In this Make:able toolkit, we’ll be guiding you in bringing your key idea to life in the form of an initial 3D printed prototype. Watch the overview video below before going through the sections to plan and implement your prototype strategy.
* A key point to remember is that this is an initial design, which should evolve over time. Therefore don’t be too precious with the small details.
Here are a range of methods you might use to build your first 3D printed prototype. 3D CAD and 3D printing are mandatory, but we recommend other methods beforehand to explore design options. Browse through and select ones that might be suitable for your challenge.
Sketching in a free flowing manner is a great way to transform ideas into designs. Check out the video below from the Product Designer Maker YouTube channel, where Chris shows us how to build ideas on paper, rather than to simply record ideas which have already formed in our heads. Don't forget to check out the other amazing videos on his YouTube channel!
Rough modelling involves the creation of quick, low-cost prototypes that are made up of readily available materials. They are an efficient and effective way of making tangible objects for visual or functional testing. Whether you opt to sketch, make rough models, or both - ensure you explore multiple design options.
3D CAD should be used after exploratory methods such as sketching or rough modelling. However, 3D CAD is much more than a bridge between idea and prototype. Visualising 3D models and exploring tools such as assemblies, simulations, renderings etc can really help to improve your designs. Therefore ensure you head into the 3D CAD stage with a dynamic mindset, where you're open to adapting and changing features as you go.
When 3D printing your initial prototype, think about what materials and slicer settings will work best for your model. For example, you might want to explore a certain infill setting because your solution needs to meet weight and strength requirements. Or you might want to use flexible filament in some areas. Don't worry about getting it right first time though - that's what the testing and iterating phase is for!
Here are a variety of tips and strategies to consider for your prototype phase. As you browse through, make notes of any key points that could help you in building your first 3D printed prototype.
Adam Hecht from DiveDesign provides us with his top tip for prototyping - to fail fast and often using readily available materials. Check out the video below and head over to the DiveDesign website (https://www.divedesignco.com/) to learn more about their exciting work.
Give your 3D CAD models a good check over to ensure they are 3D printable. This can save you huge amounts of time!
Don't be afraid or embarrassed to bring out rough and ready models to test with your end user. The best solutions are those that include the end user in multiple stages of the design process so if possible, get them involved as much as you can to critique your work.
Andy Lin, Founder and Director of The Emerging Tech Lab at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, talks to us about getting keeping it simple and building in complexity only if necessary.
Is your design made up of multiple aspects or components? Check out this prototyping tip from Vincent at DiveDesign, who talks us through rapid sketch models for specific areas of a design.
There are thousands of ways to approach design and we highly recommend you work to your strengths. For example, if you excel in product sketching, put more emphasis on drawing. If you excel at 3D CAD, you might spend more time with digital shape explorations. When working in teams, figure out a way to make the most out of everyone's skills!
In this section, we highlight several examples of how other teams have documented the prototype phase. Browse through the gallery and make note of how you could document your own journey. Once you’ve completed this task, go ahead and bring your first 3D printed prototype to life.
* Remember to constantly refer back to your design criteria as you build your prototype!
In the design and make stage, you may develop your initial ideas into detailed sketches that consider dimensions, materials, mechanisms and more. These can be documented as still images like you see here, or you might pan your camera across the drawings.
Rough models might not showcase beautiful, refined solutions, but if they were a key part of your design process, don’t forget to include them in your submission video. We particularly enjoy how this team transitioned from one angle to another.
Screen recording is a great way to show your 3D design process. You don’t necessarily need to screen record the whole process – even a short clip mid-process will be a great addition to your submission.
An alternative way to capture your 3D design process is to record footage from the side or back that includes your screen.
When documenting the 3D printing process, we encourage you to take short clips like this at different points during the 3D print. For example, you might capture a few seconds towards the beginning, in the middle and at the end.
B-roll in the design and make stage might consist of some ‘behind-the-scenes’ footage. This example shot works very well as it shows a team discussion with 3D printers operating in the background.
You may consider showcasing your initial prototype by holding it up to the camera like in this example.
Is your prototype made up of multiple components? Show us how it is assembled and how the parts fit together!
Before you implement your prototype strategy:
After you’ve completed your prototype strategy:
Here is a selection of optional resources that you may wish to watch/use, depending on your challenge context and time constraints.
In this stage of Rob’s Make:able Challenge, he shows how he develops his initial 3D printed prototypes, using his empathy and idea generation studies as a foundation.
Looking for resources to help you sketch better? Check out Product Designer Maker's amazing YouTube channel for tutorials, tips, and more.
Before moving on to the next toolkit, you should have achieved the below objectives.
If you are using the workbook, you can tick these off at the bottom of Section 6, and make note of any key learnings or important things to remember.
Go to Next Toolkit – Test + Iterate