by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Customer-supplied material (CSM) shows up in RFQs more often than most shops expect. A customer wants to use their certified bar stock, their consigned powder, or their specialty filament. On paper it looks like a win: lower material cost, faster quote turnaround. In...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Every digital manufacturer knows the feeling: a customer needs parts yesterday, and they’re willing to pay a premium. The question is — how much premium? Price too low and you eat the overtime, expedited shipping, and schedule disruption. Price too high and you...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Every shop knows the feeling: a customer needs parts yesterday, they’ll pay a premium, and the order looks like easy money. But rush orders have a habit of turning profitable jobs into margin killers once you account for the real costs.The problem isn’t...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most shops can quote the machine time for a CNC part or a 3D print within a few percent. Where quotes go sideways is everything that happens after the machine stops: support removal, heat treatment, tumbling, bead blasting, anodizing coordination, CMM inspection,...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
More shops are running hybrid workflows — printing near-net shapes on a metal AM machine, then finishing critical features on a CNC mill or lathe. The parts are faster to make and often lighter, but quoting them is a different beast than pricing a pure print or a pure...
