by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Digital manufacturers increasingly see RFQs that combine CNC-machined aluminum brackets, 3D-printed polymer housings, and laser-cut sheet metal enclosures in a single assembly. These multi-material jobs often carry higher margins, but they also introduce quoting...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Finishing is where quotes go wrong. A shop nails the machining or printing estimate, then tacks on a flat $75 for “powder coat” or “anodize” and ships the PO. Two weeks later the finisher sends an invoice for $220 because the parts needed...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most quoting workflows handle bread-and-butter parts well — brackets, housings, prototypes that fit a standard build envelope. But large format parts? They expose every weakness in a quote process built for average work. Whether you run a large-bed SLS machine, a...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Reverse engineering requests land in your inbox with a physical part and a simple ask: “Can you make this?” What follows is rarely simple. Between 3D scanning cleanup, CAD reconstruction decisions, and iterative inspection loops, these jobs consume more...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
You nailed the part geometry, picked the right material, and calculated cycle time down to the second. Then the customer asks, “Does this include the fixture?” If your answer is a guess, you’re leaving money on the table.Custom workholding — soft...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Additive manufacturing shops know powder isn’t a single-use consumable. In powder bed fusion — whether DMLS, SLM, or MJF — unused powder gets sieved, refreshed with virgin material, and loaded back into the machine. But every reuse cycle changes the...
