Having a one of a kind idea is only part of becoming a successful inventor. In reality, without the right tools, no one will ever hear about your amazing idea. This is why the benefits of 3D designs for inventors are so notable: this technology is changing the game for innovators all over the world, even those without capital to invest.
The steps to a new invention
Coming up with a fantastic new idea is certainly the first step to seeing your invention realized, but there are other steps that need to happen before you’ll change the landscape with your product. You’ll also need to create a visual design and physical prototype that can prove the invention’s function. These will help you seek out investors or buyers and patent your design.
Your visual representations of your invention are all you have to show how your product will work. They should be as detailed as possible and illustrate exactly how the product will work and how it will be produced. For a patent application detailed drawings are sufficient, but this isn’t enough for potential buyers and investors. This is where your 3D design comes in.
3D designs and inventions
A computer rendered 3D design of your invention offers you the same level of detail as a photograph of the physical product with the benefit of being tangible. A high-quality 3D design is also the perfect way to help your product stand out aesthetically. Multiple representations of your invention at different stages of the design, manufacturing, and selling process can also help investors, even those who lack technical knowledge, understand the product benefits and manufacturing constraints clearly.
Before the advent of 3D design, it wasn’t as easy to show a proof of function prototype of your new invention. 3D design makes this part easy, and it also simplifies getting manufacturing input on your invention—a critical component of the inventing and marketing process. This ensures that you can see what your invention will look like before ever creating a true prototype; it also means you can correct expensive errors before repeating them in a prototype.
Furthermore, the 3D design process makes all of this affordable and accessible to almost anyone. Independent inventors and designers can create 3D models easily without too much special equipment, and even kids can access 3D design tools at local libraries. What were once tools of large businesses and universities are now widely available.
Creating 3D models of inventions: practical benefits
When you create a 3D model of your invention, it is made to the exact dimensions set forth in your design. This means that each design decision matters; every angle and restriction impacts the entire product. Solid modeling software used to create 3D models can monitor all of these design decisions for you to ensure that your design will work, eliminating the guesswork.
Engineering analysis is also easier using 3D design. This process allows the testing and engineering analysis of each part to be conducted virtually before anything is ever physically made. This process allows you to choose the best design with the most cost effective manufacturing method, keeping retail costs lower and making your product more competitive.
You can also ask other experts to review your 3D design. For example, you could have an engineer or other expert test out some aspect of the product. If he or she suggests revisions to the design, it’s easy and cheap to make them before anything is ever actually rendered.
Conclusion
The benefits of 3D designs for inventors are massive. In fact, 3D design has changed the face of innovation and inventing, opening up the industry to almost everyone. Never before has the ability to turn a creative idea into a useful product been more within reach for more people thanks to 3D design technologies.