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Ring Mounts Bridal Cast Components Findings Bespoke Design Casting Services FastCAD About

New from Hockley Mint

Upload · Validate · Repair · Instant price

Turn your jewellery CAD files into priced, print-ready casting orders in minutes with FastCAD

The fast CAD file service for the jewellery trade, built into your Hockley Mint Account Home. Drop in an STL and it is validated and auto-repaired in seconds, priced instantly in your chosen metal and ready to order online.

FastCAD screen showing an uploaded STL file, the 3D CAD preview of a two-part ring and the instant quote with metal, finish and quantity options

A faster way to get your designs production-ready

FastCAD is Hockley Mint's online CAD file upload service, available now in the Account Home of every trade account. Upload your STL file and FastCAD's intelligent technology validates it in seconds, automatically identifies and repairs issues, returns a print-ready file and shows an accurate price for your chosen metal and options, so you can quote your customer and place the order there and then.

Once approved, your design is seamlessly transferred to our sister company, Merrell Casting, ready for casting in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. No emailing files back and forth, no waiting for a quote: CAD to casting in one place.

Secondsto validate your file
14metals and colours to price in
24/7online in your Account Home
1953casting heritage behind every order
Four simple steps

How FastCAD works

From CAD file to priced, print-ready casting order in minutes, without leaving your browser.

1

Upload your CAD / STL file

Drag and drop your STL into FastCAD from any device. Work in JewelCAD? The built-in converter turns your .jcd file into an STL and sends it straight through.

2

Validate and auto-repair

FastCAD checks your mesh in seconds and automatically repairs the faults that would stop a file printing and casting cleanly, so you do not have to.

3

Review the print-ready file

Your repaired, print-ready model is shown in a 3D preview you can rotate and zoom, with the exact volume and weight of every part.

4

Instant price, then order

Choose your metal, finish, hallmarking, same-day and Fairtrade options and quantity, watch the price update instantly, then place your CAD order online.

Demo

See FastCAD in action

Uploading an STL, validating and repairing it, configuring the quote and placing the CAD order in FastCAD (1 min 18 sec).

Built for the trade

Why jewellers choose FastCAD

Validation in seconds

No more waiting for a CAD technician to check your file. FastCAD tells you straight away whether your STL is ready for production.

Automatic repair

Mesh faults are identified and fixed for you, and the print-ready file comes back with a 3D preview so you can check the repaired model before you commit.

Instant, accurate pricing

Prices are calculated from the true volume and weight of your model in the metal you choose. Two-part designs, such as a shank and a head, are priced per part, each in its own metal.

Every option in one place

14 metals including 9ct to 24ct gold, platinum, palladium, silver and brass. Casting, de-sprue and buff, or finished item. Hallmarking, same-day casting and Fairtrade, all priced instantly.

Made for real orders

Confirm finger size and quantity, add your own order reference and special instructions, and bulk upload any number of STL files for repair in one go.

Cast by Merrell Casting

Approved orders go straight to our sister company, Merrell Casting, casting in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter since 1953, with 5-hour same-day casting available.

From CAD to casting: a green resin print of a halo ring, the finished cast and set ring, and the original line drawing

From CAD file to finished casting

FastCAD joins up the whole journey. The file you upload is the file that is printed and cast, so what you see in the 3D preview is what arrives from the foundry: no re-drawing, no surprises on the invoice.

  • Validated and repaired STL returned print-ready
  • Volume, weight and price shown for every part
  • Finger size, quantity and special instructions captured with the order
  • Cast, finished and hallmarked to your options by Merrell Casting

FastCAD on any device

FastCAD runs in your browser on desktop, tablet and phone, so there is nothing to install and nothing to update. Log in to your Hockley Mint Account Home, choose FastCAD from the menu and upload.

Need a quote while you are with a customer? Upload the file on your phone, choose the metal and read the price off the screen.

FastCAD open on a mobile phone, ready to upload and validate a CAD file
Early feedback

What jewellers are saying

We used your FastCAD service this morning, and we can already say what a great platform it is. It's very easy and straightforward to use. This will help us tremendously with estimating and pricing. We already love the platform after just our first use. Thank you very much for setting this up for us!

Lyle, Deacon & Son

Well, this is an absolute game changer, especially for costing! I like that it asks you to confirm the finger size of the rings. Can't wait to use it more.

Stephanie, James Brown Jewellers
Good to know

FastCAD questions answered

What file types does FastCAD accept?
FastCAD takes STL files, the standard export from jewellery CAD packages such as Rhino, MatrixGold, 3Design and ZBrush. If you design in JewelCAD, the built-in converter turns your .jcd file into an STL and sends it straight to FastCAD.
What does validate and auto-repair actually do?
FastCAD analyses the mesh of your STL file, finds the faults that would stop it printing or casting cleanly and repairs them automatically. You get a print-ready file back, and the repaired model is shown in a 3D preview you can rotate and zoom before you order.
How is the price calculated?
From the exact volume of your repaired model, converted to a weight in the metal you choose, plus your finish and options. A design made of two separate parts, such as a shank and a head, is measured and priced per part, and each part can be in a different metal. The total updates instantly as you change the metal, finish, hallmarking, same-day, Fairtrade or quantity.
Which metals can I choose?
Fourteen metals and colours: 9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold in yellow, white and rose, 24ct fine gold, platinum, palladium, silver and brass, with a Fairtrade gold option.
Who casts my order?
Approved FastCAD orders are transferred seamlessly to Merrell Casting, Hockley Mint's sister company, which has been casting in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter since 1953. Same-day casting can be selected as an option. Read more about our casting services.
Do I need an account to use FastCAD?
Yes. FastCAD lives in the Account Home of every Hockley Mint trade account, so there is nothing to install: log in and choose FastCAD from the menu. If you are not yet a customer, send us an account enquiry and we will set you up.
Can I upload several files at once?
Yes. Bulk upload lets a trade account send any number of STL files for repair in one go. They are repaired in the background and listed ready to load into FastCAD for a quote and order.

Ready to try FastCAD?

FastCAD is live now in the Account Home of every Hockley Mint trade account. Log in to upload your first file, or open a trade account and we will get you set up.