Functional Prototypes: All You Need to Know

Manufacturers bring a lot of products into the market, but not every product is successful. A high percentage of the products end up failing because they never tested them before floating them into the market.

Hence, creating a functional prototype is a must before the final production starts, and you will learn about it in detail below. So, let's read.

What is a Functional Prototype?

A functional prototype is a working model of your product that offers to imitate the basic functions performed by the product. You can take a detailed look at the key features of the prototype and understand the workings of your actual product.

By way of a functional prototype, you can bring the concept in mind in the form of a testing sample that is operational and you can easily test it and identify any areas of improvement.

It allows you to validate the product before heading towards mass production and helps in saving cost, time, and resources.

Benefits of Using Functional Prototypes

There are various benefits of a functional prototype, and some of these are as follows:

• Functional prototypes allow users to test the product and, with their personal experience, share their feedback.
• In case there are any flaws in the design, these could be identified early which helps in reducing the cost that may incur if the product is manufactured without testing.
• When the prototypes are examined early in the process of development, the issues are also corrected on time and the time the product takes to float into the market also reduces.
• Functional prototypes help address the issues early. This ensures that the errors are rectified in time rather than when it is at the advanced development stages, which helps to reduce the cost.
• Functional prototypes are a means of interacting with the stakeholders. With these, they can understand the concept of the product, its design, and its functions very clearly.

Types of Function Prototypes

The three different types of functional prototypes are as follows:

Feasibility Prototype

A feasibility prototype is an initial prototype that is created to check if the concept is achievable or not. The main focus of a feasibility prototype is to address the functional aspects of a product, keeping the design and aesthetics on one side.

Critical conditions of feasibility prototypes include assessing performance, limitations on the part of technology, and availability of resources. It is a basic version of the product which helps to assess the functions before making further investments.

High-Fidelity User Prototype

It is an advanced prototype that is very close to the final design of the product. It offers a fully interactive final product which can allow users to test it in detail and share feedback.

High-fidelity user prototypes offer visual elements and detailed interaction that represent the actual performance of the product. These prototypes aim to offer validation for the choice of design, help to identify potential issues, and assess user satisfaction.

It is the same as the final product and is also used to test the performance as an experiment.

Live Data Prototypes

Live-data prototype integrates live data within the systems and shows how the product will work in real-world applications. It is mostly used in the later stage of development and allows for validation of the technical as well as functional aspects of the design.

The prototype can be connected to the APIs so that the developers can test how it performs in the real world when dealing with variable conditions.

How to Make a Functional Prototype

The steps involved in making a functional prototype are the following:

• You can start by carrying out research first which allows you to see if similar products exist in the industry and how they work. It helps you analyze whether your idea is innovative or not.
• Sketch your concept on a piece of paper first, and this sketched design will help you have an insight into the shape of your idea and you will also be able to explore different other options.
• Create a 3D model using different software, which can have multiple formats, such as STP, CAD, IGS, etc.
• You will have to get in touch with the engineers and developers for prototype manufacturing because it requires skills and equipment.
• As soon as your prototype is ready, you can look forward to testing it and making improvements if required.

Methods for Creating Functional Prototypes

There are different methods that allow the creation of functional prototypes, and some of these are discussed here:

CNC Machining

CNC machining involves creating high-precision components which can be used for high-precision prototypes. The process removes material from the workpiece based on the design.

The cutting tools move as per the design conditions and deal with a lot of different materials, which include plastics, metals, and other types of materials.

3D Printing

In this process, a detailed design is achieved very quickly and with a lot of flexibility. The process is by depositing material layer by layer and creating the prototypes. It is suitable for producing low volume and offers an excellent finish on the surface.

Vacuum Casting

The process of vacuum casting allows the creation of plastic components using silicon molds. This is a very suitable method for manufacturing prototypes because it can work with small batches and offers an excellent finished surface.

It is a very quick as well as affordable process of manufacturing a functional prototype.

What Materials are Used to Create Functional Prototypes?

There are different types of materials that are used for creating functional prototypes as they offer versatility, and some of these materials are the following:

Metals

A wide range of metals can be opted for manufacturing functional prototypes. Some of these metals that are commonly used are as follows:

• Aluminum is corrosion-resistant and lightweight, which makes it suitable for creating prototypes for mechanical and structural components.
• Stainless steel is a very strong material and is also corrosion-resistant. It is mostly opted for its durability for different components.
• Titanium has resistance against high temperatures, offers strength, and is lightweight; hence, is used widely in aerospace and medical prototypes.
• Brass is highly machinable and offers excellent electrical conductivity, which makes it suitable for electrical components.

Plastics

There are various types of plastics that are also opted for manufacturing functional prototypes, and some of these are as follows:

• ABS is very commonly opted for manufacturing components using CNC machining and 3D printing and is known for its excellent flexibility and strength.
• PLA is a plastic that works well in low-stress applications and is mostly opted for manufacturing biodegradable components using 3D printing.
• Polyethylene is used in CNC machining, offering toughness and chemical resistance and helping to produce wear-resistant components.
• Nylon offers durability, and hence, components like bushings and structural parts are made through CNC machining.

Composites

Various types of composites are used in manufacturing functional prototypes, as suggested below:

• Carbon fiber is a very high-performing material that is also very lightweight. It is used in applications like automotive, sports, and aerospace components.
• Fiberglass offers to be lightweight and strong, and it offers a strength-to-weight ratio for functional prototypes.

Challenges and Considerations for Functional Prototyping

There are some challenges associated with functional prototyping, and these are as follows:

• Stakeholders sometimes mistake the functional prototype for the actual final product, which sometimes misaligns with their expectations.
• In case extensive revisions are required, it may cause a lot of costs when these issues are discovered during testing.
• It is very difficult to balance simplicity and complexity, and it is crucial at the same time.

Conclusion

Functional prototypes play a vital role in the development process and, hence, need to be considered before manufacturing the final parts.

If you are looking for the right prototype manufacturer, you can contact DEK. We offer versatile functional prototypes for you, which are according to your specifications and budget.