At Ekvall Engineering, when a customer comes to us with a new design there is often great uncertainty and doubt as to whether a new design will actually do what is desired. New designs often have unexpected problems. We will construct a prototype that is used as part of the product design process to allow our machinists and the customer's engineers and designers the ability to explore design alternatives, test theories and confirm performance prior to starting production of a new product. Some of the prototypes we have constructed for our customers are used to confirm and verify consumer interest in a proposed design, however most of our prototypes will attempt to verify the performance or suitability of a specific design approach.

In general, an iterative series of prototypes will be designed, constructed and tested as the final design emerges and is prepared for production. A common strategy is to design, test, evaluate and then modify the design based on analysis of the prototype.

A degree of skill and experience is necessary to effectively use prototyping as a design verification tool. It is important to realize that by their very definition, prototypes will represent some compromise from the final production design. Due to differences in materials, processes and design fidelity, it is possible that a prototype may fail to perform acceptably whereas the production design may have been sound. Prototypes are also used to revise the design for the purposes of reducing costs through optimization and refinement.

There is no general agreement on what constitutes a "prototype" and the word is often used interchangeably with the word "model" which can cause confusion. In general, "prototypes" fall into four basic categories:

• Proof-of-Principle Prototype - this type of prototype is used to test some aspect of the intended design without attempting to exactly simulate the visual appearance, choice of materials or intended manufacturing process, these prototypes "prove out" a design and determine which options will not work, whether further development and testing is necessary
• Form Study Prototype - this type of prototype will allow designers to explore the basic size, look and feel of a product without simulating the actual function or exact visual appearance of the product, it can help assess ergonomic factors, these prototypes are often hand-carved or machined models from easily sculpted, inexpensive materials, they are intended for internal decision making and are generally not durable enough or suitable for use
• Visual Prototype - captures the intended design aesthetic and simulate the appearance, color and surface textures of the intended product but will not actually embody the function(s) of the final product
• Functional Prototype - also known as a working prototype, attempt to simulate the final design, aesthetics, materials and functionality of the intended design, may be reduced in size, or it could be a fully working full-scale prototype and the ultimate test of concept

To reach Ekvall Engineering just call or send us an email and we'll contact you to setup an appointment to assess the needs of your project. (763) 434-6474 EkvallEngineering@msn.com

Ekvall Engineering can handle your CNC Short Run Production needs. Our machine shop is uniquely suited for this type of project. We have succesfully completed numerous projects for our clients.

Ekvall Engineering understands how critical your project is and the deadlines that businesses are up against in today's marketplace. The smallest competitive advantage can mean the difference between a product that stands out from all the rest and one that is lost.

Ekvall Engineering has many years of experience with proto types. We can apply this experience when we're designing and building your proto type. We can offer suggestions on how to improve your proto type which will ultimately make your product much stronger in the market place.