by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Finishing is where margins quietly disappear. A shop nails the machining or printing quote, then adds a flat “finishing fee” based on gut feel. The part comes back from the coater with masking damage, color mismatch, or cure issues — and the shop eats the...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most shops have a solid handle on pricing the primary operation — CNC machining time, 3D print volume, laser cut nesting. But ask an estimator how they priced the four tapped holes, the deburring pass, or the first-article inspection on that same part, and the answer...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
You nailed the primary machining quote. Material, tooling, cycle time — all dialed in. Then the customer asks: “Does that include deburring and the first-article inspection?” You add a quick line item, maybe 15% on top, and hope it covers it. Three weeks...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 16, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most shops can quote a CNC-machined aluminum bracket in their sleep. But when the RFQ arrives for an assembly — machined housing, sheet metal brackets, 3D printed jigs, pressed inserts, and a coating spec — the spreadsheet grows legs and walks away. The risk...
by Chris Anjel | Jul 13, 2026 | Materials & Pricing, Quoting & Estimating
Every digital manufacturer knows the drill: a customer sends an RFQ for a machined part, but the real work doesn’t stop at the mill. Heat treatment, anodizing, CMM inspection, thread inserts, and sub-assembly all live downstream. If you quote them as separate...
