Methods, formulas and mistakes to avoid: what a machine shop needs to quote better and defend its margin.
Machine hourly cost is the foundation of every quote. Yet many shops estimate it by gut feeling. Here's the complete formula with a numerical example on a real machining center.
From customer drawing to signed PDF: the 6-step method to quote a CNC job without forgetting cost items and without wasting hours.
Estimating milling time isn't guesswork: you need three parameters (Vc, fz, MRR) and a method. Here's how to do it, with real numbers.
Material + machine hours isn't enough: the true cost of a machined part has at least 8 line items. Miss just two and you're working at a loss without knowing it.
In a technical drawing there are 5 points that determine 80% of the cost. Here's the reading checklist that avoids wrong quotes and bad surprises in production.
Margin isn't lost on the shop floor: it's lost at your desk, when you prepare the quote. Here are the 7 mistakes we see most often — and how to eliminate them.
"What's your hourly rate?" is the wrong question — but everyone asks it. Here are Italian market benchmarks and the method to position YOUR rate.
Strip away the conference fluff—what does AI ACTUALLY do in a machine shop today? Five concrete applications, with measurable benefits.
In turning shops, fast quotes win orders: who responds same-day beats who responds in a week. Here's how to structure a fast quotation process without sacrificing accuracy.
Your quoting Excel works — until it doesn't. Honest comparison between spreadsheet and dedicated software: when Excel is enough and when it's costing you margin.