Don't underestimate the power of prototyping. Too often the benefits of prototyping an invention are either played down or completely ignored when "experts" take to the issue. But turning your idea into a product sample is probably the most important part of inventing. And if you're not convinced here are five reasons why you should prototype your invention:

1. It makes patenting easier

For nearly 100 years, our culture has seemingly indoctrinated us in TV, books and movies to believe that we must patent our ideas immediately, lest they fall to the wayside or be stolen. It's an expensive and complicated process to take a rough idea and turn into a patent, so you wouldn't want to enter that $10,000-plus arena without being prepared, right?

Prior to 1880 you actually had to have a prototype built before it could be patented. While it's not required now, a prototype is a great way to show that you built it first. Also, building your idea flushes out the benefits and features that may not have been immediately evident in the rough idea stage. Now, you can patent that too, which may offer the best protection in the long run.

The whole process of building a prototype will greatly help you in writing, drawing and preparing your patent papers, which can save you a lot of money.

2. Smooth out your invention's design

Once you build your idea into a prototype, now you can actually test it in real life situations and look out for design or concept flaws. Some may want to go down the route of building a "virtual prototype." Now, there are a lot of benefits to having an artist create a 3D rendition of your product -- you can easily present it to potential buyers, you can get a low-cost idea of how it will look when it's built and you can decide on visual features of the product -- however, a "virtual prototype" can't be tested in real life. Remember, the real world and the virtual world are completely different and 3D drawings don't account for everything.

In addition, this is a great time to work out the aesthetics of a product, creating it for the right user. For example, you want to ensure its size isn't too big or threatening, if the user will be a child. Alternately you want it to be durable enough if the user is a mechanic.

Again, all of these tweaks and such will help you out when patenting, because you know what to draw up and what the benefits are of these features, which didn't exist when it was in its conceptual phase.

3. Prototypes determine the manufacturing process

Eventually, whether it's you or the person you manage to sell the idea to, someone is going to have to manufacture your invention. Prototyping helps you determine what manufacturing processes will be required. Will it be injection molded, ultrasonically welded or die cut?

Perhaps you even have to determine a new manufacturing technique to build your invention, but you'd need to know all of this before a manufacturer or a corporation will get on board with your project.

4. Determine the right price

The only way to truly have an understanding of what the product will really cost to manufacture is by prototyping it. As with understanding how it will be manufactured, you'll know what the materials to build it will cost or at least what types of materials you'll use.

When prototyping, think about the price point you want to meet. Of course, this should probably have started in design, but later you may realize you need to build it at a lower cost. It's a good time to analyze the design and find ways it can be changed to meet a better cost of manufacturing. And, since you'd be doing this before you patent, you'll save yourself by not having to file an amendment or a second patent.

5. It makes it easier to license or sell

With a prototype ready, you'll not only be able to explain what the features and benefits of your invention are, but also be able to get into the numbers to explain the costs of manufacturing, how it will be built, etc. This shows professionalism and companies respect it. For too long, a lot of well-meaning people have submitted ideas as just paper drawings or hard-to-interpret patents, but having the prototype ready to go -- a bonus if you have sample packaging -- means a lot.

There is also the fun factor when presenting a real, working prototype. Now, they have something to talk about, look at and interact with. This gets marketing people going when thinking about how to advertise and showcase it. It also lets everyone handle it and determine for themselves the validity of your project. Demonstrations sell.

So, don't underestimate the power of prototyping your invention. Not only is it at the very heart of inventing, but it will greatly benefit you in the long run.

Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.