Prototyping a Product

Prototyping a Product: Ideas to Reality

One of the most exhilarating—and complicated—aspects of product development is transforming your great idea into a tangible and functional product; whether you are the startup founder, an engineer, or a business entrepreneur, prototyping is essential when turning your original concept into a real-world product.

Welch Plastics, a full-service plastic manufacturer in Las Vegas, helps customers realize their ideas through precision custom plastic fabrication, dimensional precision injection molding, and complete plastic manufacturing services. In this guide, we will take you through the process of prototyping— from ideation to production-ready, all while highlighting the methods, materials, tools, and best practices.

What Is a Product Prototype?

A product prototype is a first draft of your invention. It will illustrate the design, function, and usability of your product. A prototype can vary in fidelity, from low-fidelity handmade representations of your model to high-precision prototyping samples made with CNC machining or rapid-prototyping 3D printing.

The prototyping process is meant to improve and test an idea before large-scale development. Whether you are moving forward with injection molding or some other type of plastic manufacturing, a prototype is a valuable asset, as you would walk away with a predictive validation; it helps identify flaws (that could step up to costly mistakes) and helps you deliver a final product that serves the end-user.

Product Development: Why Product Prototyping is Important

Before you roll out your product, you must answer a couple of key questions

• Is it functional?
• Is it user-friendly and durable?
• Is it manufactured efficiently?

Below are reasons why prototyping is vital:

1. Validate the Concept

This is a low-cost way to test whether or not your idea is worth moving forward with to production.

2. Reduce Risk

Prototypes give an early indication of design flaws (that could develop into costly problems). Get Stakeholders Attention

A physical model can sell to a potential investor, capture the interest of potential customers, and help with the selling process of potential manufacturers.

3. Correctly Represent Production

An example allows custom plastic fabricators and engineers to visualize the idea, quote, and plan accordingly for production, rather than just a conceptual idea.

4. Increase Product Value

Prototyping iteratively improves functionality, ergonomics, and form, all the way to ensuring the final version is a sellable product.

Step-by-step: Prototype development

Here is a simple outline of a prototype development process that you can follow in line with how we do it at Welch Plastics:

1. Doodle your thoughts:

Begin with a simple hand-drawn version. A simple sketch will communicate the shape and features of your product. It is an inexpensive way to quickly iterate on your design.

2. Create a CAD model:

Once you have settled on the design idea, engage CAD software (computer-assisted design program) to create a 3D digital model. This allows you to:

• Define material specifications, dimensions, and function
• Communicates your idea in enough detail for engineers or manufacturers
• Provides your design as a formatted file ready for injection molding or CNC machining

💡Note - often CAD files are required to engage a prototype manufacturer, or have a mass production model evaluated.

3. Select Prototyping Methods:

Once you have settled on the purpose, budget, and material, you can select one of the following:

• Rapid Prototyping 3D Printing:

Best suited for quick, low-cost models that can be made in plastic or resin, proving very effective for testing whether your design works, obtaining a look and feel, and fitting into other components.

• CNC Prototyping / CNC Machining:

Ideal for producing high-precision plastic or metal parts. CNC machines provide a high level of precision, consistency, with durability.

• Prototype Injection Molding:

Used to test actual production quality plastics using actual injection mold tooling. More expensive than the other prototype methods, but provides a very close representation of the final product's quality.

• Handmade prototypes

They are very useful for early ideation models using clay, foam, or cardboard. The best method for illustrating concepts is with enough detail needed for discussion before entering the design process.

4. Build and Test the Prototype

Once completed, you will want to apply the following tests to your prototype:

• Functionality – Does it work as it should?
• Durability – Will it hold up to normal use?
• User Experience – Is it easy and comfortable to use?
• Visual Appeal – Does it meet the brand and customers' expectations?

5. Iterate and Improve

Recommendations from actual users, stakeholders, or engineers will pinpoint points that can be improved upon. You should refine your prototypes several times before building them for production. The real value of your prototyping services is; they will be able to provide you with expert insight and technical assistance along the way.

Real World Success: Squirt Boards by Welch Plastics

Of all the partnerships we have, we're most proud to have supported the innovators of the Squirt Board, a new pool toy being launched in the Summer of 2025. Welch Plastics supported the Squirt Board by providing services from start to finish, including:

• Concept design
• Prototyping and testing
• Injection molding for production
• Logistics and packaging

This case study represents how a simple, efficient prototype and plastic-manufacturing process can bring a concept to market smarter and faster than before.

Prototype Manufacturing: Types of Manufacturing Explained

When you are finished making your prototype and are thinking about moving into production, selecting the right manufacturing type is important.

Common Manufacturing Types:

• CNC Machining

Great for achieving precision parts, CNC is often used for industrial or mechanical components. It can be applied to plastic or metal.

• Injection Molding

Best when producing plastic parts in large volumes. After you finalize your prototype, this approach is repeatable through size and scale, with predictable quality, at predictable costs.

• 3D Printing (Rapid Prototyping)

Flexible, fast, and a solution for low runs or product validation. You can iterate in design easily between production runs.

• Hand Fabrication

Low-cost, hand-fabricated units are good for specialty or artisanal products and for R&D and niche markets.

Important Points to Consider When Prototyping a Product

Before moving to mass production, consider the following:

🔹 Material Considerations

The materials you select for your prototype will affect the properties of your product. Strength, weight, appearance, and cost. We help our clients assess various plastics like ABS vs. HDPE vs. acrylic, and expanded PVC. The real question is, what are the properties needed for your application?

🔹 Cost Considerations vs Quality

Think about how much you spend on the prototype against your objectives and goals. Be uncomfortable! If you're showing it to investors, then go for a full presentation-level prototype. If you're putting something out just to test the design, you may not want to spend too much.

🔹 Manufacturing Timeframe

Select a manufacturing partner that can fit your product's allocated time to launch, and can scale up in size/volume as sales grow.

🔹 Scalability

Make sure that whatever prototyping method you used supports a smooth transition to mass production, particularly if we are talking about injection molding.

🔹 Manufacturer Credibility

Using a reputable plastic fabricator in Las Vegas, like Welch Plastics, is a really solid manufacturing partner. We're a plastic business that understands the entire lifecycle of your product from concept to fulfillment.

Why Welch Plastics for Prototyping?

At Welch Plastics, we have implemented a custom plastic fabrication, prototyping, and full commercial plastic manufacturing approach over many years! When you're developing a new consumer product, an industrial application, or a custom plastic enclosure, we can offer:

• Consultation on a design
• CNC or 3D printing capabilities
• In-house tooling, injection molding, and assembly.

We're a full project management source from idea to delivery (and everything in between).

Whether developing ideas from ideation or through to high volume production, we can support and deliver speedy, quality, and reliability in all aspects of our business (right here in Las Vegas).

Let's Build Something Great Together

If you're ready to turn your product idea into a tangible outcome, you're in the right place! Let Welch Plastics be the plastic manufacturer in Las Vegas that supports you with full prototyping and manufacturing to help you achieve your goals.

📞 Call us today or 📧 reach out to us and let's talk about your project.

Let's get your idea on a sketch to a shelf by "making it happen" seamlessly.