It's easy...I already made a prototype.

“I have an idea for…”

This is how many conversations start when calling an engineering/product development firm.

“It’s easy…I’ve already made a prototype.?I just need a CAD file so I can get it 3D Printed.”

As a mechanical engineer with over 25 years of real-world experience, I often feel like a dream killer when I field these calls.?People with no background in design and engineering have seen the sexy capabilities of CAD and 3D Printing and think it will be easy to create that “widget”, stick it on a retail shelf, and retire to a private island when the money starts flowing in. ?Launching a new idea into the marketplace requires not only technical foresight, but also a business plan as well.?

It’s true – creating that widget and getting one in your hands might be a relatively quick process…but it’s only the start.?At TriMech , we work with prospective clients before putting mouse to CAD in order to help them think through the entire process of their product launch.

Some general questions to consider with a “new product idea” are listed below.?It’s not intuitive, but you should actually begin with the end in mind and work backwards.

·???????Once all of the development has been done, and the manufacturing processes have been defined, how will you market and sell your product?

·???????What kind of volumes do you need to sell to consider the launch a success??(This will help select appropriate manufacturing processes for your product idea)

·???????Do you plan to manufacture a smaller volume first to get your product to market before investing in more costly tooling, fixtures, etc.?

·???????Does your product design align with a suitable manufacturing process??(e.g., if your design will be injection molded, does the complexity of your concept make tooling expensive or potentially impossible?)

·???????Will your product need to be validated or tested by a third-party lab before being approved for sale?

·???????How do you plan to secure funding for your product idea?

·???????Are you married to the design you sketched on a napkin or cobbled together, or are you open to starting with a set of requirements for the product and letting us work together from there?

Don’t worry. If you call us, we won’t be harsh dream killers, but we will work with you up front to make sure you’ve thought through the entire process before spending money to rush in and create a CAD model or 3d print that doesn’t get you where you ultimately want to go.?

Give TriMech a call today and learn how we can help you turn your ideas into reality (the right way)

Design - TriMech

#Engineering, #design , #productdevelopment , #cad , #3d?printing