Prototyping and Uses

A prototype is an original model of an idea and is generally used to provide a credible representation of your idea and its functioning. A prototype will make it easier for prospective buyers, investors or manufacturers to quickly understand your idea and the benefits it provides. Prototypes are also used to resolve aesthetic and ergonomic issues and to prove an idea works. The price and benefits of each type of prototype varies from virtual prototypes to production prototypes.

Virtual Prototype: The Virtual Prototype is a 3D computer-generated representation of your invention. These are quick helpful ways to “visualize” your invention in its early stages. These are great for making quick changes in design, color or size. We also offer the ability to show your invention to assemble and rotate.  These virtual prototypes can be sent via email to buyers, investors, and manufacturers for their reviews and consideration.

Concept Models: Fabricated from simple and readily available materials. Used to communicate the concept such as needed for concept selection. Used for proof of concept and developmental testing. Testing is performed on the prototype to further develop the design, gather data to optimize the design, determine reliability and satisfactory operation under specified operating conditions. Little emphasis is placed on the “look and feel”.

Form and Fit: Demonstrates the “look and feel” of the product. Mostly full features, but may have some scaling. Used for internal testing and evaluation and to generate feedback on your product’s shape, color, design, and overall look and feel. In physical prototypes it uses same material & properties (e.g., design-intent parts), but different manufacturing processes (e.g., rapid prototyping, soft-tooled parts, FPGA’s vs. ASIC’s, etc.). Also known as the Alpha Prototype.

Functional: Full pilot production, but in small volumes. Used to finalize manufacturing processes, assembly assessment and production tooling. May be used for limited release to lead customers. Pre-Production Prototype is an actual, full-scale, working prototype of your new invention. There is no better sales tool than this. It will look and function almost like a production unit. These types of prototypes usually require custom machine work and one-up fabrications and can be quite expensive, however, they always cost less than tooling up for an item and having to buy a minimum quantity of product. Also known as a Production Prototype.

Presentation: This type of prototype is a representation of the product as it will be manufactured. Often used for promotional purposes, it should be able to demonstrate what the product can do, and can sometimes be a copy of the final product.

Master Pattern: A molding die or master pattern, made from a Stereolithography (SLA) part or PolyJet part is first created and then used to form a rubber mold. Room Temperature Vulcanization (RTV) molds are the fastest, most accurate, and least expensive way to create one and up to hundreds of duplicates of a prototype part. Rubber molds can faithfully duplicate details and textures present on the original part, and can be very forgiving of part geometry when it comes time to remove it from the mold. The SLA part may be oversized to compensate for shrink rates. After customer approval, the master pattern part is hand-finished to a high level, on all exterior surfaces. Texturing, if required, is also done at this time. The master pattern is then surrounded by a parting surface that establishes the parting line of the mold.

Investment Casting Pattern: Casting metal into a mold produced by surrounding, or investing, an expendable pattern with a refractory slurry coating that sets at room temperature, after which the wax or plastic pattern is removed through the use of heat prior to filling the mold with liquid metal. Also called precision casting or lost wax process.