Prototyping Services
Functional prototypes built by the team that will take the product to production, so what you learn on the bench still applies at volume.
A prototype is there to answer a question. We build prototypes that answer the question you actually have, whether that is proving a sensing principle, testing ergonomics in a user trial, or producing something investor-ready that survives being demonstrated.
What this includes
- Proof-of-concept builds to retire technical risk early
- Custom PCB prototypes with assembly and bring-up
- 3D printed, machined and fabricated enclosures
- Functional and user-trial prototypes
- Pre-production builds using production intent parts
- A documented route from prototype to small-batch production
Proof of concept to pre-production
Early prototypes are deliberately rough and exist to retire technical risk cheaply, often using off-the-shelf modules and 3D printed housings. Functional prototypes move to custom electronics and enclosures that represent the real product. Pre-production builds use production intent parts and processes so that what you test is what you ship. Knowing which of these you need is most of the value, and we will tell you when a cheaper prototype would answer the question.
Electronics and mechanical prototyping under one roof
Bare boards and populated PCBs come from our supply partners; everything after that, including 3D printed and machined enclosures, wiring, final assembly and test, happens in our own London facility. One team owns the whole prototype, which removes the usual gap where the electronics fit the board but not the housing, and keeps iterations to days rather than weeks posted between suppliers.
A prototype that leads somewhere
Prototypes built to impress and prototypes built to scale are different objects, and the first often cannot become the second. We design prototypes with the production route already in mind, so the work carries forward into DFM, small-batch manufacturing and certification rather than being thrown away.
Common questions
How quickly can you build a prototype?
It depends entirely on what the prototype has to prove. A proof of concept using off-the-shelf modules can be weeks; a functional prototype with custom electronics and an enclosure is typically longer because it includes PCB fabrication and assembly lead times. We will give you a realistic schedule rather than an optimistic one.
Can the prototype go straight into production?
Only if it was built to. A proof of concept generally cannot, and claiming otherwise is how projects lose months. If production is the goal we will say so early and design the prototype accordingly, which usually costs a little more up front and considerably less overall.
Ready to bring your idea to life?
We provide affordable engineering services for professional prototypes and short-run production.
Get a free consultation