Bring an Idea to Market Using SLS 3D Printing
From product development rookie to budding entrepreneur, Kody Henry shares his story of how he used Xometry’s SLS 3D printing service to help bring his unique pet bowl idea to market.
“When I started my project I was a complete rookie.
Trying to go from nothing to something is hard when you’re unsure where to start. With the help of Xometry I was able to quickly see my product come together. The first iterations were functional, but I didn’t want to get caught up with only a working prototype – I had to think about the product with also manufacturing and shipping in mind.
My company is EHI Pet Products and our first product is a line of pet bowls called the “Unflip-a-Bowl”. It’s geared towards large dog breeds that tend to be messy. We’ve created a bowl that locks into place so they can’t flip it or spill it, and is adjustable for comfortable feeding. It helps the pet and saves time and money for the owner.
My first iteration worked, but in order to produce and ship, it needed a redesign. I have a 3D CAD designer that does all of my work. We brainstorm different iterations and he designs them in SolidWorks. We went back to Xometry for several more prototypes until we finally settled on our tenth design change; one that accommodated functionality, manufacturing, and shipping.
After speaking with many other product developers, we found out that it is very common to discover a mistake after getting a product manufactured. Having a place to reliably print my product was a huge help in that respect. The ability to make a change, print it out, and physically hold each design without expensive mold costs was absolutely priceless. I would urge anyone with an idea to spend a little time and money to get a prototype printed so you can physically evaluate the product in real life.”