David Potter | CV

Digital Joinery Specialist & SWOOD Expert

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David Potter | CV

CAREER EXPERIENCE

DIGITAL JOINERY LAB LIMITED (2022 - Present)

Founder/Owner & Director (2026 - Present)

Digital Joinery Lab Limited provides specialist digital design and manufacturing support to the joinery, fit-out and furniture industries. Services include SolidWorks and SWOOD CAD modelling, technical drawings for client approval and construction, CNC programming and nesting, CAD library development, training and consultancy.

Alongside these services, the business offers a growing range of downloadable digital joinery resources through its website, including the 'Buildable Systems' collection, designed to support manufacturing workflows.

As a SolidWorks and SWOOD specialist, I help businesses maximise their software investment by improving existing processes, implementing efficient workflows and adopting modern digital manufacturing solutions.

I work with a diverse range of clients on both individual projects and long-term partnerships, providing flexible, reliable technical support tailored to their specific requirements, workflows and manufacturing capabilities.

PREVIOUS ROLES & EXPERIENCE (2017 - Present)

A variety of permanent and contract roles for the Fit-Out and Furniture industries using Solidworks & SWOOD.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Interior & Joinery Design

  • Excellent at problem solving, developing initial concepts and specifications for clients by sketching, prototyping and 3D visualisation.
  • Ability to create graphically crafted design packs for clients with general elevations, lighting and electric schematics and photorealistic rendering.
  • Understanding of interior design principles for both domestic and commercial spaces with experience in both. From high street restaurants to luxury domestic bathrooms.

Software

  • Expert user of Solidworks (14+ Years) and SWOOD (6+ Years).
  • Fully trained and experienced in the SWOOD (Design, CAM & Nesting) for Solidworks with official licences for all 3 modules.
  • Able to implement Solidworks and SWOOD from scratch with a good relationship with resellers, especially Solidsolutions & Visiativ.
  • Executing standards and processes for modelling, assembly and drawings (E.G. BS8888).

Manufacturing

  • Creating manufacturing packs which include detailed SOPs, work instructions, BOMs, cut-lists and reports (nesting, material requirements etc.).
  • Knowledge of popular fit-out and interior suppliers such as Hafele, Blum and EGGER.
  • Working with a range of processes and material. Including, for example, wood, metal and upholstery & 3D-Printing.
  • Experience of applying ISO 9001 relating to design, manufacturing and quality control such as non-conforming reports and engineering change notices.

Machine Manufacture

  • Professionally trained in the use of the SWOOD CAM and Nesting add-on for Solidworks.
  • Understanding of different tooling and strategies for different types of wood (MDF, MFC, soft and hard woods) and other materials such as Corian.
  • Programmed for a variety of CNC machines for wood panels including HOMAG (Woodwop), Biesse and Felder Group machines. Including both nesting and pod machines.
  • Also designed components for saws, milling, lathe metal CNC machines and 3D-printers.

Other Skills

  • Experience of resolving a range of technical and manufacturing issues for clients, customers and other stakeholders within a company.
  • Competent using Affinity suite for a wide range of graphical tasks and publications throughout a business.
  • Skilled in leveraging AI tools to modernise workflows, streamline processes and improve efficiency across the business.

OTHER

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

  • King’s Trust Charity - Enterprise Course (2023).
  • SolidCAM - Solidworks SolidCAM (2022).
  • Solidsolutions - Solidworks SWOOD Design and SWOOD CAM (2022).
  • Kanth Division - In-House CNC (2021).
  • QCT - CMM Machine (2019-2020).
  • Lectra - Specialist CAD - Design Concept (2018).
  • Pure CF - CNC Tooling (2018).

AWARDS

  • STEM - Gold Crest Award.
  • Design Award - ‘British Promotional Merchandise Association’.
  • Award winning Fine Artist
  • Grade 8 standard Piano
  • Grade 5 music theory distinction.
  • Gold and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Additional

  • Frequently attend events including: The Engineering Design Show, interplas, TCT 3SIXTY, Decorex & EFICAD webinars.
  • Full clean UK driving licence.

EDUCATION

Brunel University London (2012 - 2017)

Product Design Engineering (BSc) – First Class Honours

FINAL MODULE GRADES: Professional Practice (A+) Major Project (A) Design & Innovation, Management & Process (A) Embedded Systems for Design (A) Computer Based Design Methods (A) Graphic Communication (A).

Haberdashers’ Adams (2008 - 2012)

GCSE (7A, 4B) A-LEVEL (1A*, 1A, 1C)