Concept models
Rough shape, size, and feel to settle the big questions before anyone argues about details.
Hold the idea this week.
An idea is cheap to argue about and expensive to tool. We turn it into a part you can hold this week, learn from it, and print the next version before the meeting where you would have guessed.
Printing PROTO-v3Layer 96 / 180
Ready tomorrow · third version this week
Prototyping is a loop, not a deliverable
The first version is never right, and that is the point. A useful prototyping service makes the second and third versions fast and cheap: model it, print it, test it in your hands, change one thing, print again. We run that loop in one place so nothing waits on a vendor.
Fit and function prototypes
Real dimensions, mating features, and working mechanisms so you can test assembly, ergonomics, and clearances.
Pre-production samples
Final geometry in a material close to production, for customer demos, testing, and quoting the real run.
Built to be revised
Because every prototype starts from a parametric model, the change you discover on the bench is a dimension edit, not a new project. We keep an iteration log with each version so you can see what changed and why.
Iteration log
Each version records what was tested, what failed, and what changed. Useful when the project hands off to production.
Materials that match the test
Rigid for fit checks, impact-resistant for handling tests, flexible for seals and grips, all chosen for what the version needs to prove.
A path to production
When the design settles, the same files feed small-batch printing, CNC, or molding quotes. Nothing gets redrawn.
What fast iteration actually buys
The value is not the first prototype. It is the third one, arriving before the decision that would have been made blind.
Tooling you only pay for once
Molds and machined runs lock the design in. Prototypes find the mistakes while a change is a dimension edit.
Feedback from real hands
Operators, customers, and installers react differently to a part than to a render. Give them the part.
A decision record
The iteration log shows what was tried and why it changed, which is exactly what production and investors ask for.
Model. Print. Test.
Change one thing. Again.
The goal is not a perfect first part. It is the shortest path to the version that works.
Concept in CAD
A quick parametric model from your sketch or description, with the dimensions that matter locked down first.
Print the first version
Usually within days. Rigid material for fit checks, tougher material when the test involves force.
Test it for real
Assemble it, drop it, hand it to the person who will use it. Mark up what is wrong.
Revise and reprint
A dimension edit, not a redraw. The next version is quoted before you ask and printed as soon as you say go.
Prototype typesConcept modelFit and functionWorking mechanismPre-production sampleDemo unit
Iterations measured in days,
priced one at a time.
First printed version
From an agreed concept to a part in your hands, typically within a few business days.
Fixed price for each revision
You know what the next version costs before you decide whether you need it.
Every version of the files
CAD, STEP, and print files for each iteration, plus the log of what changed and why.
Frequently asked
questions.
How fast is a first prototype?
For most parts, a first printed version is in your hands within a few business days of agreeing the concept. Revisions are usually faster because the model already exists.
What does a prototyping iteration cost?
We quote a fixed price for the first model and print, then a fixed price per revision cycle. You know the cost of the next version before you ask for it.
Can you prototype something with electronics inside?
Yes. Send the board dimensions or a STEP of the PCB, the connectors that need openings, and how it mounts. We prototype the housing around it and can coordinate with the firmware and software sides too.
What happens after the prototype works?
You own the files. We can print a small batch, hand you STEP files and drawings for a machine shop or molder, or help scope production. There is no obligation to keep going with us.
Is a 3D printed prototype representative of the final part?
For fit, form, assembly, and most functional tests, yes. For final surface finish or the strength of a molded or machined part, we print in the closest material and tell you where the prototype will differ.
Can you prototype a mechanism with moving parts?
Yes. Hinges, snaps, sliders, latches, and gear trains are common prototyping work. Clearances are tuned for the printer so the mechanism works out of the box or after a quick clean-up.
Do I need a design before I come to you?
No. A description and a rough sketch are enough. Our CAD service is part of the loop, so the first prototype includes the modeling.
Related services and pages.
Product Development
Custom product development from a Quad Cities studio that does hardware and software: concept, CAD, prototypes, enclosures, electronics integration, and the app or dashboard behind the product, at a fixed price per phase.
3D Printing
3D printing for Quad Cities businesses — prototypes, fixtures, replacement parts, and small-batch runs printed in Moline, quoted at a fixed price, with local pickup or shipping.
CAD Design
CAD design for Quad Cities businesses — production-ready 3D models and drawings for parts, fixtures, enclosures, and jigs, quoted at a fixed price and delivered in days from Moline.