agriculture (17%)
- Chemical (17%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the technology
What CAD covers
Computer-Aided Design, commonly called CAD, uses digital tools to create, edit and document precise technical designs. Specialists produce 2D drawings, 3D solid models, assemblies and layouts that support engineering, manufacturing, construction and product development. The work connects early concepts with decisions that can be reviewed, tested and produced.
Typical deliverables
- Parametric 3D parts, assemblies and product models
- 2D plans, elevations, sections and manufacturing drawings
- Tolerances, dimensions, bills of materials and revision records
- Design changes prepared for prototyping, machining or construction
- Files exchanged with simulation, CAM, BIM and PLM systems
The required output depends on the discipline. Mechanical projects may need detailed assemblies and sheet-metal features, while building projects often focus on coordinated plans and spatial information.
Tools and workflows
The CAD ecosystem includes AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX, Fusion 360 and specialised tools for civil or architectural work. Strong specialists understand native file formats, export standards, layers, constraints, assemblies and version control. They can also connect design data with CAM, finite element analysis, BIM, rendering and product lifecycle management workflows.
When specialists help
Companies bring in freelance CAD expertise when internal capacity is limited, a product needs urgent redesign or a legacy drawing set must be rebuilt. External support is also useful for preparing production documentation, standardising templates and transferring designs between systems. In Essen and the surrounding industrial region, collaboration may involve manufacturing, plant engineering, energy, construction or automotive supply chains.
- A new design needs production-ready documentation
- An existing model requires correction or conversion
- A project needs extra capacity before a release or tender
- Design standards and file structures need to be made consistent
What strong professionals bring
Quality depends on more than clean geometry. Experienced professionals clarify design intent, choose practical modelling methods and check assemblies for interference, manufacturability and maintainability. They document assumptions, follow naming and revision rules, and communicate clearly with engineers, fabricators, suppliers and project teams. Familiarity with German technical documentation and local on-site requirements can support projects based in Essen, while secure remote workflows suit many CAD assignments.
How to assess fit
Review comparable deliverables rather than relying only on software names. Ask how the specialist handles revisions, tolerances, references, missing source data and collaboration with production or construction teams. A useful trial task can reveal modelling discipline, drawing clarity and attention to standards. Confirm the required software version, file ownership, hardware or remote-access setup, review process and expected handover format before work begins.
Frequently asked questions
Not sure where to start with Computer-Aided Design? These answers cover the essentials.
Computer-Aided Design is used to create precise 2D drawings and 3D models for products, machines, buildings, infrastructure and production equipment. It supports concept development, engineering review, simulation preparation, fabrication and technical documentation.
CAD focuses on creating and documenting geometry, layouts and technical design information. BIM adds coordinated building data and lifecycle context, while CAM uses design data to plan manufacturing processes; many projects connect all three workflows.
A strong Computer-Aided Design specialist should know the tools relevant to the project, such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, CATIA, Siemens NX or Fusion 360. Software expertise matters, but knowledge of file exchange, drawing standards, assemblies and downstream production is equally important.
CAD work often benefits from knowledge of manufacturing methods, tolerance design, materials, technical documentation and quality processes. Depending on the project, useful adjacent skills include CAM, finite element analysis, BIM coordination, rendering, scanning and product lifecycle management.
The right level depends on the deliverable and its consequences. A simple drawing update may need less background than a complex assembly, production release or coordinated construction model, so assess comparable work, standards knowledge and review habits rather than relying on a generic experience label.
Computer-Aided Design is often suitable for remote collaboration when files, software access, review rules and version control are organised. On-site sessions can still help with measurements, production checks or coordination with workshops and construction teams in Essen.
Inspect sample drawings and models for clear structure, accurate dimensions, sensible constraints, clean revisions and usable exports. Ask the specialist to explain design decisions and how they check interference, manufacturability, standards and handover requirements.
A CAD freelancer should confirm the intended output, source files, software version, units, standards, tolerances, naming rules and approval process. It is also important to clarify whether the work covers modelling only or includes design decisions, production support, coordination and final documentation.
The average hourly rate of freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects is 106 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 850 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects, 100% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 75% hold at least a Master's degree, and 25% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects have 17 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.9 years.
The most common languages among freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects are German (100%), English (83%), and French (50%).
The most common industries among freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects are Manufacturing (100%), Food and Beverage (33%), and Transportation (33%).
The most common business areas among freelancers in Essen, Germany who have used Computer-Aided Design in their recent projects are Production (83%), Project Management (83%), and Operations (67%).
Main locations of FRATCH Experts, who have recently used Computer-Aided Design
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
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