Get Your Invention To Market: Start With A Strong Prototype

Before you begin shopping around your new idea there’s some groundwork you’ll need to take care of first. Having an idea is easy; it’s the steps that come after that are the most difficult.

A strong prototype will give you many tangible and intangible benefits that will speed up market adoption, and give your invention a chance to thrive. Below we highlight several reasons why you’ll want to start with a strong prototype for your new idea.

1. Having A Tangible Product Gives You Confidence

When you have a spectacular idea for an invention it can be tempting to spend all of your time creating product mockups and refining the initial design. This step is very important, but you’ll never make progress towards your goal if you never create something tangible.

A plastic prototype, even if it is flawed will give you confidence that you’re moving forward with your creation. Once you have the initial prototype you can work with it to truly polish and improve your design.

2. It Allows You To Refine Your Product First

During your first product run-through you’re always going to have kinks to work out. Or, you may need to add or remove certain features. By creating a plastic prototype you’ll be able to refine the design of your product into a workable prototype. You might also start with one type of plastic and molding process, and then decide that another type of plastic will make your product more durable. The range of function and processing methods as well as type of plastics available can be overwhelming to new product inventors.

This allows you to avoid any product mishaps that might occur without proper prototyping. The only way to truly create a plastic product that exceeds your expectations is by starting with an initial prototype and innovating from that point.

3. Can Experiment With Production and Distribution Methods

When taking your design to market chances are you’re going to need to scale. This means you’ll need to have your production and distribution methods ironed out.

By starting with a strong prototype you can smooth out the plastic production process, and any methods of distribution to reach your customers or your suppliers ahead of time.

4. A Strong Protoype Strengthens Your Investment Potential

When you’re approaching potential investors about your product it’s one thing to tell them about it. It’s an entirely different experience altogether when you show them. Graphics, plans, and descriptions can only go so far. By creating a working plastic prototype you enable an investor to truly experience what it’s like to use your product.

At SPI we can help make inventors dreams a reality.

With our state of the art plastic production and molding facility we can cater to your every need. Our team of engineers has decades of experience producing plastic prototypes across a wide array of fields. If you’re interested in bringing your idea to life, then reach out to our team here, or give us a call at (269) 849-3200.

3d printer plastic prototype a type of prototype for your plastic part

Benefits of 3D Printers for Plastic Prototypes

Do you have a product invention that you think is ready to go to market? Whether you are an established company or a start-up entrepreneur manufacturing plastic prototypes can be costly and time consuming. Historically many new product design concepts never hit the market because of the time and expense involved in creating the prototype to prove the value to investors or stockholders.

Most of the product inventors on Shark Tank would never be able to step foot on stage if they had to rely on traditional plastic manufacturing methods to make their first product prototype! Fortunately the techies have come to rescue to reduce plastic prototype manufacturing costs. Whether your product prototype will be used in the furniture, agricultural, lawn and garden or even appliance or automotive industry a 3-D printer can be a game changer. Inventors and companies with new product lines can now have detailed prototypes without the expense and time commitment of a full production.

Benefits of a 3D Printer for Plastic Prototypes:

considerably less cost
considerably less time to produce
no need to secure factory space
no production line set up
no jigs or fixtures or expensive dies required
low cost for supplies / prototype material
reduce or eliminate shipping and procurement cost
plastic prototypes can be created in less than a day

The 3D printer specifications for SPI Blow Molding and SPI Injection molding can be found here. A 3D printer can be the solution for many inventions or newly revised plastic parts. Whether the finished part or finished product will require blow molding or injection molding, SPI can provide a quick and inexpensive prototype in your hands within days. All that’s needed are the specifications for the plastic part or plastic product you want to manufacture. SPI will create a design based on your specifications and develop it for the 3D printer and you will have a prototype.

Once a 3D plastic prototype part is tested fine tuning can be done to the design until a final prototype is approved for manufacturing. Production of plastic parts and products can be handled through the SPI Injection Molding plant or SPI Blow Molding plant depending on the product design.

Inventors and designers rejoice – you don’t have to break the bank to get your new product to market when a 3D printer and plastic prototypes allow you to create mock ups inexpensively and quickly until you achieve the perfect product you envisioned.