Experience is one of those things that you can’t get solely from reading a textbook. Book knowledge is useful but it’s typically not until you start applying your academic knowledge in the “real world” that you truly learn a craft. This is true of most fields and it is certainly the case in the world of mechanical design.

You might have a great idea but do you develop great ideas into real world prototypes on a daily basis as a part of your profession? Generally the answer to that is “no.” That’s where Creative Mechanisms comes in. We partner with entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers, individuals and large companies alike to quickly and effectively design new solutions to problems they are trying to solve. Typically our customers fall into one of two categories:

1. Entrepreneurs and Inventors - Creative people have a lot of passion and in many cases a wonderful idea about what could be. The trouble is that there’s a world of difference between what could be and what likely is to be. Bringing a product to market is complicated and generally more difficult than you might expect. It typically requires a significant financial investment. Producing, distributing and selling your product in enough volume to achieve a return on your investment is perhaps the most underappreciated challenge. Check out our product development return on investment calculator to get an idea of what you’re in for. Want some more tips? Here are a few more things to think about before you dive right in.

Consider the fact that we have been helping people bring products to market for more than 30 years. We highly recommend getting help. There is a tremendous amount to be gained by sharing your knowledge of the “need” with our design, engineering, and prototyping expertise and an honest and open discussion about the real world hurdles you will face if you are to succeed financially in your product venture.

2. Engineers and Corporations - Engineering is a big term that covers a lot of real estate. Generally we like to think about two major engineering subsets when we think about working with engineers: research & development (R&D), and manufacturing/sustaining.

• R&D engineers are fairly likely to design products themselves. That said, when the needed expertise isn’t available in house the R&D department or a particular R&D engineer might look to find expertise with an outside vendor. We have had a lot of success in the past working with engineering departments that needed a fresh set of eyes to solve a problem. We bring an outside perspective, a cohesive team and a proven methodology for efficient project management, and the necessary expertise in design and prototype development that is actually required to solve problems or successfully iterate on new versions of a product.

• Manufacturing and or sustainment engineers are more likely to work on product and/or process improvement. They’re likely to find something in a product that can be improved and often the first place they’ll go is to the particular vendor who makes the product. If the vendor can’t make the change they require then what? Two options are most likely: first, they kick the project over the fence to R&D or second, they look for a new vendor and/or outside help to aid the current vendor in developing a solution.

Whether you’re in product development yourself (R&D) or you’re a problem solver when issues come up on the line, if you need a go-to place for rapid prototype development we are your source. We have a fully integrated hardware, software infrastructure, an efficient project management tool, and a dedicated team of engineers that works on nothing else except prototyping new products or ideas. We can get novel solutions for you with an impressively short turn around time. Give us a try, contact Creative Mechanisms today for a quote on your prototype development project.