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
You quoted five days. The anodizer took twelve. Your customer is angry, your shop looks unreliable, and the margin you fought for just evaporated in expedite fees and overtime.Outsourced finishing — anodizing, plating, powder coating, passivation, heat treatment — is...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
When a customer sends an RFQ for a part that needs anodizing on the exterior, chromate conversion on the interior, and a dry-film lubricant on the threads, most estimators feel a knot tighten in their stomach. Each finish has its own prep, masking, cure time, and...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
Anodizing, plating, powder coating, heat treat, passivation — most machine shops and manufacturing service bureaus rely on outside vendors for finishing. It’s efficient, but it makes quoting harder. You’re now pricing work you don’t fully control, on...
