Prototypes are an important tool in product development. They are used to visualise results or partial results of communication and to generate knowledge during the development phase. This can range from initial studies in the form of sketches and drawings for visualisation to functional prototypes.

Research at the Chair of Product Development investigates and supports prototyping along the entire product development process from the initial idea to the product.

The Chair of Product Development has various tools at its disposal that are required for the process chain from idea to prototype. In addition to workspaces for creative workshops, workstations for CAD modelling, software for CAD, FEM and other modelling methods are available. This development environment includes a makerspace for student use and a prototype laboratory which, in addition to the usual tools, also includes various 3D printers (FDM, SLA, SLS, c-FDM) and a laser cutter. The chair is equipped with contact and non-contact measuring technology for verifying and measuring prototypes as well as for reverse engineering.

Research in this area is divided into the following main topics:

•     Support in the selection of prototyping processes
•     Evaluation of the benefits of prototyping processes
•     Creation and testing of prototypes
•     Planning prototyping sequences