3 Types of Prototypes We Create:

• Visual Concept Prototype


• Functional Prototypes


• Pre-Production Prototypes

Visual Concept Prototypes

Visual and Cosmetic model prototypes are used to support your market research and sales activities needs.

Many of our clients use visual model prototypes to promote their product to gain deeper knowledge of people’s reaction to the product concept including: form, use, size and colors.

What Are You Going to Use the Prototype For?

The type of visual concept prototype you require depends on your needs. If you are looking to present a product concept and get a reaction, a virtual prototype may suffice. However, if you’re attending a tradeshow, meeting with prospective investors, or conducting market research, a more elaborate non-function visual prototype may be required.

Here’s a breakdown of the 3 types of concept level prototypes we can create for you:

1. Virtual Prototypes:
   
   
These are Quick Rendered Photo Images from 3D CAD programs like SolidWorks. These are great for websites or to demonstrate product concepts to clients or investors

Scale Model Prototypes :

For large products, building full scale prototypes is expensive and inefficient. We often create scaled models to demonstrate product concepts and functionalities.

Mock-Up Prototypes:

For quick hand built representations of a concept (hand made from foam, rubber, 3D printed media, wood, and metal depending on the requirements)

Functional Prototypes

Functional or bench model prototypes are a representation of your product. They are used to help tune the operation of a part or sub assembly of a product.

The design team recommends early stage Bench Models for items that are at higher risk of working. Exploration of a real physical object or assembly in some cases allows the refinement of a feature much faster than exploring concept variations of the product on a computer model.

Moving, interacting parts can be quickly refined, and new opportunities identified while a craftsperson explores a concept with their hands and mind physically on a bench in a concept shop with the right tools and materials.

Bench Models can be built many ways include:

• Styrofoam models with hot glue, wires and other materials
• Quick cut in-house machined parts for surface analysis, fit, operation
• Purchased, off the shelf and modified components
• Storyboarding user interface options to identify ease of use keys/controls