Protoform Design provides custom mechanical engineering for companies developing machines, manufacturing equipment, products, prototypes, precision tooling, and new production processes. Our process is structured around solving the technical problem in front of you.
Protoform Design is a smaller operation by design. Clients work directly with Joshua Denney, the engineer evaluating the problem, developing the design, coordinating the prototype or build, and helping validate the result. Joshua brings more than a decade of professional engineering experience across advanced manufacturing. Before founding Protoform Design, he worked in Silicon Valley developing custom fixtures, tooling, automation equipment, and production hardware for organizations including Applied Materials, Lam Research, Apple, and Google.
Protoform Design focuses on engineering challenges that require a purpose-built answer. Services can be used independently or combined into a structured development program that moves from concept and feasibility through detailed design, prototype development, testing, and implementation.
Director, Mechanical Engineering, DMTS, Applied Materials, Inc.
I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Josh and can confidently say he is an exceptional mechanical engineer with a rare combination of technical depth, creativity, and execution discipline. Josh consistently translates complex, high‑level requirements into well‑thought‑out mechanical designs, working seamlessly with cross‑functional teams to deliver robust, production‑ready solutions.
Electrical Engineer
I had the opportunity to work with Josh on multiple projects and consistently found him to be a dedicated and highly capable engineer. He brings a meticulous attention to detail to his work, ensuring that every aspect of a project is carefully considered and well executed.
Senior Systems Engineer, Project Management
While leading complex system initiatives in semiconductor and display technologies, I saw Joshua repeatedly take on the toughest mechanical challenges — ambiguous requirements, high-vacuum and chemical-process integration, custom automation tooling, and aggressive schedules — and deliver fully production-ready solutions as lead or sole designer.
Systems Engineer at Applied Materials
I had the pleasure of working closely with Josh over multiple years on a program to develop an innovative technology... Josh’s designs stood out for their elegance, robustness, and forward-looking approach, with careful consideration of future continuous improvement (CIP). Despite tight timelines, he consistently delivered high-quality tools on schedule, enabling the project to meet critical milestones.
Laser Engineer at Applied Materials SMTS
Josh is an extremely accomplished mechanical designer, but beyond that, I realized he had identified all of his own suppliers, sourced all the parts and much of the purchasing, built the machines nearly entirely himself and traveled overseas to the customer site to make sure the equipment was setup properly. He is always looking for new problems to solve, simpler approaches and is very cost competitive.
You may have a complete specification, an early concept that still needs structure, or a technical problem that has remained unresolved because the internal team does not have the bandwidth to own it. Protoform Design can help determine what is needed, define a practical first phase, and move the work toward a reliable, manufacturable result.
