The PDL offers clients the means to effectively create devices and software to meet their needs through access to

  • The varied and considerable expertise of OSU faculty
  • The enthusiasm and creativity of OSU students
  • The comprehensive cutting-edge equipment at OSU and affiliated organizations.

PDL clients include

  • Entrepreneurs wanting to move from a market-worthy idea or incomplete prototype to an actual fully-functioning device with a pathway to mass manufacture but lacking a means to move forward.
  • Existing companies wanting to create a device or apparatus but lacking the needed staff or expertise
  • Researchers wanting a device or apparatus for their laboratory but lacking the needed engineering expertise.

The PDL offers several contracting, IP-management, and payment methods including

  • The standard OSU approach of full fixed-price payment and post-project license negotiation
  • The alternative OSU approach of full fixed-price payment and pre-project license payment
  • The PDL-specific approach of minimum fixed-price payment with royalties on product sales.

To move forward or just for more information on being a PDL client contact:

Prof. John Parmigiani
Director of the Prototype Development Lab
School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering
303F Dearborn Hall (Office)
204 Rogers Hall (Mailing)
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-6001

Tel: 541-737-7023
Email:John.Parmigiani@oregonstate.edu

PDL clients include many companies and entrepreneurs. The comments of some are listed below.

"The OSU PDL is a wonderful resource! I had developed a product idea and some hand drawn sketches but was unsure how to produce it. After finding the PDL online, I deliberated for a while whether my design was complete enough for someone else to work with and I'm so glad that I reached out. Professor Parmigiani welcomed my request and took the time to answer all of my questions in detail. The students I worked with were very capable and easy to communicate with. I changed the design multiple times as the work progressed and they were flexible at every turn. By the end of the project I had a prototype that exceeded my initial vision."

-Pablo Feliz  (entrepreneur)

 

"The OSU prototype lab was a great avenue to explore a potential design that hadn't been done before. Dr. Parmigiani and his students went above and beyond to work with us every step of the way. Jonathan (the student) often presented the design and details to our committee, in-person and virtually. Jonathan nailed it everytime and our committee was thrilled with the work he accomplished. This was an extremely innovative and professional project that we were thrilled to see the results and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I can't say enough good things about this wonderful partnership."

- Katie McFall, Communications & Program Manager, Willamette Valley Visitors Association

 

"We had a great experience with the the PDL at Oregon State University! We used the PDL to help build a new prototype when some of the design requirements were outside the expertise of my team. John and the students at the PDL brought our design to life, and patiently helped us learn more about this area of technology along the way."

- Megan Meinel, Partner, Microbiome Engineering

 

"I can’t thank you enough for having Jonathan take on my unique fishing lure project. He was 100% spectacular in every possible way. I could not be more pleased by his skills, professionalism and his attitude. The lure prototype he made me is not only what I imagined it would be but more so. Bravo! Bravo!"

- Richard Levy (Entrepreneur) in reference to PDL student Jonathan Cordisco

 

"From the very first meeting, John and the team started with enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.   John assembled a team of graduate and undergraduate students that demonstrated creativity and expertise.  The students accessed 3D printers, machine shops, and a purchasing team to make our concepts into prototypes.   In the end, we jumpstarted our engineering team by hiring two PhD students.  Now we are off to the races!  The OSU Prototype Development Lab is a great place to start your project!"

- Mark Hazelton (Manufacturing Director, Lora DiCarlo, Inc.)

 

"Before learning that Oregon State had a prototyping lab, I had used several product designers that charged me an insane amount of money for a really terrible design. I spent 10k on one design that I had to scrap and now an OSU student is redesigning it to salvage it.  I have worked with two students so far and I can honestly say it was the best decision of my life to use the OSU prototyping lab.  I am a one-person woman-owned business with three small kids and I need to be as cost effective as possible while ensuring I have a trusted partner.  OSU has been the best trusted partner on my entrepreneurial adventures.  PeeBall was licensed right after the OSU student completed its design.  I am extremely happy with the OSU prototyping lab!!!"

- Stephanie Smith-Green (Entrepreneur and Founder of Oliiv, Inc.)

 

"Working with Professor Parmigiani and his students at the PDL was a great experience. Both he and his students are highly knowledgeable about conceptualizing and building innovative products. The PDL is an immense value add to any entrepreneur or inventor trying to bring a physical product to life. It was also rewarding to know that we were giving engineering students hands-on experience."

- Ben Cooper (Entrepreneur)

 

"Working with Oregon State's Prototype Development Lab brought the Basking Filter to life. Before meeting Professor Parmigiani, we had 3D printed model, some drawings, and an idea. He and his team of students turned those ideas into a beautiful and robust prototype."

- Alex Balog (Entrepreneur)

 

"I have had the pleasure of working with John and a series of his talented students at OSU for nearly a decade.  Blount has primarily leveraged this relationship to support one of our strategies to continually develop the world's most insightful product performance measurements for the types of products we develop.  John has an impressive track record of recruiting great students who have, with his guidance, consistently and successfully delivered the test systems that have allowed us to take our products to the next level of performance and continue to set the standard in the industry.  I'm happy to report that we have also been lucky enough to subsequently employ a number of John's graduates.  I'm personally glad that we have found a reliable partner that allows us to benefit from academia's approach and talent while affording some unique and impactful real-world engineering challenges for the next generation of engineers."

- Eric Burmester (Manager, Forestry Engineering, Blount International)

 

 “We used the Prototype Development Lab to design and validate a manufacturing concept for Additive Manufacturing feedstocks that ATI supplies to a variety of high impact applications such as commercial aerospace and space access.  The “can do” attitude that the PDL has to figure out a new application and build a way to achieve our goals was invaluable and resulted in a successful protype for use in our research lab.”

- Noah Philips, PhD (Principal Research Engineer, ATI Specialty Alloys and Components

 

"I am very happy to have found a reliable partner to build the pilot-scale molded pulp machine in a timely matter. This machine is critical for expanding our research capacity in developing eco-friendly packaging for supporting the sustainable packaging development. I have enjoyed working with Professor John Parmigiani and his graduate student Jacob Porter at the PDL. The weekly virtual meeting was very helpful to discuss issues encountered in the project, thus developing solutions timely. Jacob has demonstrated his talent in designing and building prototype equipment, as well as good problem solving and communication skills. I am definitely interested in further collaboration with PDL in the future when opportunity comes up."

- Yanyun Zhao (Professor, Department of Food Science & Technology, Oregon State University)