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Thousands of new products hit the market in the United States every year. The hope of the companies that release these products is to make them popular. If you have designed a new product that you are sure will make a splash on the modern market, then you need to do all you can to bring this vision to life. If you need funding to take your product to market, the main thing you will need is a Prototype Design. Investors will want to see a working model of your product before they make a decision regarding whether to fund your venture. If you are curious about how to make a successful prototype, consider the helpful tips in this article.
Developing a Sketch and Virtual Prototype Design
The first step in the prototype development process is sketching out a design. By putting your industrial product design on paper, you can start to iron out the details of your prototype. You need to realize that your prototype drawing will go through various incarnations before a final design is instituted. Carrying around a sketch notebook for a while can help you flush out new ideas and get them on paper right away.
Once you have a sketch you are satisfied with, it will be time to use digital sketch software to bring it to life. With this software, you will be able to create a 3-D model of your prototype. With a 3-D model, you can look at your product from all angles to see if alterations need to be made.
If you don’t have the software or the experience needed to create a 3-D model of your prototype, working with an experienced graphic designer is a great idea. With their assistance, you can get an accurate representation of your prototype design before moving to the next stage of this process.
Choose a Prototyping Technology To Use
After you have a digital prototype of your product, you will need to figure out the best technology to used to bring it to life. There are tons of different technologies that can be used for this process. If you are looking for a low-cost way to produce a prototype, then a 3-D printer is a good option. These printers are both affordable and accessible, which makes them a great option for startups with low budgets.
If you have an intricate design that will require lots of cuts, then using a CNC or laser cutting machine is a must. Instead of trying to buy one of these expensive machines for this purpose, you should outsource this work to knowledgeable professionals. An experienced CNC professional will have no problem getting an intricately designed prototype manufactured and in the hands of your potential investors in a hurry.
Test Your Prototype Design Thoroughly
The biggest mistake inventors make when trying to get funding for a new product idea is failing to test the prototype before putting into the hand of investors. If there are problems with your prototype, you need to know about them before you try to get people to invest in this idea. Providing potential investors with a prototype that is poorly designed or prone to malfunctioning can be disastrous.
Instead of making this mistake and being unable to secure funding, you have to take testing your prototype seriously. While proper testing will be time-consuming it is definitely worth the effort.
Use a Focus Group to Optimize Your Design
Before you take your prototype to investors, you need to make sure it is ready to go. Investing in focus group testing of your prototype is a great way to discover design flaws and possible optimizations. Getting feedback from real-world consumers will also provide you with how big the market is for your new product. Taking this information to your investors can help you show them just how special your design is.
It’s Time to Start Your Prototype
As you can see, there are many steps involved in creating a prototype. By following the tips in this article, you can make the process of developing a prototype easier and more successful. With the right professional help, developing the prototype will be a breeze.Â
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