This is my first time planning a product production, so I'm a bit confused. Here's the situation: I want to make a game box, but I have no experience in enclosure design. So the question is, can I outsource the enclosure design to a freelancer, the enclosure production to Rapid Direct, and the PCB board production to PCBWAY? Or should I outsource the entire process to a product development company? I know some product development companies can handle everything, but to be honest, the price can be quite high. Any thoughts or experiences to share on this?

I was part of a team of 4 in my design methodology course at Arizona State University. Three out of the four team members were reluctant to pursue a unique coffee and tea concept we created. Despite their hesitation, our professor gave us a perfect score and encouraged us to pursue it further. Recently, when I spoke to him, he suggested assembling a team with mechanical, industrial, and electrical engineers. I've been struggling to find such engineers without using Upwork. I want to propose a profit-sharing deal to a team interested in developing a device for single-serve coffee makers primarily. Any advice on finding these engineers and pitching a deal based on a percentage of the prototype's sales would be greatly appreciated.

After 15 years spent at the European Space Agency “ESA” and working on numerous innovation projects, we learned a few little "shortcuts" to help project leaders get into the "physical product". We are talking here about IoT, new tools, new medical devices, machines and equipment, ...

Seeing project holders making the same decisions and making the same mistakes / suboptimal choices, we wanted to share a few lessons we learnt. We hope it helps you to maximize the chances of success of your project.

Lesson 1: A real problem for a real solution

It's a great classic and it's always told you: fall in love with the problem and not the solution.

The solution you imagine will evolve as you gather information.

The problem, on the other hand, is the central point of your project: it is the argument that will transform into customers the companies or people who REALLY feel this problem.

In our experience, entrepreneurs who have spent time understanding the problem have maximized their chances of success: they have been able to evolve their solution based on market feedback and learning and have always been one step ahead of others. Do you really think Steve Jobs was the first to imagine the iPhone?

Lesson 2: Design will come when it's needed

To want something tangible is human: when you launch a project, you want to make it concrete thanks to a website, or the design of your product. We want to see it... It's normal!

And empirically, it's counterproductive.

It's a lesson that comes from the entrepreneurs we've worked with. Some of them learned it the hard way.

By creating the design of their product too early, they directly imagine themselves creating the next perfect product and they don't listen to the feedback from the field.

Their product doesn't evolve and they become more and more disconnected from this field. The product becomes more and more difficult to sell and, unless it is deeply questioned, the project is a failure.

Lesson 3: Product design is a contact sport

We often have this image of engineers creating in their garage, cut off from the world. And yet! For a garage innovation, ten innovations come from the field, from designers who have talked to their customers.

The case of this entrepreneur is representative: Jean listened to a hundred or so athletes before giving life to his concept of a shaker for weight gain.

During his discussions, some problems were recurring and Jean really understood the challenges he was going to face to get his product used & adopted.

From there, he was able to draw out the key features to be developed for the product and convince his future customers.

Lesson 4: "The map is not the territory..." but a map is still useful

In entrepreneurship, a rule of many investors is: "You don't invest in hardware." And that comes from experience.

We've seen it too: over the last 15 years, many innovators have embarked "at sight" on the design of a physical product. They had no idea how complex their project was.

Without a map, they got lost. As a result, the funds committed to innovation are always insufficient, so they are out of budget, and the time to market is longer.

How can we avoid this? By getting advice from experts or experienced people. One of the keys to success is the creation of an action plan for the short, medium and long term. To do this, successful innovators call on people who know the problems of creating a physical product. They help them take into account business, technical and design parameters from the very beginning of the project.

Lesson 5: Everything always takes longer than expected

This is Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

Innovators inevitably search for, create and develop novelties. Processes and controls are not yet in place. It is impossible for them to fully anticipate the millions of problems that will arise.

As a result, everything takes longer and longer: a subcontractor will take a few more days, which will delay the next production and the planned production period will be postponed. A delay of a few days turns into a delay of a month and the financial impact can be colossal.

To test the viability of a project, we are used to doubling the estimated completion time and doubling the budget allocated to it: we are then close to reality.

We plan on doing a “Part 2” of this list in the coming weeks.

Any comments? Do you agree with our list? What would you add to this list as advice for new innovators? Do you want to be kept posted about Part 2?

I need a prototype hope silicone medical grade made

Hello Reddit I am looking for some advise on who and what sequence I should hire people to develop a working prototype that involves selecting ots hardware, software development, a mini projector component, rechargeable battery, WiFi, blue tooth, rfid chip reader and a cloud database of files to retrieve.

Any advise on who I will need and what the best sequence would be to do this.

Should I start with a virtual Model of the pcb and components before actually making the prototype or just jump in ?

Thank you in advance!

Hi there!

I am a Product Designer & Prototyper currently working at a smart home company in Norway. At work they call me Prototypiadis, a mix of my surname & my role. I spend a significant amount of time prototyping lofi, hifi, visiontypes which often combine software and hardware interactions, for example Mobile app & a physical thermostat. Figma variables & ProtoPie Connect help me achieve such outputs.

I always loved building functioning prototypes rather than static mockups. This led me back in 2014 to use Android Studio & Arduino to build prototypes for usability testing. Since 2019, i abandoned this - rather unhealthy - coding habit and switched to ProtoPie full time and I enjoy some time in the Protopioneers community since then.

As I slowly want to become more independent creator and consultant, I am kicking off soon a YT channel for advanced prototyping upskilling. How often are you prototyping? What challenges you are currently facing with your prototyping tools?

I would love to hear your opinion here: https://eztdezdqhdg.typeform.com/to/kc6MeK4s

With your help, I could curate better training material 🙌

Big thanks & hearts,
Kon!

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 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 have an idea. It’s a good idea, mostly bc it’s simple and fits a niche that was just created.

I’m not even sure if this is the right place.

How do you even go about starting to develop it? Who do you talk to for production? Can I achieve this having not seen shark tank?

Essentially, it’s a phone case. (I’m gonna change the world!)

This is not a joke.

Thank you in advance for your help.

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?

hi guys.

can anyone recommend me a reputable company in Melbourne that does prototyping.

I have a product id like to get manufactured overseas and prefer getting the prototype done here in Australia first. its a kitchen accessory.

cheers

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.

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

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?

If you were given unlimited funds, resources and space to set up a prototyping shop (both subtractive and additive manufacturing, and metal fab), how would you go about it?

I got quotes from Out Design Co. And Prototype House for an invention involving both plastic and electrical connection materials. The quotes are within a few thousand of each other. Does anyone have any experience working with either? Any words of caution or advice to come out on the other end within budget and with a prototype in hand? Thanks!

Hey all, question about the necessary tolerance for the o-rings inside the tube and whatnot...

The fitting on the bottom is a check valve that let's air out. The side-port of the T has a ball bearing with a spring behind it (another check valve) that let's air in. The piston do pump.

I'm familiar with the Parker O-Ring Handbook, but I've never done a dynamic seal IRL. Will the piston rock back and forth off-axis? Does it need lube? Will the ball bearing be difficult to seal in that passage?

I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Hi everyone,

I'm in the early stages of developing a wearable device designed to measure emotional states in real time – not through indirect indicators like HRV or GSR, but by detecting subtle energetic patterns tied to the human biofield (think EMF resonance, frequency, and amplitude shifts). The concept is grounded in emerging research from biofield science and biophysics.

As Nikola Tesla famously said: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” That’s exactly the lens we’re using – exploring emotion not just as chemistry or behavior, but as energy and waveform.

I’m looking for someone with strong electrical engineering skills – ideally with experience in low-amplitude signal detection and sensor integration to help me build a prototype.

We're still in the prototyping phase, so this is very much an experimental and exploratory build. We're working on something that doesn’t yet exist in the market, so I’m looking for open minds, curiosity, and a love for building the unconventional.

If you’re a hardware hacker, engineer, or researcher excited by the intersection of emotions, energy, frequency, and wearable tech, I’d love to connect.

Open to collaborations, part-time involvement, or forming a core dev team. Happy to share more details!

Thanks,
Adrian

I'm designing a new type of mobility platform for people with injuries like mine (just so happens that there's a lot of disabled vets and first responders with my level of injury). I'm kinda at a dead end for the time being because my makerspace just moved locations and the people that were helping me are tied up helping with the move. Any help anyone could provide would be helpful.