Prototype Fidelity Ladder: Defect Detection vs Cost

This simulator visualizes the core trade-off of prototype development: a mounting bracket design is tested through four fidelity stages — paper mockup, digital CAD model, 3D-printed part, and functional build — each rendered with its own material detail in 3D. Ten hidden defects are seeded on the bracket; running a test round at the current stage checks each undetected defect against a probability-of-detection model driven by the stage's inspection power and a team-rigor slider, exactly like the inspection-reliability curves used in real engineering QA. Live readouts track cumulative cost, cumulative build/test time, defects still hidden, and overall confidence, showing why teams push cheap, rough prototypes through many test rounds before ever committing to an expensive functional build.