RAPID PROTOTYPING COMPANY WE TURN YOUR IDEA INTO A PHYSICAL PRODUCT
Prototyping is an integral part of product development. This is where craft, sciences, and technology meet to bring your idea into a physical world. Prototype manufacturing is usually done by rapid prototyping companies.
First of all, a prototype is needed to determine the feasibility of your idea design. It also helps to identify opportunities for improvements, streamline manufacturing, and overall reduce the cost of your project. Prototype manufacturing is a creative process, which helps you to improve your invention in terms of performance, appearance, and market fit.
Due to the importance of prototyping to the overall market success of your idea, we invite you to dive into this subject with us. It’s important to have all the necessary knowledge and tools at your disposal. No matter what stage of product development you are at, you will be able to make the right decision about your prototyping needs. Let’s start.
WHAT IS A PROTOTYPE?
A prototype is a tangible sample or model of your product idea. It is not a final product by any means. You might need a prototype to perform marketing surveys, fundraising campaigns, or preparation for manufacturing among other reasons. In some cases, a 3D virtual prototype might be sufficient.
Above all, a physical prototype gives you an opportunity to really feel and touch your invention. You can see its strengths and weaknesses, and modify the design so that your final product will work as intended.
A PROTOTYPE BRINGS YOUR IDEA INTO A PHYSICAL WORLD
A physical prototype at your disposal is a very useful tool. You can see the real size of your product, how the selected materials are behaving, what they feel like, and what their true colors are. Having all that physically available enables you to make observations and ask for feedback from your product’s end-users. Then you can play with design iterations as necessary for the betterment and optimization of every detail of your product.
YOU NEED AT LEAST SEVERAL PROTOTYPES TO REACH THE BALANCE
HOW MANY PROTOTYPES ARE NEEDED?
Let’s take Dyson’s vacuums based on cyclone technology as an example. He made 5,127 prototypes to achieve the desired results and bring his vision to the market. Just imagine, 5, 127 prototypes!
In his interview with Inc. magazine Jason Dyson said: “It didn’t happen overnight but after years of testing, tweaking, fist-banging and after more than 5,000 prototypes, it was there, or nearly there. I still needed to manufacture it and go sell it.”
SKIPPING PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURING LEADS TO INCREASED PRODUCTION COST
There is an important aspect of building physical prototypes when it comes to manufacturing. Oftentimes, inventors take risks of investing in product manufacturing without having a prototype made. That choice usually leads to a quite substantial loss of money. Yes, they save some by skipping a prototyping stage, but they lose more in the long run.
Overall development process and prototype manufacturing help find the design flaws. It also shows how much time and resources the assembly process takes. To correct those issues the molds would have to be corrected or even changed completely. However, to fix those problems during the prototyping stage will not require substantial investments. So then, those who skipped the prototyping have to pay more for the design and tooling modifications. But they could’ve avoided that by having an invention prototype made first.
GAUGE PRODUCT-MARKET-FIT WITH YOUR PROTOTYPE
There is also a less quantifiable aspect – how much consumers will like your product. Typically, the prototype testing reveals possible design improvements. Some of them could lead to higher product appreciation and consumer satisfaction. For example, improved ergonomics could result in customers using your product more often because it feels more comfortable to them.
The more time you spend testing the prototypes and optimizing your design, the more perfected your product will become. Of course, it’s important to know when the product is good enough for your target market and when to stop. At that point all additional changes and improvements will yield diminishing returns.
CASE STUDY: UP DOCK.
HOW PROTOTYPING HELPED TO SAVE $12,950 ON MANUFACTURING
Here is an example of how our team was able to save $12,950 on manufacturing by going the extra mile with prototyping and design optimization. Building over 14 prototypes allowed us to optimize the design for mass production.
We reduced the assembly time and the number of manufacturing steps while also improved the look of the product. Our team was able to iterate the design-prototype-test cycle quickly due to the rapid prototyping technologies. Our professionals used CNC milling, routing, and 3D printing. You can read the whole story here
WHO NEEDS A PRODUCT PROTOTYPE?
- An entrepreneur raising capital for his/her idea
- An inventor who wants to license his/her idea to a larger company and needs it for presentations
- A small business looking for distribution channels and ways to secure deals or pre-orders prior to larger investments to manufacturing and marketing
- A small business that wants to test the market with its new product
- A dreamer who had this idea for years and wants to develop a product for him-/herself and potentially sell it to others
TYPES OF PROTOTYPES
Mockup prototype
Proof of concept prototype
Functional prototype
3D PRINTED PLASTIC HOUSING 3D PRINTED MOCK-UP PCB
MOCKUP PROTOTYPE
This prototype is usually required at the early stages of product development. Whether you need to do an initial target audience survey or market research, the looks-like prototype might be sufficient.
PROOF OF CONCEPT PROTOTYPE
3D PRINTED PLASTIC HOUSING FUNCTIONAL PCB
CNC-MACHINED ALUMINUM HOUSING FUNCTIONAL PCB
FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE
COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT PROTOTYPE TYPES
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EVOLUTION OF THE RAPID PROTOTYPING TECHNOLOGIES
Back in the day, invention prototypes were made by handcrafting or machining. Such approach took longer to prepare the product for manufacturing, thus increasing time to market. With the development of computer technologies, 3D printing, and other rapid prototyping techniques, the process of prototyping became faster and more efficient. At present, rapid prorotyping companies can create virtually everything that would be impossible even a couple of decades ago.
Rapid prototyping companies use a variety of techniques to create a scale model of a product or a component. Often a three-dimensional design is created using a CAD (computer-aided design) program. The detailed item can then be produced using different methods, including 3D printing, water jet or laser cutting, and CNC machining very quickly.
The main goal of prototyping is to detect flaws, correct them, and find ways to further improve your invention. The faster you do it, the more resources you can save in the long run. Rapid prototyping gives everything necessary for that to happen.
RAPID PROTOTYPING SERVICES AND METHODOLOGY
COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT PROTOTYPE TYPES
There are many different prototyping techniques and equipment used by rapid prototyping companies nowadays. At LA NPDT we use a variety of them, including:
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There are many different prototyping techniques and equipment used by rapid prototyping companies nowadays. At LA NPDT we use a variety of them, including:
