Turning a product idea into a physical part requires more than creating a 3D model. If you are asking how to make a prototype, the typical process is to define the product requirements, create an initial design, build a CAD model, select suitable materials and manufacturing methods, produce the physical prototype, inspect and test it, and then refine the design based on the results.
A prototype does not always have to look or perform exactly like the finished product. Early prototypes may only be used to check shape, size, ergonomics, or assembly relationships. Later prototypes may need production-grade materials, accurate tolerances, threads, bearing fits, surface finishes, and mechanical properties that closely represent the final part.
For mechanical products, physical prototyping is especially important because a CAD model alone cannot completely show how a component will behave when it is machined, assembled, loaded, moved, heated, or used with mating parts.
What Is a Prototype?
A prototype is an early version of a product or component produced before full-scale manufacturing. Its purpose is to validate one or more aspects of a design before larger quantities are made.
Not every prototype serves the same purpose. The appropriate prototype type depends on which questions the development team needs to answer.
Proof of Concept
A proof of concept is primarily used to determine whether an idea, mechanism, or technical principle can work. At this stage, appearance and detailed manufacturing requirements may be less important than demonstrating the basic function.
Visual Prototype
A visual prototype is mainly used to evaluate:
- Overall shape
- Product dimensions
- Appearance
- Ergonomics
- Component positioning
It may not need the final material or production-level dimensional accuracy.
Functional Prototype
A functional prototype is designed to behave more like the intended product. Engineers may use it to evaluate:
- Mechanical movement
- Component fit
- Fastener installation
- Structural stiffness
- Load transfer
- Sealing
- Bearing installation
- Assembly clearance
Because these tests depend on actual physical properties, functional prototypes often require more realistic materials and manufacturing methods.
Pre-Production Prototype
A pre-production prototype is produced when the design is relatively mature. It may use the intended production material, realistic tolerances, surface finishes, and manufacturing methods.
Its purpose is to identify remaining problems before low-volume or full production begins. Understanding which type of prototype you need is therefore one of the first decisions in the prototype manufacturing process.
How to Make a Prototype Step by Step
People asking how do I make a prototype often focus immediately on 3D printing or CNC machining. However, manufacturing is only one stage of the complete development process. A more effective approach is to establish the engineering requirements first and then choose the manufacturing method according to what the prototype needs to validate.
Step 1: Define the Problem and Product Requirements
Start by defining what the product or component must actually do.
For a mechanical part, requirements may include:
- Overall dimensions
- Operating loads
- Environmental conditions
- Temperature
- Weight
- Material
- Surface finish
- Critical tolerances
- Mounting method
- Assembly requirements
- Expected production quantity
For example, suppose you are developing a robotic sensor mount. Before creating the detailed geometry, you should know the size of the sensor, mounting-hole locations, fastener requirements, allowable weight, required rigidity, surrounding components, and expected vibration conditions.
Without clearly defined requirements, it becomes difficult to determine whether a prototype has passed or failed during testing.
Step 2: Create Initial Sketches
Initial sketches help transform a concept into a defined physical arrangement. They may include hand sketches, basic 2D drawings, digital concept drawings, or mechanism layouts.
At this stage, focus on basic geometry, component relationships, approximate dimensions, movement, and assembly. The design does not need to contain every machining detail yet.
Step 3: Build the 3D CAD Model
Once the general concept is established, create a 3D CAD model. For a mechanical prototype, the model should gradually define features such as:
- Holes
- Threads
- Pockets
- Slots
- Fillets
- Chamfers
- Wall thicknesses
- Mating surfaces
- Mounting features
- Assembly clearances
The CAD model becomes an important manufacturing reference for CNC machining, 3D printing, mold development, inspection, and later design revisions.
However, geometry that can be modeled in CAD is not automatically easy or economical to manufacture. For CNC parts, features such as very deep cavities, sharp internal corners, extremely thin walls, inaccessible surfaces, or unnecessarily tight tolerances can increase machining difficulty.
This is why DFM review should begin before prototype manufacturing rather than after the first physical part has already been produced.
Step 4: Choose the Prototype Material
Material selection depends heavily on what the prototype is intended to prove.
A simple visual prototype can often use a lower-cost substitute material. A functional prototype may require the final material or one with similar engineering properties.
Common CNC prototype materials include aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, copper, POM, PEEK, nylon, and other engineering plastics.
For example, Aluminum 6061 is suitable for many brackets, housings, mounts, fixtures, and other structural prototypes because it combines relatively low weight with good machinability.
If the prototype must reproduce stiffness, wear behavior, thread strength, thermal performance, or corrosion resistance, using an unrelated substitute material may make the test results less representative of the final product.
What Are the Main Considerations When Choosing Prototype Materials?
The main considerations when choosing prototype materials include the purpose of the prototype, required mechanical properties, component weight, manufacturing method, operating environment, material availability, and how closely the prototype must represent the final product.
Purpose of the Prototype
First determine what is actually being tested. If the prototype only needs to verify appearance, overall dimensions, or basic assembly, an alternative material may be acceptable.
If it must verify load, structural stiffness, threads, bearing seats, sliding surfaces, wear, or thermal behavior, material properties become much more important.
Mechanical Properties
Relevant material properties can include:
- Tensile strength
- Elastic modulus
- Hardness
- Impact resistance
- Wear resistance
- Thermal resistance
- Coefficient of friction
A prototype material should therefore not be selected only because it is inexpensive or easy to manufacture.
Weight
Density matters when component mass influences system performance. Examples include robotic moving components, aerospace brackets, rotating parts, handheld equipment, and automation components.
Replacing a lightweight production material with a substantially heavier prototype material may change dynamic behavior even if the geometry remains the same.
Machinability
When the prototype will be CNC machined, material machinability influences tooling requirements, machining time, achievable surface quality, and manufacturing cost.
Two materials with similar mechanical strength may behave very differently during milling, turning, drilling, or threading.
Operating Environment
Consider whether the prototype will encounter:
- Water or moisture
- Chemicals
- High or low temperatures
- Outdoor exposure
- Corrosive environments
- Repeated friction
If environmental performance is part of the test, the selected material should reproduce those conditions adequately.
Material Availability
A specialized material may be appropriate for production but inefficient for an early prototype if it is difficult to source in the required size or stock form.
Material availability should therefore be evaluated together with engineering requirements, rather than treated as a separate purchasing issue.
How to Manufacture a Prototype
Once the design and material are sufficiently defined, the next question is how to manufacture a prototype efficiently.
A typical prototype manufacturing workflow is:
CAD and Drawing Review → DFM Review → Material Selection → Manufacturing Process Selection → Prototype Fabrication → Finishing → Inspection → Testing → Design Revision
CAD and Drawing Review
The manufacturer first needs enough information to understand the part. A 3D CAD model defines the geometry, while a 2D engineering drawing can communicate information that may not be clear from the model alone.
This information can include:
- Dimensional tolerances
- Thread specifications
- Surface roughness
- Critical features
- Datum requirements
- Surface treatments
DFM Review
Design for Manufacturability review identifies features that may be difficult, expensive, or unstable to manufacture.
For CNC machining, common issues include:
- Deep and narrow pockets
- Very thin walls
- Very small internal corner radii
- Long slender features
- Excessively deep holes
- Difficult tool access
- Unnecessary tight tolerances
- Impractical thread features
A small design modification at the prototype stage can sometimes simplify machining while preserving the intended function.
Material Preparation
The selected material must be sourced in an appropriate stock form. For CNC machining, this may include bar, plate, block, or tube.
The required stock size depends on the finished geometry, machining allowance, workholding method, and overall machining strategy.
Prototype Fabrication
The actual fabrication prototype stage converts the digital design into a physical component.
Depending on the geometry and performance requirements, manufacturers may use:
- CNC machining
- 3D printing
- Sheet metal fabrication
- Laser cutting
- Molding
- A combination of multiple processes
Surface Finishing
Some prototypes require finishing after fabrication. Possible processes include:
- Anodizing
- Plating
- Polishing
- Bead blasting
- Painting
However, cosmetic finishing is not always necessary for an early engineering prototype. If the primary purpose is to check dimensions or assembly, unnecessary finishing may add cost without improving the test.
Inspection
Critical features should be checked before functional evaluation. Inspection may include:
- Overall dimensions
- Hole positions
- Critical diameters
- Flatness
- Perpendicularity
- Thread features
- Mating surfaces
Testing and Iteration
Once inspection confirms that the prototype represents the intended design, functional testing can begin. Problems discovered during testing should be traced back to the relevant design requirement before the CAD model is changed.
What Fabrication Methods Can Be Used for a Prototype?
There is no single manufacturing method that is best for every prototype. The correct process depends on geometry, material, dimensional accuracy, surface requirements, quantity, testing objectives, budget, and eventual production plans.
3D Printing
3D printing is often useful for:
- Early concept models
- Visual prototypes
- Complex geometries
- Fast design iteration
- Very low quantities
Because additive manufacturing builds components layer by layer, it can produce shapes that would be difficult to manufacture through conventional machining.
However, surface finish, dimensional behavior, material strength, and directional properties of a printed part may differ from those of the final production component. This becomes important when a prototype is intended for realistic mechanical testing.
CNC Machining
CNC machining removes material from solid stock using controlled cutting operations. It is particularly useful for:
- Functional prototypes
- Precision metal prototypes
- Engineering plastic prototypes
- Threaded components
- Parts with bearing fits
- Tight-tolerance features
- Components requiring production-grade materials
Typical CNC prototypes can include:
- Brackets
- Housings
- Shafts
- Bushings
- Manifolds
- Fixtures
- Robotic components
- Mechanical connectors
- Precision mounting components
One advantage of CNC prototyping is that the physical properties of the machined material can closely represent those of a production part when the same material grade is used.
CNC machining also has limitations. Very complex internal passages may be difficult or impossible to reach with conventional cutting tools. Deep cavities, thin walls, and sharp internal corners may also require design modifications or specialized machining strategies.
Sheet Metal Prototyping
Sheet metal fabrication is suitable for components such as:
- Enclosures
- Brackets
- Covers
- Panels
- Chassis
Prototype fabrication can involve laser cutting, punching, bending, and welding.
If the production component will ultimately be made from sheet metal, using similar fabrication processes during prototyping can reveal bending, assembly, fastener, and clearance problems earlier.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is particularly effective for flat profiles manufactured from sheet or plate material.
Typical applications include:
- Flat brackets
- Panels
- Plates
- Gaskets
- Sheet components
It is generally not a direct substitute for CNC machining when the design requires complex three-dimensional features.
Injection Molding
Injection molding is usually less attractive for very early prototypes because a mold must first be manufactured.
It becomes more relevant when the plastic design is relatively stable and engineers need parts that more closely represent production molding behavior, molded geometry, or later bridge production requirements.
Hybrid Prototype Fabrication
A prototype does not have to use only one manufacturing process.
For example, a machine prototype might contain:
- A CNC-machined aluminum housing
- A laser-cut and bent sheet metal bracket
- A 3D-printed plastic cover
- Standard bearings
- Commercial fasteners
- Purchased sensors
Combining processes can reduce unnecessary custom manufacturing while still allowing the complete system to be tested.
3D Printing vs CNC Machining for Prototypes
When deciding how to make the prototype, 3D printing and CNC machining are two common options, but they solve different engineering problems.
Geometry
3D printing has an advantage for extremely complex structures, enclosed channels, and geometries that would otherwise require difficult machining access.
CNC machining is well suited to many conventional mechanical geometries involving holes, pockets, slots, threads, shafts, sealing surfaces, and precision interfaces.
Material
CNC machining can use many standard production metals and engineering plastics directly. This can make it particularly useful when real material behavior is an important part of prototype validation.
Tolerance
If the prototype contains precision mounting surfaces, bearing seats, threaded interfaces, or other tightly controlled features, CNC machining may provide a more representative solution.
Actual tolerance requirements should still be specified according to function rather than making every dimension unnecessarily precise.
Mechanical Testing
For tests involving stiffness, threads, fasteners, bearings, loading, or wear, using the intended engineering material can be more important than simply reproducing the shape.
In these situations, a machined prototype may provide test conditions closer to the final part than a basic visual 3D print.
Cost
3D printing can be economical for many early-stage components, especially when the geometry is complex and only a rapid design check is required.
However, there is no universal rule that one prototyping technology is always cheaper. Prototype cost depends on:
- Geometry
- Material
- Size
- Quantity
- Tolerance
- Surface finish
- Post-processing requirements
The manufacturing method should therefore be selected according to the purpose of the prototype rather than price alone.
What Should You Consider Before Manufacturing a Prototype?
Several engineering decisions can strongly affect both prototype cost and the usefulness of the resulting test data.
Tolerances
Not every dimension needs a tight tolerance. Precision should be concentrated on features that influence:
- Fit
- Alignment
- Movement
- Sealing
- Bearing installation
- Assembly
Over-tolerancing non-critical dimensions can increase machining and inspection requirements without improving prototype performance.
Surface Finish
Separate functional surfaces from cosmetic surfaces.
A bearing seat, sealing surface, or sliding interface may require a specified roughness. A non-functional exterior surface on an early engineering prototype may not.
Threads and Fasteners
Before manufacturing, define:
- Thread standard
- Thread diameter
- Pitch
- Thread depth
- Internal or external thread
- Insert requirements
- Fastener type
Thread depth should also be realistic relative to the available material thickness and surrounding geometry.
Quantity
For initial design verification, only a few parts may be necessary.
Additional units may be required when different prototypes are needed for:
- Engineering tests
- Assembly trials
- Customer evaluation
- Destructive testing
Prototype quantity should therefore reflect the validation plan rather than an arbitrary minimum.
How Do You Test a Prototype?
A prototype is most useful when testing is connected to clear design requirements and acceptance criteria.
Dimensional Inspection
Check dimensions that influence function or assembly. These may include:
- Hole spacing
- Overall size
- Critical diameters
- Mating surfaces
- Flatness
- Perpendicularity
- Critical tolerances
Assembly Testing
Assembly testing determines whether components actually work together. Look for:
- Interference
- Excessive clearance
- Hole misalignment
- Fastener-access problems
- Incorrect assembly sequence
- Tool-access limitations
Functional Testing
Functional testing determines whether the component performs its intended task.
Depending on the design, this may involve:
- Rotation
- Linear movement
- Positioning
- Mounting
- Sealing
- Load transfer
- Component retention
Mechanical Testing
Where appropriate, prototypes may also be evaluated under:
- Mechanical loads
- Vibration
- Wear
- Impact
- Fatigue
- Temperature exposure
Not every prototype requires every test. Testing should focus on the functions and risks relevant to the particular design.
User Testing
Products handled or operated by people may also require evaluation of ergonomics, accessibility, control position, assembly, and maintenance.
How Do You Improve a Prototype After Testing?
Prototype development is usually iterative rather than a one-time manufacturing activity.
A useful development cycle is:
Prototype → Test → Analyze → Modify CAD → Manufacture Again
Testing may reveal the need to modify:
- Dimensions
- Wall thickness
- Material
- Hole position
- Thread design
- Tolerances
- Fillet radii
- Mounting method
- Surface requirements
Changes should not be made in isolation. For example, moving a hole may solve an assembly problem but create insufficient wall thickness elsewhere. Increasing wall thickness may improve stiffness but increase weight or interfere with a neighboring component.
Every revision should therefore be checked against the complete product design.
How Can You Reduce Prototype Manufacturing Costs?
Prototype cost can often be reduced through engineering decisions rather than simply choosing the lowest quotation.
Avoid Unnecessary Tight Tolerances
Apply tight tolerances only where they are functionally necessary. General dimensions can often use more practical tolerances.
Simplify Difficult Geometry
Review whether the design genuinely requires:
- Very deep pockets
- Extremely thin walls
- Sharp internal corners
- Long narrow cavities
- Unusually small features
If these features provide no functional value, simplifying them can improve manufacturability and reduce machining effort.
Use Standard Hole and Thread Sizes
Standard holes and thread sizes generally reduce the need for specialized tooling and can also simplify inspection.
Select Available Materials
Where engineering requirements allow, commonly available material grades and stock sizes can make prototype sourcing easier.
Prototype Critical Components First
A complex product does not always need to be manufactured as a complete custom assembly immediately.
Testing the highest-risk components first can reveal important problems before additional parts are produced.
Use Off-the-Shelf Components
Standard bearings, screws, motors, springs, sensors, and other commercial components can reduce the number of custom parts that need to be manufactured.
How Do You Know When a Prototype Is Ready for Production?
There is no fixed number of prototype iterations required before production. Instead, readiness should be judged against engineering and manufacturing criteria.
Design Requirements Are Met
The prototype performs its intended function under the required operating conditions.
Critical Dimensions Are Verified
Features that affect fit, alignment, sealing, movement, or assembly have been inspected and confirmed.
Functional Testing Is Successful
The component performs consistently enough to support the next development stage.
Assembly Problems Are Resolved
Interference, misalignment, inaccessible fasteners, and other significant assembly problems have been identified and addressed.
Materials and Processes Are Confirmed
The development team should understand whether differences between the prototype material or manufacturing process and the final production process could affect performance.
DFM Issues Are Resolved
Major manufacturing concerns involving tool access, tolerances, wall thickness, cavities, threads, or inspection should be resolved before production quantities increase.
A successful prototype should do more than prove that a concept works. It should provide useful information for manufacturing the design consistently.
Common Prototype Mistakes to Avoid
Making the Prototype Too Perfect Too Early
An early prototype does not always need production-level cosmetic quality. Spending heavily on appearance before the geometry has been validated can create unnecessary cost.
Selecting the Wrong Prototype Process
The manufacturing process should reflect the purpose of the test.
If the objective is to evaluate a real metal thread, bearing fit, structural stiffness, or wear surface, a low-strength visual model may not provide sufficiently useful results.
Over-Tolerancing the Drawing
Adding tight tolerances everywhere does not automatically create a better prototype. It can increase machining and inspection requirements without improving functionality.
Ignoring Manufacturability
A design should be reviewed with the intended manufacturing method in mind. A CAD model may look correct while containing features that are inefficient or impractical to machine.
Testing Without Acceptance Criteria
Before testing, define what qualifies as success.
Questions can include:
- What clearance is acceptable?
- How much deflection is allowed?
- What load must the component support?
- Which dimensions are critical?
- What constitutes assembly failure?
Without clear acceptance criteria, prototype testing can become subjective.
From Prototype to Low-Volume Production
Prototype development should gradually reduce design and manufacturing uncertainty.
A typical path can be:
Initial Prototype → Engineering Testing → Design Revision → Final Prototype → Low-Volume Production → Production
If the final product will also be CNC machined, prototype machining can provide useful information about:
- Material behavior
- Critical tolerances
- Tool access
- Surface requirements
- Inspection requirements
- Assembly relationships
However, moving from prototype to production still requires additional manufacturing evaluation.
Higher quantities may change:
- Fixture strategy
- Tooling
- Cycle-time priorities
- Inspection planning
- Material purchasing
- Production scheduling
A successful prototype is therefore an important milestone, but it is not automatically a finished production plan.
Prototype Manufacturing With Tuofa CNC Germany
For CNC prototypes, manufacturing support should involve more than simply receiving a CAD file and machining the geometry exactly as modeled.
Before production begins, the design should be reviewed to determine whether the selected geometry, material, tolerances, threads, and surface requirements are practical for the intended prototype.
DFM Review Before Prototype Manufacturing
When customers submit CAD models and technical drawings to Tuofa CNC Germany, the prototype can be reviewed from a manufacturing perspective before machining.
Useful information can include:
- 3D CAD model
- 2D engineering drawing
- Material specification
- Required quantity
- Critical tolerances
- Surface finish
- Important functional features
- Inspection requirements
During a DFM review, engineering considerations can include whether:
- Walls are too thin for stable machining
- Pockets are unnecessarily deep
- Cutting tools can reach critical surfaces
- Internal radii are practical for milling tools
- Holes have excessive depth-to-diameter ratios
- Thread specifications are suitable for the available geometry
- Some tolerances are tighter than the function requires
- Material selection creates avoidable manufacturing difficulty
The purpose of DFM is not to change the customer’s functional design arbitrarily. It is to identify areas where machining difficulty, deformation risk, additional setups, or unnecessary cost may potentially be reduced without changing the intended function.
Prototype Material Selection Support
Material selection should also reflect what the prototype needs to validate.
For a visual or dimensional prototype, using the final material may not always be necessary. For functional tests involving stiffness, load, threads, bearing fits, wear, temperature, or corrosion behavior, choosing the production material or a suitable engineering alternative can provide more meaningful results.
Common materials considered for CNC prototype projects can include:
- Aluminum 6061
- Aluminum 7075
- Stainless steel
- Carbon steel
- Brass
- Copper
- POM
- PEEK
- Nylon
- Other engineering plastics
The material decision should therefore be made together with the intended prototype test rather than treated as an isolated specification.
CNC Machining for Functional Prototypes
Tuofa CNC Germany can support CNC prototype projects where engineers need physical components with machined features and realistic engineering materials.
Typical prototype parts may include:
- Mounting brackets
- Sensor mounts
- Precision housings
- Shafts
- Bushings
- Manifolds
- Mechanical connectors
- Robotic components
- Fixtures
- Small precision assemblies
CNC prototypes can be particularly useful for checking threaded interfaces, bearing installation, assembly clearance, mating relationships, structural behavior, and other features where material properties and dimensional accuracy matter.
This does not mean CNC machining is the correct choice for every prototype. For an early visual model with very complex geometry, 3D printing may be more economical. CNC machining becomes more attractive when the prototype requires production-grade materials, machined interfaces, tighter dimensional control, or realistic mechanical testing.
From One Prototype to Low-Volume Production
Once prototype testing is complete, the CAD model can be revised to address problems discovered during inspection, assembly, or functional testing.
The development path may then continue through:
Prototype → Design Revision → Final Prototype → Low-Volume Production
If the final component will remain CNC machined, the prototype stage can help establish practical information about material choice, machining access, critical tolerances, surface requirements, and inspection priorities.
Before production quantities increase, however, the manufacturing strategy should still be reviewed according to final quantity, drawings, fixture requirements, inspection plans, and production requirements.
What Should You Send for a Prototype Quote?
If you already have a product design and want to evaluate how to make a prototype, prepare as much manufacturing information as possible.
Useful files and specifications include:
- STEP, STP, IGES, or another usable 3D CAD format
- 2D technical drawing when available
- Material specification
- Required quantity
- Critical tolerances
- Surface finish
- Critical dimensions
- Thread information
- Special inspection requirements
If your design is still at the prototype stage, you can submit the CAD files and drawings to Tuofa CNC Germany for manufacturing review. The design can then be evaluated for material selection, machining feasibility, tolerances, and potential DFM issues before prototype production begins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Prototype
How Do I Make a Prototype of My Product?
Start by defining the product requirements, create sketches and a CAD model, select an appropriate material and manufacturing process, manufacture the physical prototype, inspect it, test its function, and revise the design where necessary.
How Do You Make a Prototype From a CAD Design?
A CAD model is reviewed for manufacturability, material and manufacturing method are selected, and the part is then produced using a process such as CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication, or molding. The finished prototype should then be inspected and tested.
What Is the Prototype Manufacturing Process?
The typical prototype manufacturing process includes CAD review, DFM analysis, material selection, process selection, fabrication, optional finishing, dimensional inspection, functional testing, and design iteration.
Is CNC Machining Good for Prototypes?
Yes. CNC machining is particularly suitable for functional prototypes requiring production-grade metals or engineering plastics, precision features, threads, bearing interfaces, or realistic mechanical properties. However, it may not be the most economical manufacturing method for every early visual prototype.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Make a Prototype?
There is no single cheapest method for every design. 3D printing can be economical for many early-stage prototypes, while CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, or other processes may be more appropriate depending on material, geometry, tolerance, quantity, and testing requirements.
Do Prototypes Need to Use the Final Material?
Not always. Visual and dimensional prototypes can often use substitute materials. Functional prototypes should use the final material or a suitable alternative when material properties directly affect the test results.
How Many Prototypes Should Be Made Before Production?
There is no fixed number. Prototype iterations should continue until the important functional, dimensional, assembly, material, and manufacturing requirements have been adequately validated.
Conclusion
Learning how to make a prototype means understanding more than how to manufacture a single sample. A useful prototype begins with clear engineering requirements and progresses through CAD design, material selection, manufacturing, inspection, testing, and design iteration.
The right manufacturing method depends on what you need to learn from the prototype. 3D printing may be suitable for rapid geometry verification, sheet metal fabrication for enclosures and brackets, and CNC machining for functional prototypes requiring production-grade materials, precision interfaces, threads, or realistic mechanical behavior.
The goal is not simply to make a physical part. It is to identify design and manufacturing problems while modifications are still practical.
By combining prototype testing with appropriate DFM review, the final design can move from an early concept toward a manufacturable product with fewer unresolved engineering risks.