Low-Cost Prototypes for Unique Designs: Affordability in Innovation
When developing products, especially ones with a unique and innovative design approach, prototypes are essential. It brings the initial design idea to life, allowing hands-on interaction and testing. While prototyping can be made easy with pre-made templates and off-the-shelf components, some designers seek to innovate their products with new, unique designs. With the need for more customization on unique design prototypes, maintaining an affordable cost is still important. This article will be covering how we at BSG create low-cost prototypes for unique designs.
Why Companies Use Prototypes
Companies use prototypes for a number of reasons. Most notably, prototypes facilitate early stakeholder feedback, early testing, and design experimentation.
When unwanted features or design flaws make their way into the full-scale production phase, it results in cost, time, and material waste.
For prototypes with unique designs, the prototyping and testing process will highlight any design flaws and determine how the product needs to be refined for full-scale production.
Prototypes can help the product design team determine a number of things, such as:
Whether the initial design functions properly.
Whether the initial design can be visually or functionally improved.
How users interact with the product (with user testing).
Whether the product meets user needs and expectations.
The addition of new features or removal of existing features.
If the materials and dimensions are suitable for real-world applications.
Another benefit of creating unique design prototypes is the ability to demonstrate the value and functionality of your product early-on into development. This is important for investor pitching and stakeholder/client approval.
The Importance of Affordability in The Prototyping Phase
Prototyping already helps save on costs by identifying issues in the design before moving to the production phase.
Nevertheless, the cost of multiple prototypes is still a concern for many project managers and product designers. This phase of the product design involves several rounds of revisions and repeated use of people, materials, machines, and tools to create each version of the prototype. Keeping costs low ensures development stays sustainable.
Generally, the more affordable the prototyping process can be, the better, particularly when it comes to unique designs. A cost-effective approach will leave more room for iterations in design, experimentation, and innovation — creating the best version of the product before heading into full-scale production. Additionally, affordable prototyping also makes this level of innovation more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
Do Prototypes with Unique Designs Cost More?
It depends on the project whether a unique design will cost more.
The common assumption is that prototypes with unique designs will come with higher costs. This could be the case, assuming your design requires more customization and special materials, but it isn’t always.
Unique design ideas don’t necessarily mean a more complex prototyping process. Sometimes, innovation can mean streamlining the components needed for a particular product. Furthermore, smart production and design strategies can reduce the impact of prototypes which lack pre-existing templates or need custom components.
How We Make Prototypes for Unique Designs Low-Cost
When working with a client who has a unique design idea and needs a prototype, we often put affordability at the forefront. In our facility, we have a lot of machinery and automated tools which can reduce prototyping costs.
3D Printing is an automated production process and one of the main ways we drive affordability in prototyping. It is capable of efficiently creating prototypes through CAD software, meeting high tolerances of ± 0.1mm in Z and ± 0.25mm in X and Y. It works with a wide range of material and requires very little technician work to reduce labour costs.
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining also involves the use of CAD software to create a 3D model and set product specifications. Our CNC machine can then read and follow the design file to create the product with little to no help from a technician. Since it is automated, labour costs are significantly reduced and there is little room for error.
When creating a prototype with our CNC machine, we use our 5-Axis Vertical Machining Center MX-330 PC10.
We’ll sometimes incorporate welding into prototype production when needing to connect two materials together. While welding does involve skilled labour from our welders, we’re certified in stud welding techniques which can simplify the process of connecting different materials (rather than fusing them together).
Furthermore, our product design experts are happy to make smart recommendations and modifications to cut costs where necessary. If your team is prioritizing a low-cost prototyping process, with rapid iterations for unique designs, our team is equipped to meet your needs.
Tell us about your project today and we’ll show you how we can make a difference in low-cost prototyping and production!