by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
Low-volume, high-mix (LVHM) work is where a lot of shops quietly lose money. The parts are interesting, the customers keep coming back, and the invoices look fine — but the margins don’t hold up because the real costs hide in setup, changeover, and one-off...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
Ask two estimators to quote the same part and you may get two very different numbers. One pads for risk, another forgets a setup charge, a third uses last year’s material cost. For a digital manufacturing shop, that inconsistency quietly erodes margins, confuses...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
For most manufacturing service businesses, the quote is the first real test of how you work. Before a customer sees your machines, your finishing quality, or your on-time delivery record, they see how fast and how clearly you respond to their RFQ. Get it wrong, and...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
Ask three estimators to price the same complex sheet metal part and you’ll often get three different numbers. One accounts for extra bend setups, another forgets a secondary finishing step, and a third pads the price out of caution. The result is inconsistent...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Quoting & Estimating
Your quote is often the first real impression a potential customer gets of how you do business. Before they see your workmanship, they see how quickly you respond, how clearly you explain the job, and how professional your paperwork looks. Get the quote right and...
