Prototyping Your Invention or Product

Need to make a sample or prototype of your idea or invention?

Advice on Prototyping

• Castle Island's Worldwide Guide to Prototyping - great overview of prototyping

• Rapid Prototyping - Helpful forum of rapid prototyping service providers and community

• Society of Manufacturing Engineers - The Rapid Technologies & Additive Manufacturing Community 's focus is on the technologies and processes that help conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products to bring them to market faster and most cost effectively. Their Technical Community Network connects people in the world of manufacturing to problem solvers and knowledge sources.

• Prototype Magazine - A web-magazine dedicated to prototyping and direct manufacture. Has helpful directory of prototypers in UK, Europe and Beyond

Helpful Resources from InventorSpot.com

• InventorSpot.com forum

• Service Provider Resource Directory - Prototypers

• What You Need to Ask Your Prototyper

• Getting Your Prototype Done: Typical Terms of a Prototype Relationship

• Prototype or Drawing?

• Do You Need an Engineer for Your Prototype

• Getting Nitty Gritty: Alternatives to Plastic and Other Pearls about Prototyping

Other Helpful Articles

• Basics of Prototype Making - About.com article - good how-to

• Creating a Prototype That Will Wow Investors - The Model Approach - Entrepreneur.com

Prototyping Resources

• Industrial Arts Suppoy Co - Good resource for Woodworking Products, Pewter Castings, Rcoket Kits, etc.

• Small Parts, Inc. - Industrial Supplies and Hardware Parts for Researchers and Developers

• WoodWorker's Supply - Huge selection of woodworking tools, harware and supplies.

• TechShop - Open Access Public  Workshop in Menlo Park, California - join them and use their extensive resource of tools, machine and equipment by the day, month or year. Workshop for people who like to work with their hands with metals, plastics, wood and electronics but do not have access to a shop or equipment.