How do you prototype your product designs using manufacturing technology?

Usually sketch on a notebook some overall shape Mechanical concept, having in mind the components that are going to be mounted. Then, a first rough 3D model in surface mode, having placed an optimal position of the intended components. Board aesthetical aproval, if the OK is given, then the real "Puzzle" begins.

When I initially have an idea, I might scribble a sketch in my notepad, then head directly to my shop to build a 'franken-model' (Frankenstein Model). A franken-model is a quick proof of concept model, typically using spare parts around the shop. I may repurpose components from various items, assemble rough mechanisms, utilize scrap wood or materials, use lots of glue and fasteners, and possibly 3d printed components. This is a cheap way to see if this idea works and would actually be worth pursuing. It may look ugly, but if it works, we move onto phase 2 - digital.

Traditional prototyping methods are great and useful but keeping in mind the intent of the prototype is extremely useful. Most of the traditional methods are done to create appearance or functional prototypes without going through enough frugal prototyping methods. Traditional manufacturing is extremely costly and the price you pay for a small mistake is too heavy. What I do is I maintain a notebook where after the overall form is completed, I ideate in section views to understand fit ergonomics and functional parameters before getting into any finalisation of the Prototype. This cannot be just an engineering approach. It has to be an integrated industrial design and engineering exercise. We call that Design Integrity.

Traditional methods first- It’s always easy to work a difficult form first on thermocol, (cardboard, or styrofoam) then choosing an appropriate materials, for all kinds of organic forms. These initial models when worked by hands, give a huge potential to change n work on details better, also letting one interact better. Later can go for 3-d or what the product require.

Considering that the closer the prototype is to the original, it will lead to a better understanding and visualization. Therefore, a method should be considered that includes these items. According to the desired materials in the product, its manufacturing method can be defined. Metal materials by machining methods or other methods, Plastic materials with 3D printers, Wood materials in the same way, and other materials in the same proportion with respect to details and precision,

Almost any material can be 3D printed; copper, steel, ceramic, silicone, various resins, plastics...even chocolate! With our clients, we stress that 3D printed should be seen like sketch paper. Its best to focus on quick-and-dirty FDM prints that can be done in hours and are inexpensive. We call this an "ugly baby." Let's get an ugly baby made. Once we all agree on the performance and features of a product, we can refine its aesthetics. This approach will reduce costs significantly and allow clients to test a variety of ideas quickly without wasting their capital.

All for a digital approach! But first of all what do you want to achieve with the prototype? When you have your digital 3D design in CAD , today you can simulate lots of specific production methods of parts but also analyse assembly and logistic processes, even simulate complet factories! All this can be done without wasting energy( sorry a bit then) and material that you need for a physical model. Furthermore several production methods for a single prototype do not represent the mass production method. So lets go digital!

In the digital phase, I will take what I learned from the franken-model and fine tune it into a CAD model. This helps with fine-tuning the dimensions, connections, assemblies, aesthetics, etc. With these CAD drawing, depending on the product, I will use them to 3d print, CNC route, or laser cut some of the components that need to be made for a new prototype. Fortunately, I have a background in CAD and product development, but I understand there can be a great barrier to entry on the digital front in terms of skills development and software access. There are alternatives to help such as free CAD software, hire someone on Upwork, Fiverr, or another gig economy site, and/or get CAD training at a local community college, Youtube, or other.

Nowadays we can test cheaper, faster, and with thousands of users thanks to new technologies! but again, ask you first what you need to test in each iteration.

We often recommend clients approach hybrid methods as a way to begin small batch manufacturing. We also offer 3D printed mold-making. These molds don't last as long but they are inexpensive and allow a customer to make 50 units at significantly lower expenses. We also provide sanding, panting, jewelry-grade tumble-finishing and laser engraving to ensure batch manufactured units look just as good as traditional mass manufacturing.

Combining the franken-model and digital technologies is how most of my prototypes get created. For example, if I need a hinged part, instead of fabricating a hinge, it's quicker and cheaper to source the components that already exist. Don't reinvent the wheel, when you can buy one to make progress on your own invention. By combining the digitally developed components with spare parts from the workshop, you are better able to build a looks-like/works-like prototype. Depending on the application, the finishing is where you can shine. You may need to use a lot of Bondo, paint, and polish to make it look like a product on a store shelf.

DFM (Design For Manufacturing) should be part of the discussion as early as possible. I've invited clients to tour factories with me because it would greatly benefit them to understand how machines make their components. No client has taken me up on the offer. It often doubles their time-to-market. Often a client will design a product then redesign it for DFM because the limitations of manufacturing are so great. Most people have to learn this lesson the hard way. The absolute best thing a client could do is work in one of our factories for a day. Operating CNC workstations, hand-polishing molds, desoldering components on a metal core PCB, assembly a wire harness with strange, ultra-specific machines all give a client Mechanical Empathy.

The basis of your making a successful product, depends on making hard decisions and learning from them. The matrix of points which need to be evaluated, is always prior to the prototyping. Prototyping is learning what is needed in the next stage of development. Thus, a well constructed The X-factor, some used to say a decade ago, which is nothing but a new learning about the consumer/product that you are designing for. The "X" may not be multiplied in that current project, but illustrates when there is genuine learning and effort in those projects. A well constructed decision making matrix will show the progress and way forward, and also make visible the "X-Factor" Each process in the prototyping phase should have an "aha!!"

For best practices, you'll need to track your progress an document everything. I don't know how many times I have needed to go back to a drawing or iteration from years prior to aid in future developments of a product. Be diligent in your pursuit. It may be easy to mock up a basic product, but getting that product to market is a different set of skills. Invest in your presentation, pitch, and marketing materials. These are the first impression most people have with your product. Be professional and realistic. Chances are, this isn't a novel concept, the market may not see a need for it...yet, or any number of other factors. If you believe in your product, be patient and connect with the right people to help you get to market.

If you're in a big company, you'll likely have a well set out best practice, which you should follow. Make sure to challenge and try to improve it through the appropriate channels if you see opportunities to do so, but follow it for consistency with your colleagues. If you're in a small organisation, or flying solo, just make sure to be consistent, and reflect on how easy it is for you to change your own work. Think about avoiding "Wow, that change was a massive pain" and "I need to just re-model this" coming up. Documentation is everything. Keep an active log of what you're doing, changing and why, even if it feels like it's detracting from your work, it's helping everyone else, so has net benefit.

Our team stresses the need for quick, iterative 3D prints. We developed this concept after watching Christopher Nolan do the same thing with The Tumbler in Batman Begins. His team worked in his garage and "kitbashed" toys together to come up with the design of their "anti-batmobile." Sketches are fun to look at, but the illustrator often ignores the accurate perspective or how components will physically join together. The client believes the illustration is achievable. This leads to disappointment. We prefer to create a rough CAD model in SolidWorks, print it on one of our FDM printers and then put it in the hands of our client. The client has a much better understanding of what can be achieved for their final product.

Our team's tools are nearly infinite. This is the advantage of having engineers, scientists and artists on the same team. As an example, we needed to create a series of luxury yakisugi tables for a restaurant. This required scorching wood at scale. So, we built a robotic, computer-controled jig to scorch the wood accurately and quickly without introducing warpage. Everyone has CAD software, 3D printers, lasers, tumblers for polishing...but do they have the ability to build a new machine from scratch in days? I think a team's ability to design automated and semi-automated jigs is the ultimate resource. Don't buy the tool. Build the tool.

I went to college for product design. I set a goal for myself to acquire at least one tool or piece of equipment per semester, so that, by the time I graduated, I would have enough to start a small shop for developing products. Over the years I acquired various 3d printers, cnc routers, precision lathe, laser engraver, vacuform machine, benchtop tools, and more. I wanted to be ready to make anything. I have used Solidwork as my CAD software because that's what I was trained on and it has great features to develop for manufacturing. As for materials, whatever product is being developed, I try to utilize similar materials to what is on the market in that category - or at least make it look like that material for prototype's sake.

We often find clients come to us after they've been abused and exploited by bad engineering firms. Clients can be gunshy and defensive because they've been financially exploited. Its important to note that you're starting a new relationship with us; we can't make up for previous firms' mistakes. All we can do is our best work. It's best if we start with a clean slate. Lastly, clients need to see 3D printing as more than a short-cut to something they could have injection-molded. Think about living hinges, hidden features that can't be done traditionally, variable infills to create crumple zones and paused-print-inserts, where we pause a print and insert items into the object mid-print.

Prototyping should not only be to evaluate your ideas from a technical standpoint but also to validate with your audience. In the early stages of product development, you can showcase your product digitally through renderings to confirm and validate the assumptions before jumping to DFM ( design for manufacturing)