HOW A PROTOTYPE CAN SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY

Technology can do a lot of verifying if your new design is 100% ready for production.  Software can evaluate shapes for injection mold , it can simulate durability against impact testing, and it can prove if your design is ready for manufacturing. The question is often asked if prototypes are even needed anymore with software and technology at such a capable level. The simple answer is yes. If you’re on the fence about creating PROTOTYPE mold of your new design, these are the ways a prototype can still save you time and money:

SHORTEN YOUR DESIGN TIME

You may or may not be filing for a patent on your latest idea.  If you are, you have to complete a breakdown of all components to show why it is unique to gain the patent protection.  If you’re not seeking patent protection, you may be short on details in the beginning.  A prototype may just be the answer to finding out if your new project will fit the niche you’re going for in the market.  Paper schematics are just the beginning of the process, and a prototype can answer more questions on the function and design feasibility of the project. Filing for a patent can be expensive, but a prototype can shorten he design iteration time and reduce the chances you’ll need to re-file for a patent due to a mistake.

SAVE MONEY ON PLASTIC INJECTION TOOLING INVESTMENT
Once your design is finalized, you next phase of the project will be to create tooling.  Waiting for weeks or months for basic tooling to be finished isn’t the time you want to find out a mistake was incorporated into the design. Your idea isn’t going to work as planned.  You must make changes and then wait months for more tooling.  It’s expensive and it will complete derail your project timing. It could have been avoided with one or two iterations of a prototype that just take a few hours or days to create. Prototypes can find every design improvement that may be needed before the first chips are made cutting material for finalized tools.  That can save you investment funding and time by only creating the correct tooling once.

START ON YOUR MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT SOONER
Your permanent tooling may take months to finish.  Until they are ready, you’re unable to start development on fixtures, secondary tooling for assembly, and more manufacturing options that require physical parts for trials. Creating prototypes of the finished design can allow your manufacturing development to start weeks if not months earlier in the overall process. Your manufacturing process can be ready the moment your finalized tools start producing components, and you can get to market sooner than your competition to gain market share.

DEVELOP SECONDARY PROCESSES FASTER THAN BEFORE
Secondary processes can add value with custom etching, ultrasonic welding for permanent attachment, inserts, drilling and tapping, or identification labels. Prototypes can be used to verify your secondary processes are feasible in the cycle time allotted, or they can be utilized to find examples of improvements to be made.  These processes also need instructions created for manufacturing associates or sub-suppliers to follow. Simple prototypes offer the advantage of creation and verification of secondary processes before finalized plastic tooling is completed.