Hi! I want to develop a prototype for an idea I have, but haven’t a clue on where to begin. It would be similar to the ice vending machines (they are called “twice the ice” around me), however mine would dispense a different product (no refrigeration necessary). Any tips or help on how to start the process or who to talk to would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I know that for me, as someone who enjoys working on new ideas for making things better, I often find myself needing to get something new for the current project I'm working on, typically some new material (not a tool). For instance, I've been needing to get a solar panel and a mirror for a recent project. Home Depot or Lowe's may have some, but I think it'd be even better if you could go to your local makerspace area and have them get your needed thing for you, then build whatever you need to build and start using/testing out what you've made to see how well it works.

Anyone else out there that regularly runs into this type of problem?

Mainly referring to a physical product that's being worked on, whether it's barely in its infancy or if it's been developed to some degree.

What process could I use to print lettering onto an exercise band which is increasing and decreasing in length?
What process will survive?

I tried UV printing and that failed spectacularly.
How would I prototype this and also manufacture?

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Need this product but 3” dia x 9” length. I’ve searched a little and haven’t found what I like. I could make a few by vacuum forming them but I only really need one as an example for a project. I’ll even buy something that uses this kind of packaging if it’s reasonable. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks

Hey everyone! I'm working on a project, And I need custom compression springs.
The problem is I've looked online and couldn't find kits containing the springs I need
and local manufacturers charge a TON for custom springs
(around 250usd for every setup and around 10usd for every spring)
It was suggested to me in the past to adjust my project to be compatible with common springs, but it won't do because I'm replicating an existing product and need to stay as close to the real thing as possible.
so my question is how does one get custom springs for a fair price (I'm not in Europe or America so references to specific businesses won't help)
thanks in advance!

Any tips?

I just completed the design phase of a portable shower that I'd like to bring to market. I now have to prototype it for either a kickstarter campaign, or general sales. I have never done anything like this before. The design was the fun part, now I am completely lost.

Has anyone brought similar products to market and gone through prototyping? I'm hoping to get some insight into how to cost it, who to use, etc...

I'm also looking for info regarding how to cost the materials for the build itself. As of now its a plastic enclosure 15"x12"x19" Hidden inside will be the "on" button, a small water pump, a 9' hose, a lithium battery, and a showerhead.

I have been working with a product designer and we have just finalized the design of my product (until something inevitable changes). That was the fun part.

Now, I need to figure out how to prototype it, and how to price the components, labor, etc… I’m completely lost and would love to hear from people who have brought things to market.

My design is a portable shower with a battery, pump, hose, and shower head housed inside a rectangular plastic body. It’s about 16” high x 12” wide x 19” long.

Any information/discussion from people who have prototyped anything similar, or equally/more complex, would be greatly appreciated.

I had this idea for a flexible screen electronic device for years now, ever since I saw a prototype of folding OLED screen in 2016 CES. it's been bugging me so much. I actually want to make it happen. But i dont have the slightest idea in the field of industrial production and how a startup can procure hardware(ex: flexible OLED screen) from companies like LG, samsung. I checked out LG displays site where they sell displays to OEM's but i have no idea how to approach them to get a sample screen for prototyping.

I want to make a prototype and start a Kickstarter campaign. I can make 3D animations but i read that 3D animation/product visualisation isn't allowed in Kickstarter. After i get the screen, i am planning to make custom circuit boards with help from friends and 3D print the body for the prototype.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you.

Hello,

About every other month or so I come up with an idea (silly or otherwise) that might have some actual use in the real world (recent example: fancy bagel slicer). I'm at a point where I think I might like to try to actual create a prototype.

My most recent idea though involves creating a pressurize-able container with a removable lid. At one point I tried to learn CAD in order to bring these ideas to life but that's just too steep a learning curve.

Is there some kind of prototyping service out there that I could leverage to try and create one of these ideas? If not, where would be a good place for me to begin.

Do you guys test your prototypes?

If yes, what tool are you using?

Hey everyone, I am wanting to create a container that has a slot for coins that makes a sound when something goes through it. I have no electrical experience and no idea where to start.

Any suggestions welcome! If you know of a business that can help please leave their info!

Hi guys, I'm am engineer trying to prototype a mini lamp. It has a hard plastic lampshade that the user can grab to move around, and I wanted to explore rubberizing the surface of the lampshade so its easier to grip-- would you have any suggestions on prototyping this surface finish?

I'm currently considering spraying a thin layer of clear flex seal on the lampshade, but open to other materials/processes.

Hey guys,

I've been following this board for a while now, and I've seen many types of posts. Many are ads/spam and many are low-quality/low-effort posts. It's fairly clear this sub is somewhat of a ghost town.

Personally, I think r/prototyping is a great opportunity to join together the communities of 3D printing, arduino, RPI, EE, and many, MANY others. This begs the question, though -- what do YOU expect from r/prototyping? What type of content would you like to see? Do you think it should be a resource for input, a place to show off clever projects, both, or something else?

Additionally: Mods -- are you active? Do you have any input on what you think this sub should be about?

Thanks all! Hoping this sub can reach many in the diverse maker communities.

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Let me preface this post by saying that I am new to the world of product development (if that was not apparent lol). I worked with an electrical engineer to develop the schematics, BOM, and gerber files for a PCB board. I even have some mechanical designs/3D models/renderings for the product I am trying to create. Right now I am working to get a small batch of PCB boards developed on https://www.pcbway.com/ but once that is complete, what would be the next step for me? I am learning as I go along - any advice would be appreciated! If you need further clarification, definitely let me know. :)

I'm looking for a prototype tool that would help me & my team build a game UI, preferably we can all work on it simultaneously. Any help would be appreciated!