Derek Ellis has been getting a lot of unusual requests.
The account manager at PTE Distribution Inc. in Willowbrook typically makes prototypes of potential new products for big companies like Procter & Gamble Co. But lately he has been doing more work for smaller firms and even some entrepreneurial-minded individuals.
One woman in particular, he said, wanted to scan her face so she could sell custom dolls with her likeness.
"You can create anything you can dream of for not an awful lot of money," Ellis said.
His firm is using a technology called rapid prototyping, which can quickly produce a smorgasbord of different models for a variety of applications.
Those include new designs for industrial equipment or to test an idea for a new mobile phone. They can also be used to create molds for actual products. One technique is to use a 3-D printer to create conceptual prototypes. The printers use powdered resins and plaster to create full-color models.