What To Know About a Prototype Manufacturing Company

With an established, innovative prototype manufacturing company, you gain a trustworthy partner to bring your designs to life. Before you can market your concept as a usable product, you have to create multiple models for testing and improvement purposes. This can be a complex, expensive process if you partner with the wrong resources.

Most small companies don’t have the resources to handle this procedure in-house. However, prototype manufacturing companies make it affordable and possible to vet out your design iterations safely and cost-effectively.

Prototype Manufacturing Company Explained

At QT Manufacturing, we’re set up to handle your simple or complex part or product prototyping needs. As a premier prototype manufacturing company, we specialize in first-stage production, including proof of concept applications. Whether you need design for manufacturability, production advice, or impossible deadlines, our team can help.

Why You Should Outsource Your Prototypes

If you don’t have in-house resources, experience, or tools to create working prototypes quickly, it makes sense to hire an experienced vendor to handle this critical process. However, it’s important to know what questions to ask. Start by comparing how each company matches up to the following requirements:

  • Fast delivery: If you have pending deadlines, you could waste a lot of time prototyping your part or product on your own. For faster results, choose a company with advanced equipment, deep industry knowledge, and many years of proven prototype experience.
  • Troubleshooting assistance: Leverage the experience of the QT Manufacturing team to analyze your design, make any necessary tweaks, and produce a one-off or small run for testing purposes.
  • Access to advanced equipment/resources: Whether you need CNC equipment to produce the part or trained machinists and engineers to build and develop it, a prototype manufacturing company can meet your needs.
  • Cost-effectiveness: If you have limited or no engineering talent, it makes sense to outsource your prototype production to save time and money.
  • Scalability: When you have a working prototype, you can move from low to mass production with the same trusted partner.

Choosing the Right Prototype Manufacturing Company

There are many companies that create prototypes, but which one will meet the needs of your company and help you navigate the process smoothly?

When you meet with potential vendors, ask about their quality assurance process. You need a progressive partner with procedures and techniques in place to ensure that your finished prototype exceeds your expectations. They should have a document control system in place to ensure proper tracking for compliance and internal purposes.

Here are a few key factors to consider when narrowing down your list:

 

  • Specialized Services: Some companies lack the capability to produce complex parts or transition from a working prototype to large production runs. For example, the company you choose should understand regulatory requirements, have a strong design engineering department, and focus on producing functional, usable prototypes.
  • Manufacturing Facility: Choose a company with the right equipment for your needs. This might include CNC machining, injection molding, 3D printing, parts assembly, and product finishing.
  • Customer Support: From designing prototypes and machining finished parts, you need a partner that can help you along each step of the way. Prompt responses to emails and questions, a history of finding solutions, and a focus on results mark the best prototype manufacturers in the industry.

QT Manufacturing has specialized services, an advanced manufacturing facility, and excellent customer support. Learn more about the parts and products QT Manufacturing has created for current clients.

Advantages of Choosing QT Manufacturing

Here are some of the reasons manufacturers and product developers choose us!

  • Prototype soft molds: Expedited aluminum molds for part design testing
  • Bridge tooling: Second-stage solution for low-volume runs. Allows you to get your parts out until your production tools are ready.
  • Machined prototypes: Plastic or metal prototype for stress and other testing during the design and engineering phases.
  • Capabilities: EDM wire and sinking, 3 to 5-axis CNC milling, engineering support, and solutions.
  • Quick delivery: Beat the competition to market with our help.

Are you ready to discuss how QT Manufacturing can streamline your product prototype process? Contact us today to request a quote or set up a consultation with one of our prototyping experts. We’d love to join you in early-stage development or whatever stage of the product development cycle you’re in.