Prototyping – Common Myths Debunked

By Staff Reporter - 07 May '20 18:35PM

(Photo : Prototyping – Common Myths Debunked)

Prototyping is an important step that should be included in any company's product development process. It creates initial versions of a product to enable viability testing and testing to guarantee a quality final product. Despite the many proven benefits of prototyping, some businesses are still hesitant to include it in their product development strategy. This can be partially attributed to outdated and incorrect prototyping myths - which we will debunk in this article.

Is prototyping is prohibitively expensive?

No. Most small businesses consider prototyping to be an expensive endeavor that is only viable for large businesses. While this might have been true a couple of decades ago, this is no longer the case. Modern manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing and CNC machining have made rapid prototyping services accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. Not only is prototyping affordable, but it is also widely accessible and convenient. Most manufacturers allow you to upload your CAD (Computer Aided Design) online and within minutes, they will begin working on your prototype.

Does 3D printing work exclusively with plastics?

No. Most people still consider 3D printing to be an experimental technology, but this couldn't be further from the truth. 3D printing technology has developed rapidly and it is now a manufacturing option with mainstream acceptance. While in the past the technology was only viable with plastics, the development of metal 3D printing has changed that. Metal 3D printing uses a high-powered laser to melt powdered metal which is then molded into your product. It can deliver on complex designs with unconventional geometries with precision and accuracy that is unmatched by other manufacturing technologies such as CNC machining. Metal 3D printing is compatible with superalloys which are difficult to work with using other manufacturing technologies.

Is prototyping even necessary if you know what you are doing?

Yes. Within some corporate cultures, prototyping is thought of as a step taken by design teams that are unsure of what they are creating. This is a fallacy that can hurt your business. Prototyping allows for creative expression within your design team. Different designs and functionality features can be tested when you create prototypes. In an increasingly competitive business environment, your success can be defined by the innovation provided by your products. Public prototypes which are released to a select few of your target market also allow you to include your consumers in the product development process. Their input provides valuable insight that is difficult to achieve internally.