The first step in learning how to invent something (if you don't
already have an idea) is to come with an idea for an invention! You can
do this by brainstorming, sitting down and trying to figure out what the
world needs or wants that it doesn't already have. Another way is to
pay closer attention to your daily life and your activities and
constantly ask yourself what invention would make things better in the
situation you're in. For example, if you're sitting at your desk at work
and a fly is constantly landing on you and buzzing around your head,
you would think, what could I invent that would make this fly go away
and never come back. Then you would start brainstorming! Maybe a spray
that kills flies, a perfume that repels flies or maybe a robot that has
lasers and automatically locks on and shoots flies! The next thing you
need to do is market research and figure out who would buy and use your
invention.
Market research is very important! You might find your
invention helpful but not everyone else may think so. The first thing
you should do is share your invention idea with a few close friends and
ask them if they think your product would have value. Don't share with
anyone you don't trust because if it is a great idea they might steal it
from you! Next is to go online, search for products that are like yours
and see who is buying them and how much they are paying. Is your
product like nothing else out there? Try and find people who you think
would use your product and talk to them about it! You'll learn if they
would actually use it, how bad they want it (how much they will pay) and
they might even be able to suggest ways on how to make it better!
The
next step in inventing something is to make a prototype of your
invention! The easiest way to do this is to buy a notebook and use it as
a log book or journal. Keep track of your inventing progress, create
drawings of your invention, label everything including the materials
you'll use and describe exactly how it will work. Another way you can
make a prototype is by using a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program on
your computer to make 3d prototypes. These programs are possible to
learn on your own but if your invention is complicated you may want to
hire a professional designer to build one for you. The last thing you
can do (and likely to be the most expensive) is to find and pay a
professional engineer or designer to actually create your invention.
Patents!
Patents! Patents! A patent makes your invention your property so that
if anyone wants to use your idea they have to ask you first or pay you
to use it. Patents only last 15-20 years. During this time you will be
the only one able to make your product which is great because you'll
have virtually no competition in the market! Besides products that are
similar to yours or accomplish the same tasks. First you'll want to
search patent databases and make sure no one has a patent similar to
yours. You can hire a patent lawyer or officer to do this for you which
makes things a lot easier. They can also help you fill out and send in
your patent application which you'll need to do right away.
The
last step you will need to do is find a good manufacturer who will mass
produce your product and ship it to you or your customers. Search Google
for overseas manufacturers or try the Thomas Register Online website to
find US based ones. If your invention is heavy and really complex and
you need to have it made and shipped quickly you'll want to find
manufacturers in the United States. However, if it is a simple
invention, you need huge quantities made and are OK with waiting longer
for shipments, then overseas would be better. Having a good manufacturer
is vital to the quality and speed in which your invention is made so be
sure to research them thoroughly!
Once you have completed these
steps you will be able to sell your product to the world and hopefully
make a lot of money! This is a brief guide to help you get started so if
you are still curious please read some of our other articles that will
help you even more in your journey to becoming an inventor!
Take the leap today and gain innovative knowledge that you wont forget. Learning
how to invent something
may seem difficult, but it can be very rewarding once you figure it
out. Innovators need new ideas and motivation on a daily basis or they
can run up dry. Join our community of inventors at Invention-HQ and
learn while helping contribute to others.
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