In the early stages of any hardware startup, building a prototype is essential. This turns the idea that’s buzzing around in someone’s head into an actual product. A prototype might be built after a weekend of hacking, or while burning the midnight oil after your day job. Prototypes aren’t meant to be perfect - they just help determine whether a product is viable or not. Some rougher edges or less-than-ideal material are a-okay in a prototype. 

The harder part comes when trying to move your prototype into production. This is where a lot of folks stall out thinking, “How do I make my product a thing that people will buy? Do I need a bunch of money to do this? Who would I even talk to for help? Is it worth it?”

This quarter, we’re exploring the sea of complexities that come when moving from prototype into production. First up, take a look at Houndsy! They came to informal with a prototype that they were looking to scale into production.

Client Feature: Houndsy

Over the years, mid century modern decor has been making a comeback that is here to stay. So, when the founders of Houndsy came to us with a prototype of a pet food dispenser that had the signature clean lines, minimal decoration, and natural feel, we knew they were on to something. 

Our team of freelancers was able to get their prototype factory-ready by taking the initial printed model, inner liner, and window and making them ready for injection molding. 

When working on a product that has many parts, the supply chain can get pretty complex - metal, wood, and custom components all add new complexities on their own, let alone all together. We were able to help reduce cost and consolidate the supply chain by minimizing the complexity and assembly time through redesigning parts. We were also able to help Houndsy transition their supply chain into production. You and your furry friend are sure to love it. 

Member Feature: Firas Salman

One of the key team members responsible for bringing Houndsy to life is informal community member Firas Salman. Firas walks the line between being an engineer and product manager, using his technical expertise to bring products to life. 

From product strategy and roadmaps, to design and development of products, Firas’ skill set helps give him a holistic view of projects. And, he’s also the founder of Qumi Beirut, a fundraising initiative dedicated to supporting relief efforts in Lebanon. 

When working on Houndsy, Firas was given their 3D printed prototype. He provided design for manufacturing (DFM) drawings, manufacturing support, and quality inspection documentation. 

We're lucky to have such a multi-talented member of our community!

Gatherings & Community

On our blog, freelancer Andrew Dunbar shares his best tips for small scale manufacturing.  

Still not sure the best way to make your prototype? informal co-founder Sam Holland outlines the pros and cons of manufacturing methods to help you make your decision.

Getting your product launched is not only about manufacturing. We’re sharing our expertise in a new three-part series about how to fund and share your new hardware. In part 1, we’re covering how to choose a platform and prepare to launch your product, part 2 delves into how to launch your product, and part 3 addresses what to do post launch. 

We’ve got a ton of hardware meetups around the United States, which are great places to meet like-minded people working on hardware products. You can find monthly meetups in Boston, LA, San Francisco and New York. 

Industry News & Trends

This guide to injection molding is a great way to start learning what it takes to get your first parts molded. It's a long and complicated process, so even if you aren’t an engineer, reading about it can help guide your team. 

Made In Space, the company that made the  first 3D printer on the International Space Station was recently acquired by Redwire, a newly formed company rounding up all kinds of outer space manufacturing initiatives. 

The ASTM International additive manufacturing committee published two new standards recently. The first, F3571, is a guide for metal powder feedstock, to help with quality control and assessing powder batches.The second, F3572, provides a metric for risk in additively manufactured parts in aviation.