LA NPDT — LA New Product Development Team

Prototype Questionnaire

Please answer the questions below. You can skip questions if you don’t have the answers at this point.

Please answer the questions below. You can skip questions if you don't have the answers at this point. All submitted information is kept confidential.

Prototype questionnaire

Prototype Questionnaire

Accepted file types: zip, pdf, sldprt, slddrw, sldasm, step, x_t, igs, jpg, gif, stl, png, 3mf, fbx, stp.

Everything you send is kept confidential and is never shared. You'll get an email confirmation right away, and a personal reply within one business day.

Where to go next

Choosing a prototyping process

The cheapest prototype is the one that answers your question. Match the process to what you are trying to learn, not to what sounds most advanced.

Prototyping processes compared by lead time and cost
ProcessBest forLead timeTypical unit cost
SLA / MJF 3D printingForm, fit, ergonomics, complex geometry3–5 days$50–$400
CNC machiningFunctional parts in real engineering plastics or metal7–10 days$150–$1,200
Urethane casting10–100 near-production units, soft-touch and overmoulds10–15 days$60–$300
Appearance modelInvestor, licensing and photography use2–3 weeks$800–$4,000

What to send with your request

A quote turns around fastest when the request carries four things: geometry, material, quantity and the tolerance that actually matters. Everything else we can work out on a call. If the geometry does not exist yet, that is fine — we build CAD from sketches or from a physical sample regularly, and the modelling is quoted as its own line item.

Tell us what the prototype has to survive. A part that only has to look right in photographs is built differently from one that goes into a drop test or a user trial, and saying so up front usually saves both money and a revision cycle.

Prototype questions

What do you need from me to quote a prototype?

Ideally a 3D model in STEP or STL, the material you want, the quantity and the tolerance that matters. If you only have sketches or a physical sample, say so — we quote the CAD work separately and then the build.

How fast can a prototype ship?

Simple 3D-printed parts typically ship in three to five business days. CNC-machined parts and urethane castings run seven to ten. Anything with electronics, custom finishing or assembly takes longer, and we will give you a date rather than a range once the scope is fixed.

Which process is right for my part?

SLA and MJF printing suit form and fit checks and complex geometry. CNC machining suits functional parts that need real material properties. Urethane casting is the sensible choice for 10 to 100 near-production units without paying for steel tooling.

Do you make production parts too?

Yes — low-volume manufacturing picks up where prototyping ends, usually in the 100 to 5,000 unit range, and we can carry the same design through to a factory hand-off.

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