I tried to ask this on /toy/ but they're too busy masturbating and talking about action figures.
So, I want to design and build toys, make some solidworks designs I can 3D print or something.
It's mostly cheap plastic crap with maybe some magnets.
Any engineer here who can give me some tips?
Also, anyone here with experience on how to patent stuff?
Does a 3D model of a new action figure falls under the design patent and not the utility one?
I have some questions.
>>983939
You might find some of your answers here, we have a few engineers.
If your into 3d design there is a 3d board or two that might have some tutorial threads or useful sticky.
I think one of them is /3/
OP, 3D printing is too much of a hassle to be viable when making a series of toys. It's great for making a prototype. But after that you might want to invest in some injection molding, or if you just want to homebrew resin casting.
Really depends on what you want to do and i can't offer any real advice without more information.
I've made some /tg/ grade stuff miniatures and really small batches of figurines ~150 each when I worked for a games shop.
I don't think you can patent a toy, unless it's a new method for manufacture, but you can get copyrighting for your design. You just have to hit up your local copyrighting office. They'll hit you with some forms to fill out and you need to bring in a sample, wait for them to book it and check it out (10ish days), and if your stuff checks out you can take out a copyright. These vary in price and are usually on a 10year basis and vary in price depending on your stuff. Another thing to consider is copyright coverage. Are you worried about your best friend running off with your idea across the street and marking your stuff in his house? Or the really real threat of Chinese knockoffs? So consider do you need National or International copyrighting. Where the International is expensive as shit and is better left for companies.
Also another thing to note is that you have to enforce these on your own. So if you find a knock off you have to take legal action on your own and pay for lawyers and teams of lawyers. And trust me sewing china on your own is not fun and could be a thread on /diy/ on it's own.
>>983956
thanks.
was planning on mixing a basic wheel magnetic motor with some gyroscope and a Phenakistoscope
>>983958
patenting something will require you to:
A) sift through regulation and patents to make sure yours is actually an innovation not covered by current patents (yours does not sound that original)
B) pay a lawyer to help you do that more quickly and efficiently
regardless of what you choose to do, patenting requires you to expend cash, so you probably want to make sure you have a working prototype, and idea on how to mass produce it, have checked some relevant patents and regulations BEFORE hiring a lawyer and getting into it
>>984211
I dunno, it seems even if I patent it, chinese will steal the design.
so it seems like a waste of money.
Still I think I can beat those chink faggots by making a better product at the same price (I'm a spic, so my wage can compete with china).
What's the cheapest way to mass produce toys?
I found injection molding is extremelly expensive for me.
I was looking at silicone molds and glass fiber shit.
They seem cheaper and affordable methods to produce stuff.
I bet you didn't even tried the Customs general
Here:
http://www.iliketomakestuff.com/how-to-mold-and-cast-an-action-figure/
Learn clay sculpting to create molds and buy a wired frame like pic related for the moving parts or get a crystal clear figma model and build your product around it.
Other than that you will need factory grade for a finished product.
In the off chance you actually get to buy all you need for such endeavor leave something to contact you, as someone over there might be interested on your venture.
Best bet is to make a prototype on your own.
Get prototype copyright protection (these are cheaper and last for about a year)
And then send your toy out to a few companies, make a decent pitch and than sell them the design.
This way you avoid the whole production production process if you're unsure of what your doing.
If you want to make ~100 toys you can do it yourself with resin casting and machining etc for relatively cheap withing a few days of work.
However anything more than 500 will drive you insane (making an army of figurines withing a week for a fair was fucking crazy). The resin will take forever to cure, your molds will fall apart, decompose and your product will loose quality.
Silicone molds have limits.
You could use two part centrifuge molding in metal molds. But thins means you need to have a a product that can be cast as such. It also means you need to be able to make a metal mold and a centrifuge.
Again i have no idea what you're making so i cant suggest anything specific
