by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Every shop knows the sinking feeling: you win a job at what looks like a healthy margin, only to watch it evaporate because setup took twice as long as expected. The culprit is rarely material or machine time — it’s setup. And setup looks completely different...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
If you run a 3D printing service bureau or a laser cutting shop, you already know nesting is one of the biggest levers for profitability. Packing multiple customer parts — or combining a customer part with internal test coupons — onto one build plate reduces material...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Multi-material jobs are increasingly common in digital manufacturing. A single RFQ might call for a CNC-machined aluminum housing with 3D-printed polymer inserts, or a sheet metal enclosure with overmolded seals. These projects command higher margins — but only if...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Post-processing is where quotes go sideways. A shop prices the build or the machining time perfectly, then tacks on a flat “finishing fee” that barely covers bead blasting — let alone support removal, heat treatment, threading, inspection, and packaging....
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Quoting the print is the easy part. Most shops have dialed in their machine hour rates, material markup, and build-plate nesting logic. But the work that happens after the part leaves the printer — support removal, media blasting, vapor smoothing, heat treatment,...
