Prototype Documentation

Keep this simple and factual. The goal is to capture exactly how the prototype behaved so others can replicate or improve it.

What to Document (Actual Performance)

• Purpose: What the prototype is intended to do.
• Performance: Actual success rate, failures/cause, and real cycle time (not best attempts).
• Conditions: Inputs/settings that affected results (speed, angle, spacing); note anything that changed outcomes.
• Media: Photos or a short video showing operation.
• Honesty matters: Failed tests are valuable—show what doesn’t work and guide improvements.

Critical Dimensions

Record the few dimensions that make the prototype work. These are the measurements someone must know to reproduce it reliably.

• Center-to-center distances (rollers, wheels, pulleys).
• Compression/gap at contact points (e.g., 0.25" wheel compression).
• Heights and angles (entry/exit height, guide angle, shooter hood angle).
• Offsets and positions relative to bumpers/frame and hand‑off points.
• Material thickness and durometer where it affects grip or stiffness.
• Speed/ratio settings that were required (RPM, gear ratio, duty cycle).

Tip: If changing a number would break performance, it’s a critical dimension.