Answers to what most clients want to know about cost, timeline, process, and what it's like to work with TramBauer. If something isn't here, just ask.
Medical device animation typically ranges from $8,000 to $40,000 or more depending on length, complexity, and the number of revision rounds. A 60-90 second mechanism of action animation for a single-device company typically falls in the $12,000-$22,000 range. Projects requiring complex tissue simulation, cellular-level detail, or multiple delivery formats sit higher.
TramBauer structures pricing around the scope of the piece, not a per-second rate. The best way to get an accurate number is to tell us what the piece needs to do and who it's for.
Most projects target 60-90 seconds of animation and run 6-10 weeks from kickoff to final delivery. The breakdown typically looks like this:
Timeline adjusts relative to the amount of animation. Expedited timelines are available for launch or conference deadlines. If you have a hard date, tell us at the start. The earlier you start relative to your deadline, the better the work.
Yes. For companies with ongoing production needs, TramBauer offers retainer arrangements that reserve capacity and provide preferred pricing. Retainers work well for companies in active commercial launch, building out a full animation library, or running regular content programs across multiple channels.
If you anticipate more than one or two projects per year, a retainer conversation is worth having early.
The more we understand upfront, the better the process progresses overall. Helpful inputs include:
You don't need all of this to have a first conversation. We'll help you figure out what we need and when.
Standard projects include two rounds of revisions after the initial production delivery. Because we invest heavily in the discovery phase, most clients find that two rounds is enough. Projects where the device is well understood before production starts rarely need a third.
Additional revision rounds are available at an hourly rate and are clearly scoped before they begin.
Yes, and we prefer it. Your engineers, clinicians, and regulatory team are the source of truth on the device. We build structured review points into the process specifically so their input shapes the work before production is locked, not after it's rendered.
Our R&D background means these conversations move fast. We speak the language, so your team isn't spending their time on vocabulary.
No. TramBauer archives all assets from every project: 3D models, environments, textures, and animation rigs. The second project starts from where the first ended, not from scratch. That means faster production, lower cost, and a consistent visual language across everything you make.
It also means we already know your device. We don't need three weeks of briefing before we can start building.
Yes, you would not be the first to come to us to fix what AI failed to deliver. We find generative AI most useful for ideation and may use it for style frames. But we have not found a reliable, substantial use in production of impactful visualization. Rest assured that we will deliver a customized, precise, iterable result according to your needs.
It also means we already know your device. We don't need three weeks of briefing before we can start building.
Standard delivery includes MP4 (H.264 for web and presentation use), MOV (ProRes 422 for broadcast-quality distribution), and a web-optimized version for embedding. Additional formats can be scoped in, including:
All source files and 3D scene assets are archived. Deliverables are typically unique for each client and they can vary widely. We can accomodate anything. If you need a format we haven't listed, simply ask before the project closes.
Both. We can work from your CAD files (SolidWorks, STEP, IGES, and similar formats are all usable), which speeds up modeling and improves accuracy for the device geometry. For anatomy, tissue environments, and biological detail, we build custom models based on medical references and your clinical specifications.
If you don't have CAD files, or if the files are under NDA restrictions, we can work from engineering drawings, photos, and clinical documentation.
Yes. Because TramBauer archives all project assets, updates to an existing animation are significantly less expensive than starting a new one. If the device geometry changes, a new indication is cleared, or a procedural step is revised, we work from the existing scene file and update only what changed.
This is one of the core reasons ongoing relationships work better than one-off projects. The asset library compounds in value over time.
Yes. TramBauer builds animations to the accuracy standards required for regulatory use. Our team has direct experience with regulatory processes, which means we understand what reviewers look for and what will get flagged before it does.
If regulatory submission is an intended use, flag it at the start of the project. It affects the review structure, the precision of the modeling, and the documentation we provide at delivery.
It starts before production. We review the device documentation, the clinical evidence, and the intended mechanism before a script is written. We identify what has to be anatomically and procedurally accurate and what can be simplified for clarity without losing scientific integrity.
Your clinical and engineering team reviews the storyboard before production starts, and the completed animation before it's finalized. We build review into the process. It's not something tacked on to the end of it.
We fix it. Anatomical or procedural accuracy errors that originate on our side are corrected within the project scope. If an error came from incorrect information provided during review, we scope the fix transparently and work quickly to resolve it.
In practice, the structured review process is designed specifically to catch these issues before the animation is locked. That's why we don't skip it even when clients are in a hurry.
TramBauer works primarily with implantable, procedural, and capital equipment medical devices, including surgical devices, implants, wearables, diagnostic equipment, and procedure-based technologies. Our R&D background spans orthopedics, spine, cardiovascular, and general surgery, which covers most of the anatomy we work in regularly.
We're well suited for devices where the mechanism is not visible to the naked eye and where the audience needs to see inside the body to understand what the device does.
This is the most common complaint we hear from clients who have worked with generalist agencies or studios. The problem is usually the same: a vendor who prioritized visual appeal over communication. It's a classic cart-before-the-horse situaiton where the result is a beautiful animation that explains nothing.
The difference at TramBauer is that we come from your side of the table. Our backgrounds are in medical device R&D and education, not just animation. We understand clarity and accuracy is the whole point. A slick animation is the vehicle. By understanding the device, anatomy, and procedure before production starts, we're able to catch problems that a generalist wouldn't know to look for.
We're also happy to show you our process before you commit. If you want to see how a discovery conversation actually goes, just reach out.
Yes, and a significant portion of TramBauer's work is for early-stage companies using animation to raise capital or build physician relationships before launch. A well-built mechanism of action animation is often the single most effective tool a pre-revenue company has for making complex technology clear to investors who aren't clinicians.
If budget is a constraint, the honest conversation to have is about what one piece needs to do, and whether we can scope it to match what you have. We'd rather scope the right piece than oversell you on one you don't need yet.
TramBauer's deep expertise is in medical devices. Our background is in device R&D specifically, which gives us a meaningful advantage on procedural accuracy, device-anatomy interaction, and regulatory context for devices.
We occasionally take on pharma or biotech projects where the mechanism of action has strong parallels to device work, particularly at the cellular or tissue level. If you're in that space, reach out and we'll tell you directly whether it's a fit.
If it's not here, just ask. There's no intake form between you and a real answer.
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