by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most shops know to quote setup, run time, and material. Few consistently quote the time spent calibrating machines before a job runs. Whether it’s a CNC probe routine, a 3D printer bed level, or a laser power check, calibration consumes operator attention and...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most 3D printing quotes assume planar slicing — flat layers stacked on the Z axis. But non-planar printing, whether on a 5-axis machine or through curved-layer slicing on 3-axis hardware, changes the geometry of the job and the economics of the quote. If you’re...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Surface roughness requirements are one of the most common sources of quoting errors in CNC and hybrid shops. A drawing calls out Ra 0.8 on a critical face, and the estimator either misses it entirely or prices it as a standard finish — only to discover later that the...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Engineering change orders (ECOs) are a fact of life in digital manufacturing. A customer revises a CAD model, adds a critical dimension, or swaps a material after you’ve already quoted — sometimes after you’ve started cutting or printing. The request lands...
by Chris Anjel | Aug 26, 2026 | Uncategorized
Customer-supplied material (CSM) jobs show up in almost every digital manufacturing shop. A client sends their own bar stock, plate, filament, or powder and asks you to machine or print the parts. The request sounds simple — no material cost for you — but the quoting...
