Designing a plastic product?

[PowerPython]

Hi, I have an idea for a plastic product I would like to manufacture. Now, at the moment, it is just in design. I have some rough sketches mapped out, and I have 5 ranges planned for manufacturing at first. What should I do next to get my product on its way? I only have the ideas, nothing else. Should I set up a company? Get a prototype? Make designs of all the ranges and products in those ranges? I have no idea where to go next, please help me.

Thanks,
Sophie

[Will]

If you are looking for investment by others into your product then I would suggest getting a prototype made of the designs you have, or atleast one of them and make detailed plans of the others.

I think that would be the best way to go about it, maybe you could patent the designs before you go showing them around too, so noone tries can copy it!

[jasaunders]

You need a prototype. What type of plastic is the product? There are thousands of plastics. How will it be manufactured? Die cut, injection molded?
You will probably need the help of a mechanical engineer or at least someone knowledgable in plastics, before you can continue on.

[Nigami Enterprise]

Firstly be really sure in your product. Personally i have had lots of ideas in theory only to find out that they are already out there or are stupid ideas. Best way is to keep the idea to yourself and find a way to get a prototype made then you can look for investment. Remember nobody likes ideas they only like products. You also need to have plans for mass production.
Also just so you have a bit of an idea just to make the tooling for a Plastic bucket your looking at over $50,000.

How long have you been working on the idea for?
How serious are you about teh Idea?

Anyway best of luck with it regards Mick

[sspoldir]

Before going full scale with a product that is capital intensive, I would spend a little money to make sure there is a market for the product then start producing it.

[jmink]

When you are ready for mass production...say 1000 units or more I have a friend with a factory in China. He can also help you finish the design if you have something like a prototype.

[bug1124]

I am mechanical engineer that does just what you are talking about for a living. The first step is really to research the market and address consumer needs/wants. Then when you are confident in the list of constraints generated you can move on to the design phase which will result in a high quality 3D model. From this model you can have rapid prototypes made. Finally you can have tooling created for mass production. Creating plastic parts requires a somewhat large investment up front but certain processes (i.e. rotational molding) can help minimize that cost.