Product development and prototyping start with the requirements
Many product ideas start with a picture of how the thing should look. We start with what it has to do: which dimensions it must fit, what forces and temperatures it faces, how it will be cleaned and how many will be made. The answers go into a short requirements specification of one or two pages.
The specification steers material and manufacturing method early on. A part to be made in 200 units a year is designed differently from one to be moulded in 20,000. It also makes concepts easier to compare, because all are judged against the same requirements. If you only have an idea and no sketch, the guide from idea to product is a good place to start.
We also write down what is uncertain. Perhaps nobody knows whether a snap fit will survive a thousand openings, or whether the product fits in a standard carton. Each such question becomes a task for a prototype, and the order is set by which uncertainty would be most expensive to discover late.
Concept and appearance prototype
In the concept phase we produce two or three simple 3D models that solve the task in different ways. They are deliberately rough – the aim is to choose a direction, not to polish details. Renderings show size and proportions, and a quick print shows how the product feels in the hand. Even at this point we take a rough look at manufacturing: a concept needing a complicated tool with many side actions can be dropped early, even if it looks best. Changing a sketch is cheaper than changing a finished design.
An appearance prototype, often called a looks-like model, should look like the final product but does not need to work. It is used to test ergonomics, size and overall impression with intended users. With filler, sanding and paint, a print can look very much like a moulded part, which makes it useful at trade fairs and in meetings with retailers. We also produce rough estimates of size and weight, so packaging and shipping can be planned early.
A functional prototype that tests the mechanics
A functional prototype has to work but may look unfinished. This is where hinges, snap fits, threads, springs and moving parts are tested under real loads. With 3D printing in PETG, PA or TPU we can produce several variants at once, for example three snap fits of different thickness, and let the test decide.
Each version is documented with date and changes. That makes it easy to go back when a change did not improve things. Bear in mind that a printed part is weaker between layers than along them; this affects how test results should be read ahead of moulding or machining. There is more on the technology under design for 3D printing.
The tests are planned before the prototype is printed: what is to be measured, how many times and what counts as a pass? A hinge might be opened and closed a set number of times, and a holder loaded with a known weight. Clear criteria make the decision on the next step easy, and the discussion is about facts rather than gut feeling.
DFM – design for manufacturing
Once the function works, we go through the design with manufacturing in focus. DFM, design for manufacturing, means adapting each part to its method. Moulding needs draft angles and uniform walls, milling needs standard radii and accessible pockets, and sheet metal needs bend radii and reliefs.
We also reduce the number of parts where possible. Two parts screwed together can sometimes become a single part with a snap fit, and a special screw can be replaced by a standard one. Every part removed saves a tool, a stock item and an assembly step. Plastic parts are prepared according to the principles under designing for injection moulding.
Tolerances are also set in this phase. Only dimensions that affect the function get tight tolerances, while the rest follow general tolerances to ISO 2768-1. That keeps the unit price down without making the product worse.
Pre-production run and handover
Before series production starts, a pre-production run is made, often 10–50 units, to test assembly, packaging and durability with real users. Faults that only appear in larger numbers – variation in fit or screw joints that work loose – are found here, while changes are still cheap. The pre-production run is ideally made with the same method as the series, or as close as possible, so the results can be trusted. Every deviation is logged and linked to a change in the model.
After the pre-production run the design is frozen. You receive STEP files, toleranced drawings and a bill of materials that a manufacturer can quote from. We sign a non-disclosure agreement before you share details of the idea. If you are considering a patent, contact a patent attorney before the product is shown in public. More for those developing their own invention is under inventors and patents.
You receive all native files, and the model is built so it can be developed further. If the product needs a new version in a year, with a different dimension or a new function, we start from the same parametric model rather than starting over.
The stages of product development
| Stage | What is tested and delivered |
|---|---|
| Requirements specification | Function, dimensions, environment, volume and target cost – 1–2 pages |
| Concept | 2–3 solutions as simple 3D models and renderings |
| Appearance prototype (looks-like) | Size, ergonomics and appearance – printed, painted if needed |
| Functional prototype | Mechanics, fits, snap fits and moving parts |
| DFM review | Draft angles, wall thickness, radii, part count and standard components |
| Pre-production run | Typically 10–50 units for assembly and user testing |
| Design freeze | Approved revision – after that, changes via change orders |
| Production data | STEP, drawings to ISO 128, tolerances and bill of materials |
Small products can combine stages. The number of prototype rounds depends on how many uncertainties the idea has.
What we need from you
- A description of the problem the product solves and who will use it
- Sketches, photos or similar products for reference
- Dimensions and parts the product must fit together with
- Environment: temperature, moisture, UV light, chemicals and cleaning
- Expected annual volume and target unit cost
- Preferences for material, colour and surface finish
- Timeline, for example ahead of a trade fair or launch
Typical projects
- Kitchen utensil with a snap fit in dishwasher-safe plastic
- Holders and stands for tools
- Accessory for an existing product
- Pet feeder or other pet product
- Garden product for outdoor use
- Prototype of an assistive device (without medical certification)
- Container with a threaded lid
- Educational toy or game
- Housing for an electronic product
- Assembly kit for a small batch
What affects price and lead time
- Number of concepts and prototype rounds
- How many parts the product consists of
- Mechanical complexity: moving parts, springs and seals
- Requirements for appearance and renderings
- Adaptation to one or more manufacturing methods
- Scope of documentation: drawings, tolerances and bill of materials
What you get
- Requirements specification and concept models
- Renderings and exploded views
- Prototype files (STL or 3MF) and printed prototypes
- DFM-reviewed 3D model in STEP
- Drawings and bill of materials for the pre-production run
- Revision log of changes between versions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to develop a prototype?
It depends on the number of parts, how much mechanism the product has and how many rounds are needed. We split the work into stages and quote per stage, so you can stop or change direction after each step.
How do I protect my idea before showing it?
We sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before you share the details. For patent protection, speak to a patent attorney before the product is shown in public, because an idea that has already been disclosed often can no longer be patented.
What is the difference between an appearance prototype and a functional prototype?
An appearance prototype shows how the product looks and feels but does not need to work. A functional prototype tests mechanics, fits and strength but does not need to look good. Often both are made in parallel.
How many prototypes are needed?
A simple part often manages with one or two. A product with several moving parts more often needs three to five rounds before the design is frozen.
Can the prototype be made in the same material as the production part?
Not always. Moulded ABS or PP behaves differently from a print in the same plastic, because the print is built in layers. We choose prototype materials that resemble the production part as closely as possible and read the tests with that in mind.
Can you help with series production?
We make prototypes and small batches by 3D printing. For injection moulding, CNC machining and sheet metal we prepare the data and help you find and compare suppliers.