After you have completed a search and satisfied yourself that your idea is unique, it is time to make a prototype (working model). It does not have to be elaborate or expensive. It does not have to be made of the materials that the final product would be made of. Just make it out of any material you can find. It only needs to demonstrate what your invention is, how it works and that it DOES work. If your invention is something that you cannot make even a rough prototype of yourself there are companies that specialize in making prototypes. Their fees, however, can sometimes be quite expensive so if you are able to make it yourself you are often better off to do so.

If your prototype is something that needs to have a plastic injection mold they are extremely expensive. Now, however, there are less expensive alternatives. A process that is called "Rapid Prototyping" accomplishes the alternatives to plastic injection molding. The machines that do the rapid prototyping are basically 3-D printing machines. The machines take a drawing and "build" a model, microscopic layer by microscopic layer. There are several different machines that are able to build prototypes in this manner. The most common rapid prototyping machines are the ThermoJet, Genisys, Prodigy, JP System 5, Objet Quadra and the Z402. You can find listings for companies all over the world that provide rapid prototyping services by using the keywords, "Rapid Prototyping Service Bureaus" or by going to: http://home.att.net/~castleisland/u_lks.htm. On this site, page down to the heading "Commercial Service Providers" and you will be able to find the rapid prototyping service closest to you.

Rapid Prototyping does not replace plastic injection molding for durability. It is, however, able to make a prototype that will clearly demonstrate what will be needed to manufacture your invention. A prototype made with the rapid prototyping process is usually more than sufficient for an inventor to show a prospective licensee. And, the cost is dramatically less expensive. It is not unusual for a plastic injection mold to cost tens of thousands of dollars. Rapid prototyping can cost as little as $14.00 per cubic inch of material used to make it. That's quite a difference. Before you show your idea to anyone to have him or her make a prototype (or anyone else for that matter) it is essential that you have him or her sign a nondisclosure agreement.

Here are a couple of sites to visit:

Plastic Prototypes

ExoDesign