Vertex Product Development builds rapid prototypes and functional models in Great Neck, New York, using additive (3D printing), CNC, forming, and urethane casting as the job needs. One build is the single-use surgical vein retractor with integrated illumination, prototyped here and used in animal testing before tooling.
The work is physical hardware you can evaluate for fit, function, and assembly before full tooling. This is a model shop tied to design and engineering, not a standalone print bureau.
| Build type | What it is for | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept | Early working units to test critical mechanisms and packaging | Functional POC models |
| Functional / pre-production | Fit, function, and assembly evaluation before tooling | Working pre-production units |
| Look-and-feel / show-quality | Physical appearance models for marketing or stakeholder review | Physical show models |
| Short soft-tooling runs | RTV soft tooling and urethane castings for multiple evaluation units | Short pre-production runs |
Who this is for
- Product teams that need working pre-production units before committing to tooling
- Founders and OEMs who want prototypes built by the same shop that designs and engineers the product
- Buyers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Pennsylvania looking for product prototyping services, not national print-bureau volume alone
Rapid prototyping for NYC companies
Vertex Product Development builds rapid prototypes for New York City companies at its studio and model shop in Great Neck, NY. Designers, engineers and model makers work under one roof, so a part goes from CAD to a test build without leaving the building. NYC teams can come out, handle the prototype and mark up changes with the people who made it. For New York City client BuildingLink, we oversaw prototyping and production engineering on the KeyLink key management system.
What we build
- Proof-of-concept functional models: early working units to test critical mechanisms and packaging
- Functional / pre-production prototypes: hardware for fit, function, and assembly evaluation
- Look-and-feel / show-quality models: physical appearance models when marketing or stakeholder review needs them (physical models, not digital renders as the deliverable)
- Short soft-tooling runs: RTV soft tooling and urethane castings when you need multiple evaluation units
Related: Engineering, Industrial design, Turnkey design, Contact, Prototype lead time, Materials.
Capabilities
Processes used as the program needs them:
- Additive: SLA, SLS, and FFF
- Vacuum and pressure forming
- Urethane castings and RTV soft tooling for short runs
- CNC machining
- Sheet metal prototype parts
- PCB fabrication and population when electronics are in scope
- Functional testing of the built unit
Prototypes are built to test form, fit and function; production parts can differ in finish and material. Soft-tooling and cast parts are built to support evaluation of appearance and function before production tooling.
How prototyping connects to design and engineering
Prototyping sits next to mechanical engineering and industrial design. Findings from a build feed back into the CAD before the next spend.
On full programs, prototyping is a gate inside turnkey product development. You can also engage prototyping alone when the design already exists.
Proof
WaveEtch 456 G2 wet-processing equipment
Automated multi-wafer wet processing hardware that had to be designed, built, integrated, and installed as working equipment, not a render.
Non-contact wafer chuck
Precision wafer-handling chuck designed for cleanroom-oriented motion and collision avoidance. Functional hardware for evaluation in motion.
Direct View Retractor (medical)
Single-use surgical vein retractor with integrated illumination: medical device that needed design, engineering, and working prototypes.
Fluid-bed coffee roaster prototype
Manual fluid-bed roaster developed through CAD into a 240V functional prototype: stainless and glass hardware for real evaluation.
Adjustable surgical speculum (medical)
Self-retaining speculum with a sliding blade for depth and a spring-loaded ratchet for blade angle, so one instrument fits different patients.
KeyLink key management system (BuildingLink)
Locking drawers, SmartTags and biometric access for BuildingLink. Vertex oversaw prototyping, production engineering and vendor sourcing.
For Coastal Amusements in Lakewood, New Jersey, we designed, engineered and built the first prototypes of two arcade games, Break the Plate and 3 Ring Circus.
Also see: Semiconductor processing, Medical and laboratory equipment.
Process
- Intake: CAD, drawings, or photos. What must be proven in this build.
- Method selection: Additive, forming, casting, CNC, sheet metal, electronics, or a mix.
- Build: Fabricate and assemble the prototype unit or short run.
- Evaluate: Fit, function, assembly, and service access as scoped.
- Feedback into design: Capture changes before tooling or the next engineering phase.
- Next gate: Another prototype, soft tooling, or manufacturing transfer.
You approve scope before materials and shop time are spent.
FAQ
What is rapid prototyping here?
Rapid prototyping at Vertex means building physical models and working pre-production units to evaluate fit, function, and assembly before full tooling. Work is done from Great Neck for clients in NY, NJ, CT, and PA.
What is the difference between a functional prototype and a show model?
A functional prototype works for test and evaluation. A show-quality model is built for appearance and stakeholder review. They are different jobs, and we scope them separately.
Where are you based?
Great Neck, NY (Long Island / NYC metro). We serve New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
What prototyping methods do you use for Long Island and NYC clients?
We pick the method the build needs: SLA, SLS and FFF 3D printing, CNC machining, sheet metal, vacuum and pressure forming, and urethane castings from RTV soft tooling for short runs. When electronics are in scope, we also fabricate and populate PCBs. See the prototype materials we build in.
Where is the prototyping done?
In our model shop at the Great Neck, NY studio on Long Island. Clients from New York City and Long Island can come in and review a build in person. We also serve New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Do you only 3D print?
No. Printing is one capability. We also use forming, urethane casting, CNC, sheet metal, PCB work, and functional testing as the program needs.
Can you make multiple units with soft tooling?
Yes. RTV soft tooling and urethane castings support short pre-production runs for evaluation. Parts are built to support appearance and function checks before production tooling, not as a claim of mass-production equivalence.
Do you prototype medical or semiconductor hardware?
Yes when those industries are in scope. See our medical device and semiconductor equipment pages. For medical work we design to the requirements you provide; for semiconductor tools we design for the cleanroom class you name.
How much does prototyping cost?
No fixed price. Estimates depend on method, materials, quantity, and finish. Work is scoped by phase. Send CAD or photos and we can estimate a first build.
How do I start a prototype project?
Send a sketch, CAD files or photos of what you need built. We scope the first phase together: what the build has to prove, the method and the material. You approve that scope before shop time starts.
How long does a prototype take?
There is no fixed lead time. It depends on the method, materials, quantity and finish. A 3D printed proof of concept is usually faster than a CNC or soft tooling run. Read more on prototype lead time.
Talk to us
Send CAD, drawings, or photos of what you need built. We will confirm whether Vertex is the right fit for this prototyping phase.
Contact Vertex →