How to Reduce Prototype Costs: 7 Practical Ways

Prototypes are rarely cheap, and most of the cost is decided before a single part is made. This guide explains what drives prototype cost — design complexity, materials, purpose and quantity, and the shop you choose — then covers seven practical ways to reduce it. Estimate your own prototype cost or see our prototyping services.

Design and product prototype complexity

If the design for your product prototype is simple and, for example, requires only a plastic 3D printed model, then it may cost anywhere between $30 and $3,000, depending on its size. In case your idea includes electronics, mechanics, software, or requires labor-intensive assembly, then the price will likely be significantly higher.

Raw material costs and availability

Materials used for building a prototype and their availability in small quantities are the additional factors in estimating the cost of prototyping a product. It is well known that the retail and wholesale prices are quite different, therefore the overall cost of your prototype will depend on them as well.

Prototype purpose and quantity

The purpose of your product prototype will determine some of the costs. But, as we already learned, most likely one prototype won’t be sufficient. That is why the most contributing factor here is a number of prototypes built during the product development process.

Rapid prototyping companies

The price of building a prototype will vary from one prototype company to another due to all the previously mentioned factors. When selecting a firm among rapid prototyping companies for builidng a prototype, it’s important to consider whether they will be able to support you with design and manufacturing services as well. In that case, you won’t need to manage multiple companies with limited responsibility areas.

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Prototypes are not cheap and these are the reasons why:

If we put the cost estimate under a general umbrella, then it can be said that between 15% and 50% of your product development budget will be used for the prototyping stage. The fact that each project is different and requires a custom approach makes invention prototyping quite expensive. Producing one or two items of anything is expensive. Producing a couple of uniquely-designed items that have never been made before is even more expensive.

We can’t apply the economy of scale here. It is because the costs of raw materials are exponentially greater when you buy them in small volumes for building prototypes. Sometimes, a particular design requires the use of expensive machinery, which increases the overall cost of prototype manufacturing.

Moreover, building prototypes requires a highly professional team of experts with various backgrounds, such as engineering, manufacturing, designing, marketing.

In addition to the technical skills, the team needs to be able to work in collaboration and know how to navigate through the magnitude of technologies available now. It also needs to be capable of generating new ideas that would bring the best version of your product to the market.

Human resources are always appreciated, but skilled and experienced professionals, and their time, are valued even more.

Learn more about how much it costs to make a prototype

7 ways to minimize the cost of prototype manufacturing

Do only what is necessary according to what you’re looking to obtain from your prototype. Don’t make a “Mercedes” if you only need a “Ford” for your testing purposes.

Do not build another prototype before trying and looking for ways to make changes and modifications to the one you already have.

Don’t work on mechanical and electrical systems at the same time. If your product has an electric part in it, then do it first, because the mechanical one is much easier and cheaper to modify.

Start with a smaller, scaled-down model, if your product has large dimensions. It will cost less, and still provide valuable information.

Use less expensive material for the first model if acceptable. If your product is designed to be metal, use plastic at the beginning to reduce the cost and the time required to make a prototype.

Use more automated machinery, like 3D printers or CNC mills, to expedite manufacturing.

Use off-the-shelf components to create the first prototype, if you do it by yourself. You can repurpose already existing products instead of building from scratch. Engage your creativity!

Watch: how to reduce prototype cost

How long does it take to build a prototype?

Generally, building a prototype can take anywhere from 1 day to 12 months. Sometimes it takes longer, depending on the complexity of your product design. For instance, 3D printing might take from several hours to few days.

Of course, there are unique cases when you need even more time. As an example, we had a project at LA NPDT when each part of the product took 4-5 days to get printed, which resulted in 2 months of 3D printing only. But usually, we spend between 1 to 2 months to build an invention prototype.

Back in March 2020, we took the initiative in helping and donating face shields to health care workers and first responders due to the emerged pandemic. We made the first working prototype for the product in a day and were able to further refine it in a couple of weeks. During that time we worked on a variety of aspects, including print and assembly time, design ergonomics, and jigs that helped to speed up the production process.

Here are some types of the invention prototypes and their average timelines

Electronics
prototype

(custom PCB)

Mechanical
Prototype

3D Printed
Mockup
Prototype

Sewing

Silicone rubber
molded prototype

4-12 weeks

4-8 weeks

1-4 weeks

2-4 weeks

2-6 weeks

Here are some types of the invention prototypes and their average timelines

Electronics
prototype

(custom PCB)

4-12 weeks

Mechanical
Prototype

4-8 weeks

3D Printed
Mockup
Prototype

1-4 weeks

Sewing

2-4 weeks

Silicone rubber
molded prototype

2-6 weeks

Don’t waste your time while others
work on your prototype, work on
your marketing instead

Since we’re talking about time, let’s explore how you can efficiently use your time while your prototype is being made. From the day you begin your product development, every minute is of great importance. So, use it wisely. Start designing your marketing and commercialization strategy, build an audience around your product.

If you already know your market, then use social media to communicate with your potential users via Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform. Take time to develop a website and newsletter campaign, so there are various ways for you to stay in touch with your audience.

Writing blogs will enable you to attract early adopters of your product. For example, you can write about the product you’re developing, issues you’re addressing, and what solutions your product idea will provide. Or you might want to share just helpful information about the issues your product helps to solve or your product’s audience is interested in.

Even before your product enters the market, you will already have a loyal audience. They will follow your progress and will see you not only as a salesman but as a person who cares about their wants and needs. They will know that while you were discussing common interests and sharing your knowledge with them, you simultaneously have been working on bringing the real solution to their problems.

Your audience will help you increase the speed to market

Covering your invention prototyping or product development process will greatly enhance trust between you and potential users and/or partners, their interest and support. Post photos and images of the process on your social media channels.

If you’re working with a product development team or rapid prototyping companies, ask them to send you pictures, short videos of how the process is going, or some of its highlights. All these steps together will make the launch stage much easier for you. But don’t forget to consult with your IP advisor (attorney) prior to posting detailed information and visuals of your product.

There are many other ways for you to create a buzz around your product. Apply your own creativity and give it a special zest. In this case study on prototyping, you’ll find more specifics and tips regarding how to efficiently use your time. We derived those suggestions from our personal experience working on many different products, including the UP Shield.

How we launch a new product in a couple of weeks

Get a real number. Use the prototype cost calculator, or talk to our prototyping team.