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"Prototype shop"

ichudov

Hot Rolled
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Illinois
What does it mean when someone says that they have a "prototype shop"?

Does it mean that they sometimes dabble with machines in their garage? Or what?
 
It could mean they have a rapid-prototyper or two.

It could mean they have intellectual property in development, but they despise the word "inventor", or all the questions to follow.

It could mean they can tell you what they are working on, but then they would need to kill you.


It could mean that the guys with the dirty hands are the guys with the ideas, or the two groups get along with each other, to the point of "hey, hey, I've changed my mind, what I really need......" doesn't irritate anyone.

It could mean that every change order is billed, because most projects are an endless series of change orders, and somebody is going to pay for that.
 
To me it's a shop that will make one of something (low quantity). They'll figure out how to make it. They might help on the design so it can be made.

For example, A guy I know runs his one man shop and makes medical device parts for a few companies around town. Sometimes it's billed at time and materials because odd ball parts are hard to quote.

Some shops like ours run both production and prototyping, but it's all for in house use. A lot of companies have a "prototype shop" built in. They might also call it and R&D shop. Could be small with only basic tools or it could be huge. It's a big advantage for our company go be able to get prototypes built and tested very quickly.
 
Well, yes, I dabble with machines in the garage on occasion, but it also means that I can produce a complete prototype of an electro-optical-mechanical device in a very short amount of time, with minimal guidance, and test it. That can include graphics and manuals as well, but I'm probably odd in that regard. My guess is I can do it for less $$ than if someone went to multiple specialists. OTOH, the minute Q is more than a few, I'm not set up for it and it needs to be jobbed out.

My guess is most prototype shops are really saying they don't cater to huge orders that they have to fit you in around, so the service is reasonably fast, and they've figured out how to do small quantities efficiently so it doesn't cost a fortune and they can still stay in business.

CH
 
A prototype shop usually works on low volume, non-repeating jobs. They may have repeating customers, but the job itself is a one-off, hence a prototype. It also classifies shops that specialize in low volume production, jobs that repeat seldom or rarely and are comprised of small volumes. A small volume can vary, depending on the complexity of the part.

For parts that are dead simple and quick, a small volume might be 1000 parts. For parts that are simple in design, but very tight tolerance or fine surface finish, small may mean 10-200 parts.

Prototype shops vary from 1 man (common) to small business (maybe a half dozen). When you get to more than a half dozen, you tend to specialize or cater to a specific industry and not provide general machining capabilities. For instance, WEDM shops generally don't call themselves a prototype shop, even when they are one person. Welding shops generally don't call themselves prototype shops. Prototype conveys breadth and quantity. Generally a prototype shop will have skills ranging from welding to engineering, and the ability to produce a wide variety of machined and fabricated items.
 
I always thought the prototype was a product that wasn't in it finished state to be sold to the customer or final purchaser.

There are some big factories that call their model shop a prototype shop.

When they are working on a new "refrigerator" they build models or prototypes to test (destroy).

They keep making them with modifications until they have the quality they need and are in the right price range for production.

After the final prototype is made and passes, they set-up and mass produce these items.

That's just my observation. Maybe it's a different interpretation elsewhere?

JAckal:cheers:
 
In my world, prototype generally means parts for testing & development, inferring that there will be modifications to the design. Our in-house prototype shop does just this, anywhere from 1 part to 600 parts, all for testing & development or pre-production test builds. There may be as many as 6 different versions of the same product in manufacture at any given time and you may go through 10 or 20 iterations to get to the final product.
 
Prototype Model Shop was the term used from the late 70's until the mid 90's, now it's only Prototype.

These shop usally get the parts that only requier 1 to 5 parts in a mulitude of materials from foam to titanium and now usally have some sort of Rapid Prototype capabilities, sand paint finish, RTV rubber molds casting urithane multibles

Believe it or not there are 3 schools that have degree programs in Prototype Model Making.

I have an Associates in Prototype & Design from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College went from 83-85 and has been a program since 1967.

just a tidbit

Engineering
Industrial Model Making program at Northwest Technical College
BSU 2010-11 Undergrad Prototype Engineering Technology Major, B.A.S.
 
I considered (and still do) my shop a "prototype" shop. I have non-production CNC's (ProtoTRAKs), and I worked closely with engineers on making their machine parts for their project 'build'. As others have mentioned, rarely was it repeat work, and it was a lot "crap" work that regular shops weren't interested in quoting because it was a onesy, which makes it sort of risky.

It's pretty much modeled after the institutional 'model shop' I worked in prior to starting my own shop.
 
While I don't disagree with most of what you write I'm still wondering how you''d differentiate between making a one off and making a prototype?

I'd say that the vast majorities of one offs aren't prototypes but simply that no more than one piece is required. If it is made as a test or a project then I'd consider it a prototype. I'd never think of a prototype as something to be sold as a finished or final product. Agree or disgree? :cheers:

I'm not a linguist, so you might be right in actual definition.

Prototype - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The vast majority of what I've made over the years (individual parts or assemblies) was to test "proof of concept" from an R&D standpoint. Prototyping by my definition.
 
While I don't disagree with most of what you write I'm still wondering how you''d differentiate between making a one off and making a prototype?

I'd say that the vast majorities of one offs aren't prototypes but simply that no more than one piece is required. If it is made as a test or a project then I'd consider it a prototype. I'd never think of a prototype as something to be sold as a finished or final product. Agree or disgree? :cheers:

Disagree!

I make alot of one off custom mtorcycle parts, rims, gips, floorbaords, pegs, brackets and many other functional parts. What is a peice of furniture that was custom made? a prototype or production never made again?
What is a injection mold tool? prototype or production, you only make one, but shoot thousands of parts out of them?

Have sold many other one off's from customers that need only the one and will never have another made again.

Prototypers/ModelMakers/Jack of All Traders are usally the guys who have a well rounded knowlege or experences in many types of mediums or forms of manufactuing as well as designing to help their customers get what they need.
 
I agree with Gordon on what a prototype is.

Just because something is a one off, doesn't mean it's a prototype. It's not like the Eiffel Tower is a prototype. Its a one off. You don't need prototypes if your design is right from the beginning. Get it right and you're a hero. Get it wrong and everyone asks why you didn't test the design first.

On the other hand it's not like the definition is set in stone. If you want to say your one off is a prototype, the Feds aren't going to show up. No one cares.
 
When I hear prototype I think of it as a progressive item. It is one of several possible iterations of a Part or Assembly which becomes refined along the way. The end result may become a One off, may go into Production or become a Demonstration Sample.
 
Let's not forget that the mindset and skillset of a person capable of one-off is practically identical to the person making a prototype.

And a successful One-Off has been known to become a de-facto prototype.

Where's that thread discussing the tables made to resemble 45 rpm spindle adapters? The customer just wanted one for himself, but his friends and family wanted their own...

I suspect industrial and commercial examples exist, also.
 
Let's not forget that the mindset and skillset of a person capable of one-off is practically identical to the person making a prototype.

I think that's true a lot of the time, but people can get away with a lot when it comes to prototypes. Shit that has to be perfect is a lot harder than shit that has wiggle room. If all I had to do was hack out functional prototypes, my job would be a lot easier.
 
I think the term prototype in its typical usage describes very low volume (as low as one unit) produced for the purposes of proving out a design which, if successful, will lead to production quatities. A multiple cavity injection mold would not qualify unless it is the first of many identical units, which is rare for a mold shop (in my experience).

I think profitably making one-offs present the same challenges as prototypes, with the exception that making prototypes can lead to making short production runs where one could conceivably recover losses incurred making the prototype.

Whew my eyes hurt from trying to split that hair!

Joe
 
I think the term prototype in its typical usage describes very low volume (as low as one unit) produced for the purposes of proving out a design which, if successful, will lead to production quatities. A multiple cavity injection mold would not qualify unless it is the first of many identical units, which is rare for a mold shop (in my experience).

I think profitably making one-offs present the same challenges as prototypes, with the exception that making prototypes can lead to making short production runs where one could conceivably recover losses incurred making the prototype.

Whew my eyes hurt from trying to split that hair!

Joe

Perfect analogy if you ask me, because that is exactly what we do for one of our customers.

A series of drawings hits my desk with typically a requirement for two items of each component needed, (or a multiple of each per assembly) and they are needed ASAP. They are quoted, inserted in the schedule as the material hits the floor, or taken out of stock, and shipped out within a couple of days. Parts are received by the customer, inspected, assembled and proven.

If changes are necessary, a revised drawing is sent and the process repeats. Once the assembly is proven, then we end up with blanket purchase orders throughout the year for those components.

To me.....machining in that context, is what prototyping is all about. I am just fortunate enough to have the capacity and the manpower to fullfill their production requirements once a design is proven.

Best Regards,
Russ
 
To me, the word prototype implies that more will be made if the silly thing happens to work. FWIW, I used to work for a company that happily built prototypes of various instrumentation products, then sold them off to customers who were fully informed about what they were getting. Often researchers or university people who didn't have the money for the final production version.

CH
 








 
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