Prototyping

A prototype is a preview or early sample of a product or idea you plan to invest in and eventually reproduce in large quantities. Whenever there is a new investment opportunity, before jumping to mass production and risking any capital, you’ll first need to find a way to communicate your idea to possible investors in an understandable, and many times, tangible way.

Prototypes form part of almost any industry you can think of, and they often set the ground for product testing and concept design validation. Architects, designers, engineers, filmmakers, app developers, and so many more, rely on prototypes to simulate their products and attract investors.

Ultimately, at its core, we can define it as a rapid replica of an original product or idea that can be used as a tool to gain financing investment, enhance your crowdfunding campaign, or simply set the start of the design process. Once created, they can be refined or modified to improve function or accommodate the audience’s demands.

The purpose of a prototype
As we define what a prototype model is, we can consider its main purpose to be providing a real, working sample that can be tested and evaluated for errors and efficacy, unlike a theoretical idea. A prototype model aids designers when it comes to the visualization and manufacturing of the real product.

What is typically included in a product prototype?
As a crucial part of the early investment process, prototype models oftentimes include the key aspects and features of the original idea. Given they’re often a precursor of the manufacturing process, they can oftentimes include the product’s specific color, packaging, online visuals, or navigational elements if it happens to be a website or application for example.

The key is to include anything that helps a business or potential investors make a decision. This is why it is important to devote the appropriate time and effort to make it a workable and reliable sample. If it fails to deliver, it will also testify of the original product’s abilities.

Prototypes can be quick and rough. A prototype is not usually intended to look like the final version. As long as it can be used in the early product evaluation and beginning of the design process, it doesn’t need to be perfect.

Before learning how to make a prototype, let us teach you what it is. To put it simply, a prototype is an early model of your product. Whether you are creating something brand new or improving an existing one, you’re going to need it.

The purpose of a prototype is to have a tangible product with the actual features developed during design. It brings your solutions from theory to practice. First, you’ll be testing the hypothesis of whether your product can actually be made, and second, it’ll be essential for improvement. Finally, you can learn from it, see how it performs, and perfect it until you get to your final version.
You’re almost convinced to learn how to make a prototype but need a little more? Prototyping is one of the main steps in creating a product, and it’s not a coincidence. There’s a reason that it has become a standard and even a mandatory process. It has proved itself to be effective and efficient. If you’re still debating whether to make one or not, here are some advantages to help you decide.

– It allows you to test and improve your invention
Having your prototype example in your hand will help you really see its flaws and find the best solutions to them. Then, you will be able to put it to use and see if it lives up to your vision. Little by little, you’ll perfect it and reach your final version.

– It motivates you to keep going
After thorough planning and designing, having your idea in your hands will remind you why you started it all in the first place. Reaching that milestone will excite you and motivate you to aspire for your final version and starting production.

– You’ll have something to show
Whether you’re looking for investment or getting a patent, having a prototype will give you a big boost and credibility. You’ll be able to showcase your product and prove its usefulness. In addition, it’ll be easier to sell your idea when you have something to show.

– It helps you understand the user experience
Getting feedback on a real product is easier than on an intangible idea. You’ll be able to learn about what your users really think about the physical features, as well as its usability and possible improvements.

The initial stages in the innovation process can be seen as leading towards the first pilot project, and during these initial stages prototyping is critical.

So, actually what is prototyping?
Let’s get back to the roots. Latin. The word prototype comes from the Latin words proto (original) and typus (model).

Prototyping seems like a simple concept until you try and define it or its fast moving friend – “rapid” prototyping. Well for a start, it’s not a pilot. That’s a good start, but this constantly expanding buzzword can lead the uninformed eye to see prototyping as everything between brainstorming and scaling when developing a solution using the process of innovation.

A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.

That actually sounds pretty good. With a little bit of tweaking, Wikipedia could be on to something. How about:

A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product or system built to test a concept or assumption or to act as a thing to be tested and learned from.

In this sense an initial “prototype” is the first complete solution to the original challenge. The first “prototype” is the first time all parts of a solution are tested together. It is the first time that the inter-dependencies of all components can be tested, analyzed, and refined. Complete does not and should not mean final.

In today’s fast-paced world, prototyping has become an essential step in product development. It allows companies to test and refine their ideas before investing in mass production. However, not all prototyping companies are created equal. To ensure the success of your project, it is crucial to choose the right prototyping company.
Expertise and Experience
When evaluating prototyping companies, one of the most important factors to consider is their expertise and experience. Look for a company that specializes in your industry or has experience working on similar projects. This ensures that they have a thorough understanding of your specific requirements and can provide valuable insights throughout the prototyping process.

Additionally, consider the company’s track record and portfolio. Look for evidence of successful projects they have completed in the past. This will give you confidence in their ability to deliver high-quality prototypes.

Range of Services
Another factor to consider is the range of services offered by the prototyping company. Different projects may require different types of prototypes – from basic mock-ups to functional prototypes – so it is crucial to choose a company that can meet your specific needs.

Ideally, look for a company that offers a comprehensive range of services, including 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and more. This ensures that they have the necessary capabilities to produce prototypes using various materials and technologies.
Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication is key when working with a prototyping company. You want to choose a company that values clear and transparent communication throughout the entire process.

Consider how responsive they are during initial consultations or inquiries. Do they take the time to understand your requirements? Are they willing to provide regular progress updates? A good prototyping company should be proactive in keeping you informed about any challenges or changes during the project.
Collaboration is also important. Look for a company that encourages collaboration and values your input. They should be open to suggestions and willing to incorporate your feedback into the prototyping process.

Quality and Timeliness
Lastly, consider the quality and timeliness of the prototypes produced by the company. The purpose of prototyping is to test and refine your ideas, so it is crucial that the prototypes accurately represent your vision.

Ask for samples or examples of their previous work to assess the quality of their prototypes. Look for attention to detail, precision, and durability.
Timeliness is also important. Discuss project timelines with the prototyping company and ensure that they can deliver within your desired timeframe. Delays in prototyping can have a significant impact on product development schedules, so it is essential to choose a company that can meet your deadlines.

Rapid prototyping is a general term for a range of manufacturing processes that uses technology to create physical models quickly and cost-effectively. Engineers, designers, and manufacturers often use this process for prototyping new products or testing design modifications.

Rapid prototyping utilizes a digital CAD software (Computer Aided Design) design to allow for faster turnaround time between when changes are made to a design and final printing. 3D printing technology is then used to create the prototype.

It’s important to note that rapid prototyping is not the same as 3D printing. Rapid Prototyping is a broader term that involves creating prototypes using various manufacturing processes like CNC machining. 3D printing is one of the manufacturing processes used for rapid prototyping.

Developing a Prototype: Step by Step
First, find products that are similar to your design. Take them apart to get an insider perspective on their function.
Using paper, draw what your idea will look like. Write or type out any additional ideas. This will give you an idea of what the first prototype will be like and will help you find flaws and other ways to improve the product’s design before you spend the time, effort, and money to build a prototype.
Hire a professional to assist you in developing a computer-aided design (CAD) of your prototype. This design will be much more detailed than your sketch and will be sent to the prototype maker to enable them to make the most detailed and accurate prototype possible.
If possible, create a handmade version of your product. Having a sample in-hand will make it much easier to discuss your parameters and ideas with the prototype maker. In addition, it will allow you to further refine your idea.
Find a prototype maker that will fit your budget. Oftentimes, making a prototype can be somewhat expensive. Decide which material you’ll use for your prototype. Prototype materials should be the same materials that you intend to use in the final product.
As you meet with prototype-making companies, inquire about their credentials and previous work to make sure that your prototype will be high quality and accurately represent your design. Regardless of whether the company has worked cooperatively with its clients in the past, obtain a nondisclosure agreement from them, unless you’ve already acquired a patent.
Consider creating a prototype with 3D printing. These printers can use CAD designs or 3D models to build a working prototype, layer by layer.
Raise funds by getting in touch with your family and friends first. You may still need to approach other sources to turn production into a reality. Investors may be especially useful during this stage.
Fulfill your customers’ orders and produce as much of your product as you can sell. Constructing a prototype can be an expensive process, so make sure to avoid getting stuck with a large inventory. As you sell your product, you’ll need to improve upon the initial design until it becomes a profitable and attractive.

If you’re here, you likely already have an idea for a product. This might be a simple sketch on the back of a napkin, a 3D render, or even a fully-fleshed out proof of concept.

Your next step is to turn this rough idea into a functional prototype. We’ll share a process to create your own prototype below:

1. Create a detailed diagram or sketch
The first step in creating a prototype is to create a detailed concept sketch or diagram. Your objective should be to capture as many ideas as possible in a visual manner.

Ideally, you should have two concept sketches:

A design sketch showing how the product might appear upon completion
A technical sketch showing the product’s dimensions, materials, and working.
You can use software to do this, but pen and paper work better. You can even turn to these pen and paper drawings when you’re filing a patent. Feel free to experiment and be creative in this step. You’re a long way from manufacturing at this point; don’t be afraid to try new things.

2. Create a 3D model (optional)
The next (optional) step is to transfer your concept sketches to a 3D modeling software. This will help you (and any third-parties such as investors or partners) visualize the product better. You can also use this model to create a 3D printed copy of your prototype.

Another benefit of a 3D model is that you can use augmented reality apps to visualize it in the real world. This works particularly well to demonstrate the size, shape, and design of a product idea. It can be expensive for a small business that hasn’t launched yet, though.

There are a number of tools you can use to create simple 3D models.

3. Create a “proof of concept”
Now comes the fun part: actually building the product idea.

How you build your first proof of concept will depend on a number of things. If you have a simple product that you’ve already modeled in a 3D software, you can simply get it 3D printed to create your “proof of concept”.

However, if you have a complex product with a number of mechanical or electronic parts, you’ll have to improvise harder.

Remember that the proof of concept doesn’t have to look good or even resemble the final product. It simply has to work. You can even use common household products to create this early-stage model.

For more complex products, you might have to seek help from a handyman or machinist.

4. Create your first prototype
Your proof of concept shows that your product works. Your 3D model shows what it might look like.

Your next step is to combine the learnings from the proof of concept and 3D model to create your first prototype.

This should be a fairly detailed model that looks like your final product and has the same functions.

It’s not always possible to create this detailed first prototype alone. Depending on the complexity, you might want to get help from a machinist or a specialized prototype designer.
5. Create a production-ready prototype
The final step before you get to manufacturing is to trim the fat off your first prototype and get it to the production-ready state.

This is essentially a process of cost and feasibility analysis. You have to go through every part of the prototype and figure out ways to cut costs without compromising functionality.

At the same time, you should look at ways to improve the product’s aesthetics or durability.

For example, you might replace an oft-used plastic part with metal, and a little-used metal part with plastic. This will help you cut costs while still retaining quality.

It helps to work with a manufacturer and figure out how different components in the prototype might impact its cost and quality. You should also look at different raw materials and see which ones are more pleasing aesthetically.

Your goal should be to find a balance between cost and quality depending on your target customers. If you’re targeting luxury buyers, for example, quality will be more important than cost. For budget customers, it will be the opposite.

One of the biggest challenges in creating a prototype is balancing utility and cost. You want the product to fulfill its promised functions, but you also want to sell it at a reasonable price. An exceptional product that your customers can’t afford is bound to fail.

At every stage in the design process, ask yourself two questions:

Is this part necessary?
If yes, what is the cheapest material to make it without sacrificing utility?
The cost of materials varies widely, even among materials in the same category (such as “plastic” or “metal”). Keep this in mind when you’re designing your product.

Another reason for cost overruns between prototype to final product is the use of custom manufacturing techniques.

Essentially, any factory that builds your product will use some industry standard manufacturing processes (such as “injection moulding”). If your product can’t be manufactured using them, the factory will have to create customized techniques and train its staff to use them.

This can add substantially to the production cost, especially if you’re manufacturing in small batches.

Therefore, when you’re designing your prototype, keep a close eye on the kind of manufacturing process each part will require. If a feature requires a heavily customized production technique, consider removing it. A prototype designer or machinist should be able to help you figure this out.

Related: What Your Business Plan Should Look Like: Sample

Taking apart your competitors’ products can give you a detailed understanding of what works, what doesn’t when making a product. This can be a massive help in designing your own idea.

Therefore, before you start creating your prototype, take a close look at your competitors’ products. Analyze their materials, design, and manufacturing techniques. Look for flaws and opportunities.

Testing a prototype is an essential part of creating a product. It’ll help you identify weak spots in your prototype and avoid going over a budget: it’s cheaper to fix a prototype than a final product. Not to mention, you’ll get valuable insights from real people and improve your product to avoid negative feedback after you launch it.

Will 3D Printing Ever Replace traditional Prototyping? It’s a fair question when you consider how quickly it has already revolutionized the industry.
Potentially, many, many years from now 3D printing will expand to replace traditional manufacturing as we know it today. However, this is not likely something we will see in our lifetimes. In the near future, 3D printing could potentially significantly modify some processes within the industry.
Rather than seeing 3D printing as a potential ender of manufacturing as we know it, we see 3D printing as a way to expand the field of manufacturing beyond what we can currently even imagine.

Creating prototypes isn’t difficult and here are some general steps involved in the prototyping process:

Define your requirements
The first step of prototyping is to define your goals – why do you need a prototype? What are you trying to solve?
Ideation
Once you have your goals, jump in and create as many prototyping ideas, don’t get bogged down in this step, as these ideas will help jog your mind to think outside the box no matter how silly they may be, it’s always an important process.
Build your prototype
In this phase, you will design an actual prototype based on the information gathered from the quick designs. This will be a small working model of your requirements.
User testing
Once you’ve created a prototype, you’ll need to put it in front of users. You’ll want to observe how they interact with the product in its current state and ask for feedback on the experience. By continuously prototyping, you’ll be able to make informed design decisions that will help you iterate your way to an intuitive and user-friendly product that users will love.
Refining prototype
Based on the user’s feedback and suggestions, this will be the stage to refine your prototype. This phase won’t be over until all the requirements you specified at the beginning of this process have been met and the user is happy with the results.
Practical tips that work for any prototype
First and foremost, all prototypes should be catered to the audience they’re being made for—this ensures relevant, actionable results.

Whoever the audience is should also be primed, prepared, and given background knowledge to avoid confusion. It is important to involve them in the design process. After all, user feedback is the lifeblood of any successful prototype.

we should know the important Role of Prototyping in Design, In some cases, with the help of a competent layout of the site, you can persuade visitors to certain actions. The prototype is an important draft design that precedes the development of the original design layout, and prototyping is a process designed to significantly reduce the time to develop a site.

Here are the reasons why prototyping is important in design:
The prototype gives the customer a complete idea of how the site will look like in the final result.
Prototyping allows you to streamline the design development process, focusing on important interface elements.
A site’s sketch is an irreplaceable thing if the client still does not fully understand what he expects from the site, what functions each page will carry. Careful planning at the prototyping stage makes it possible to avoid global changes in the finished layout.
At the prototyping stage, it is possible to identify unnecessary elements that are best abandoned.
This process significantly reduces the workload of the designer in developing the project, and thus saves the customer money.
Having a prototype in hand, the designer and customer more clearly represent the final result.

Prototyping not only presents a strong visualisation of the design to understand the look and feel of the final product but it also helps the team to comprehend better why they are designing, what they are designing and for whom they are designing.

The first step toward turning your idea into reality is getting it down on paper. Draw your idea to help you visualize your prototype in greater detail. While it is possible to use a digital drawing program for this step, it may be more efficient to start on paper first. For one thing, in the early stages of creating your prototype, you’ll have a lot of ideas running through your mind and competing with each other. You’ll save time by drawing these rapidly on paper instead of investing time perfecting a digital drawing.
Keep a sketch notebook to provide documentation that can be used when submitting your patent. It also may come in handy if you ever need to defend your ownership of your intellectual property.

3D printing is replacing traditional prototyping

In terms of materials, the materials that will be used for the final product may be expensive or difficult to manufacture, so the prototype may be made of a different material than the final product. In some cases, the final production material itself may still be under development and not yet used in the prototype.

The final product may undergo a series of quality assurance tests to verify compliance with drawings or specifications. These tests may include custom inspection fixtures, statistical sampling methods, and other techniques suitable for the ongoing production of a large number of end products. Prototypes are usually passed through more careful personal inspections and assumptions, and some adjustments or rework will be part of the manufacturing process. The prototype can also dispense with some requirements that apply to the final product.

At present we still need the prototype manufacturing

Prototyping is being replaced

you porvide prototyping for your customers is a professional service

your process will help your customers a lot.

3D print is more and more popular in this industry.

3D print will help you a lot:-)

yes! this is an important process for a new product

you have rich experience in this field, but 3D print will help your job!

3D print will change your idea

we need to make prototypes for my new product, now 3D printing can not substitute for the traditional manufacturing technology

I absolutely love your blog, your company is very professional

Wonderful article! That is the type of info that should be shared around the internet.

we still need traditional prototype making technology

you have a good understanding in prototyping

It’s hard to find experienced people on this subject, your service is very professional

I think 3D print is a good new for prototyping. in the future, I am not sure if we still need mold industry

3D print will help prototyping

sometimes Prototyping need some special production methods

prototyping is very important for a new product design

The prototype of the traditional manufacturing technology is still mainstream

I think every industrial designer always needs prototype sample for his new design

you can avoid a lot of mistakes if you make a prototype before making a mould

New product development still needs prototype manufacturing

I think you provide such services to your customers is very well.

3 D print will change our understanding in prototyping

Whether to use 3 d printing or traditional manufacturing, the prototype of every new product development is very important

Our prototype manufacturing technology is very good，If you need our service, please feel free to contact us

I still want to say:” At present, 3 d printing can’t replace our traditional prototyping”

We are a professional prototype manufacturer, if there is any demand, please contact

as an industrial designer, I want to say, Prototyping is very important

Yes!We are still using traditional methods of prototype manufacturing to serve our customers

all kind of traditional prototyping methods are still our mainstream

Now 3D printing technology has been used to print many prototypes

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