Quoting Secondary Operations Without Guesswork

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...

How to Quote Secondary Operations Accurately

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...