Quoting Parts With Post-Processing

Most shops have a solid handle on quoting the primary manufacturing step — whether that’s CNC machining time, 3D printing build hours, or laser cutting nest yield. But the quote often falls apart once the part leaves the machine.Heat treatment, surface...

Managing Revision Chaos on Custom Orders

Every shop knows the drill: a customer sends an RFQ, you quote it, they approve, then the revisions start. A hole moves 2 mm. The material changes from 6061 to 7075. A chamfer becomes a countersink. By the time the job hits the floor, nobody is sure which drawing is...

When to Say No to a Quote Request

Every shop gets them: the RFQs that make you sigh before you even open the file. The geometry is a nightmare, the material is exotic, the tolerance stack is unrealistic, and the customer wants it yesterday — for a price that barely covers material cost.Saying yes to...

Quote Faster With Smart Templates

Every shop knows the feeling: a new RFQ lands, and it looks familiar. Same material, similar geometry, comparable post-processing. Yet the estimator starts from scratch — re-entering material rates, machine hourly costs, setup times, and finishing steps. Multiply that...

Rethink Your Quote Follow-Up Strategy

You sent the quote. The file was clean, the spec was clear, and your price was competitive. Then… silence. Days pass. The job sits in your pipeline as “sent” while capacity goes unused.Most digital manufacturers treat quoting as a one-and-done event....