We hear a lot of concerns here at RevPart about what to do while developing a prototype, so here are some answers for our most frequently asked questions:
1. Have people sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before discussing your idea with them. This means any and all engineers, manufacturers and investors that will hear the details of your design. You don’t necessarily need a lawyer for this—but definitely hire one if you’re at all worried—because you can find a standard NDA with a quick Google search.
2. It’s very important to get your design drawn up in a 3D CAD format. Having this file makes it possible for you to get quotes and preliminary prototypes made, and having quotes and prototypes help you understand both the cost of your design and how much you can sell it for. If you don’t know how to use any CAD programs, you’ll need to hire an engineer or product development group to help.
3. Figure out exactly what method you’ll use to manufacture your parts. You’ll need to choose what type of material you want your design made out of and what process you want used. Prototyping is great for this stage because you’ll be able to experiment with our different textures and plastics to see what will work for you.
4. Decide how you want to distribute your product. Do you want to sell it online only or do you want to have your product on store shelves? This can help you figure out shipping and packaging costs that will impact your price per unit. If you’re interested in selling out of a brick and mortar, you can read our list of seven tips for getting your product into stores.
5. Once you have quotes and a CAD model in hand, you can figure out how much money you need to launch your business. You need this number before you talk to investors or start a crowdfunding campaign to help raise the capital you need to begin selling.
Do you have any more questions? Leave them in a comment below!
