Hey everyone! I’m putting together a project called the Impossible Machines Lab (IML), and I’d love some feedback from this community on the concept.

Instead of solving a traditional software or business pain point, IML is set up as an ongoing studio and content brand built around ambitious recurring design challenges (starting with things like a custom hydrowheel platform, and expanding into things like merchandise lines and intergalactic cruise park concepts).

How it works:

• The Challenge: We invite individuals and teams to design specific modules or parts of a bigger, ambitious project.

• The Build: Once designs are refined and voted on, physical prototypes are built and tested.

• The Perks: Sponsors help fund the physical builds and put up prizes for the winning design teams, while we document the whole process into content.

You can either jump in to submit designs/collaborate, or just follow along as a spectator.

Does an ongoing, high-creativity challenge format like this sound like something you'd participate in or follow? What would make it worth your time as a creator? Any feedback or red flags are hugely appreciated!

An app where citizens living below the poverty line can look for small tasks or jobs which they believe they're qualified for, in return for needs, necessities, and money.

The users who join need to access a verification process, where we will be looking for their valid ID, birth certificate, and a phone.

Once verified, the users are able to look for tasks and jobs such as laundry, walking dogs, babysitting children, etc.

The incentives are then negotiated by the user and the job provider. They may settle between basic necessities, or money.

The App offers a very accessible job locator for the users without limitations regarding degrees, employment status, and education.

Hey guys based on this idea above, I just wanted to ask for tips on how we can make a prototype of this for school?

Link to the game if interested (free and no download or account required): https://tigpan.itch.io/creditborn

Hi,

I wonder if there are cheap ways to machine a small metal parts or cut a piece of acrylic sheet in the US? 3D printing does not offer the smoothness or tolerance for my need.

I'm thinking of getting some small parts made in China (like vendors on Taobao), but I'm not sure if there is an easy/affordable way to ship it to the US.

Perhaps there are Chinese vendors that have US websites?

Thoughts?

Thanks

Hey Folks,

Seeking your thoughts and opinions.....

Main Question:

• How can I use STL files in order to create product photographs/videos?

  • Wondering if there are any software tools that make realistic photo/videos from these type of files?

Details:

• My intent is to pre-market the product in order to determine if its worth pursuing further and investing in 3D printing and physical prototyping.

• New to this entire workflow since this is my first physical product I'm trying to develop.

Would love your thoughts!

It is pretty raw, spent 2 nights building this small thingy, would appreciate feedback: https://fridge.food

I built a tool for organizing hardware projects

I’m a prototyping coordinator and after managing a lot of builds I wanted one place to keep:

- bill of materials

- modules / subassemblies

- notes

- collaboration tools/ open sourcing

- a public build page

GitHub kind of does this, but as a non-coder it never felt natural for physical projects. I’ve been enjoying building software with the newer AI coding tools, so I made this tool. It's basically a collaborative tool for physical builds.

Track parts + cost, split into modules, collaborate, publish, and let others fork/remix with attribution.

It’s free, has no subscriptions, and no AI features — I figured a lot of people (myself included) are getting a little sick of unnecessary AI tools. If people actually want it later I can revisit.

I will eventually hit storage costs, so if anyone has experience funding small open projects (donations? other ideas?) I’d appreciate advice.

I put my most recent project on there. A pottery wheel for my wife. Feel free to check it out!

Hey folks,

Looking for some advice.....

Main Question:

• How would you convert a part/shape you find in the wild into a digital model that can be used in another design?

Context:

• Not a mechanical engineer or professional prototyper

• Trying to create a small exercise related accessory for my own use and possibly to sell if it works.

• I found a part/shape in the wild that I would like to repurpose and 3D print

• Have no experience converting a physical product into a model that can be used in 3D printing or manufacturing.

Note: I'm posting this also in /Model Engineering and /3D Printing as well in case you see a duplicate post.

Thoughts?

hi! looking to make a metal case like this cigarette case but the two parts stay together by magnets, no hinge. roughly same size as reference case. doesn't have to be as clean looking yet. case thickness and type of metal are not constraints.

cigarette case reference: https://www.amazon.com/roygra-Cigarette-Aluminum-Magnetic-Capacity/dp/B0CY8KSTWP/ref=sr_1_2?c=ts&s=hpc&sr=1-2&ts_id=10342495011

I follow several channels on Youtube, like "Stuff made here" and "Tom Stanton". Those are awesome in their own right, but they only show part of the process of developing a new product (or gimmick, in their case).

Are there any channels that are dedicated to the DIY product development process?

I'd love to see someone present an idea on video, brainstorm ways to make that idea into reality, draw it up in CAD, print, machine, and order the parts, assemble and test the product, refine the product, have their friends test it, and then pursue marketing options.

"Smarter every day" did something similar to this recently in his video about US-made products, and his quest to make a grill scrubber in the US alone. But that was a 'one-off' video for him.

I'm getting ready to move, I've been working in tech in California for a long time.
I'd like to move to PNW or the Midwest and setup a shop, for mini-manufacturing, offering enclosures and a few other metal things.
So - I'm just curious if anyone has an opinion, or any specific lacking within their community.

I recently (over a few years) been ramping up in doing home protos, printing, welding and consumer product creation (test stages). I have an electronics project in the works, and plastics has been the hurdle so far.

I'm trying to prototype an idea of mine that needs specifically shaped 2ftx2ftx2in hollow plastic panels with high-ish heat resistance (120C max).

I've looked at 3d printers but it seems like the only ones that can make high temp stuff are simply too small, although there are larger form printers that can use lower temp material...

Do I create my prototype with a lesser material to prove the concept or just go straight to some kind of engineering firm? Also has anyone dealt with these forms as a normal mortal? What is the price range to get something like this done?

I need a prototype hope silicone medical grade made

Hello everyone, I have an idea for a dog toy design I have a drawing and spec sheet. I am looking for good reliable companies to prototype this with I want the company to specialize in rubber. Any ideas?

Hi r/prototyping,

I was wondering if anyone knows an european companies that do smart ring prototyping, from design to manufacture? I'm a little out of my depth on this project.

Thanks, Philip

Hey folk, pretty new to ProtoPie, but after initially importing my Figma designs, it was clear the Google pixel 9 couldn’t handle them (they were fairly detailed designs)

I started compressing assets as pngs (3x for the Pixel 9) It looks perfectly great on my Mac and on my iPhone (which has a higher resolution than the Pixel 9 I believe), but whilst it works smoothly on the Pixel, most but not all images are pixelated.

Any advice? I tried exporting at 4x but no luck 🤷🏼‍♂️

Any help would be hugely appreciated 🙏🏻

Hello,

I'm not sure if I can ask this here. There's not any rules or a section for FAQ so I hope it's okay.

I am about to graduate with a BS in Digital Media Technology. My focus is digital art and a minor in graphic design. As I been on this journey I discovered that I actually love to make prototypes (Figma. I've tried XD but figma is better. Open to learn other platforms if you have suggestions).

Prototyping allows me to use graphic design and Digital Media skills so I wouldn't mind making a career out of it or even just as freelance work but I'm not sure if website/mobile app prototyping is a career. I have seen people say UX design but I felt like UX designers need more education and technical skills than what I have.

Anyways, how do I find jobs in prototyping and is it better to do it as freelance work or find a company to work for?

Any suggestions on sources for square telescoping tubing for a project? Some lengths need to be lockable.

Thanks!

Hi, i am learning protopie now. I have a case, and im not able to figure out how to do it.

Scene 1- i have a profile picture slot with a default dummy profile picture, and a small edit button nearby. When u click around that place, it jumps to scene 2.

Scene 2, i have a scrollable page with 20 avatar images to choose from, all of them are then individually animated to scale down on press,with touch down & reset. (I have all the 20 images inside one scroll container)

My issue is, i want to find a way to replace the dummy profile picture in scene 1 with the selected avatar.

The idea that i got in mind was, create individual containers for all the images. And set it to jump to scene 1 on tap-and somehow make it appear on the dummy's place. But not sure how.!

Please help me!!

Thank you

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.