Your Ideas. Our Tools. Real-World Solutions.
Design • Fabricate • Create • Empower
At RAD Design & Fabrication, we believe that great ideas deserve the opportunity to become real products.
Whether you need a replacement part, a custom-designed component, a personalized gift, or an innovative accessibility solution, we combine modern digital manufacturing technology with hands-on craftsmanship to help bring your ideas to life.
Based in Davenport, Iowa, we serve individuals, small businesses, educators, and organizations looking for creative, practical solutions.
Have an idea but aren’t sure where to begin? That’s okay. Some of our favorite projects start with a conversation.
1. Digital Manufacturing & Fabrication Services
3D Printing & Custom Product Development
From functional components to creative designs, 3D printing allows us to transform digital models into physical products.
Our applications include:
- Custom replacement parts and discontinued components
- Functional prototypes and product development
- Brackets, mounts, organizers, and specialized accessories
- Home, workshop, marine, and RV components
- Tactile products and accessibility solutions
- Custom-designed gifts and decorative products
We work with materials including PLA+, PETG, and TPU, selecting appropriate materials based on each project’s intended use.
3D Scanning & Reverse Engineering
Not every product begins with a drawing or a digital design.
Sometimes the starting point is an existing object, a damaged component, or a part that is no longer manufactured.
3D scanning and reverse engineering can help support:
- Recreating hard-to-find replacement parts
- Developing digital models of physical objects
- Modifying existing product designs
- Custom fitting and prototyping
- Product improvement and redesign
Scanning suitability, accuracy, and final part compatibility depend on the object’s geometry, material, and intended application.
CNC Routing & Woodworking
Our CNC routing and woodworking capabilities combine digital precision with traditional craftsmanship.
Products and applications include:
- Personalized wooden signs
- Custom coasters and engraved decorations
- Decorative panels and wall art
- Wood components and small custom projects
- Educational models and tactile learning resources
- Home and outdoor accessories
Laser Engraving & Personalization
Laser engraving adds a personal touch to functional and decorative products.
Applications include:
- Personalized gifts and keepsakes
- Custom signs and identification plates
- Slate and wooden coasters
- Engraved decorations
- Business and organizational recognition items
- Custom product branding
Metal Fabrication
We work with metal to create practical components and decorative products.
Potential applications include:
- Custom brackets and mounting components
- Metal signs and wall decorations
- Trailer accessories and hardware
- Custom fabrication projects
- Outdoor and garden decorations
- Prototype metal components
Projects are evaluated individually for material suitability, dimensions, and fabrication requirements.
Powder Coating & Finishing
Powder coating provides durable, decorative finishes for suitable metal products.
Applications include:
- Custom metal accessories
- Decorative metalwork
- Fabricated components
- Restoration and refinishing projects
- Coordinated finishes for custom product collections
Available finishes, colors, and part sizes depend on equipment and project requirements.
2. Custom Products & Practical Solutions
Replacement Parts & Hard-to-Find Components
Can’t find the part you need? Let’s explore whether we can make it.
Many everyday products become difficult to repair because a small plastic or metal component is broken, discontinued, or unavailable.
We explore replacement solutions for items such as:
- Marine and boating accessories
- RV and camper components
- Workshop and household equipment
- Storage and organizational systems
- Specialty brackets, clips, covers, and mounts
Each part is evaluated for fit, intended use, material properties, and safety considerations. Not every component is suitable for reproduction.
Home, Garden & Outdoor Products
We develop practical and decorative products designed for homes, workshops, gardens, and outdoor spaces.
Our interests include:
- Garden decorations and lawn art
- Signs and personalized outdoor accents
- Birdhouses and wildlife habitat products
- Custom storage and organizational accessories
- Wooden and metal decorative products
- Seasonal and personalized creations
Custom Gifts & Personalized Creations
Sometimes the best products are the ones that tell a story.
We explore personalized items for birthdays, holidays, retirement celebrations, recognition gifts, and special occasions.
Products may include engraved coasters, custom signs, decorative keepsakes, and one-of-a-kind creations.
3. Accessibility, Education & Conservation
Accessibility-Focused Product Design
Accessibility is central to our mission.
We develop and explore products intended to make everyday activities, information, and learning experiences more accessible.
Areas of interest include:
- Tactile labels and identification systems
- Accessible household and organizational products
- Raised-text and tactile learning resources
- Adaptive product concepts
- Customized accessibility solutions
Our design approach emphasizes practical usability and the importance of understanding individual needs.
RAD Multisensory Learning
Learning should be an experience everyone can participate in.
RAD Multisensory Learning is our developing educational product initiative focused on tactile, interactive, and accessible learning experiences.
Concepts include:
- Tactile watershed and terrain models
- Wildlife and habitat learning models
- Raised educational diagrams and representations
- Interactive models with audio support
- QR-code and NFC-enhanced learning resources
- Hands-on educational tools for different learning styles and abilities
Conservation & Environmental Education
Our conservation education development includes accessible supplemental resources connected with:
- Fish Iowa
- Project WILD
- Project Aquatic WILD
We are exploring tactile and multisensory resources that help learners understand aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, habitat conservation, watersheds, and environmental stewardship.
These are independently developed concepts and resources; references to educational programs do not imply official endorsement or affiliation.
4. How Custom Projects Work
Step 1 — Tell Us About Your Idea
Describe the problem you’re trying to solve or the product you’d like to create.
A photo, sketch, measurement, sample part, or simple explanation can help us understand your project.
Step 2 — Explore the Possibilities
We review the intended use, design requirements, materials, dimensions, and practical considerations.
Step 3 — Design & Prototype
When appropriate, we develop a design or prototype for evaluation and refinement.
Step 4 — Fabricate & Finish
Once the design and project details are agreed upon, we move into fabrication and finishing.
Step 5 — Review the Finished Product
We evaluate the completed project against its agreed specifications before delivery.
Have Something in Mind?
Whether you’re looking for a custom product, trying to replace a discontinued part, or exploring an accessibility or educational concept, we’d love to hear your idea.
You don’t need a finished design to start a conversation.
Sometimes the best projects begin with five simple words:
“I wish somebody made that.”
RAD Design & Fabrication
Removing Barriers to Create Experiences.
Design • Fabricate • Create • Empower
