How Instant Quoting Works
How the engine prices parts: geometry, process, material, quantity and finish
Instant quoting prices a part from the model and selection inputs in seconds: the engine analyzes the part envelope (bounding box, volume, surface area) from the uploaded CAD or entered dimensions, then applies process, material, quantity, tolerance, finish and lead-time multipliers, adds tooling where relevant, and returns unit price, total and lead time. It is transparent arithmetic — every line can be opened and verified against your own cost model.
1. What the engine reads
From an uploaded STEP/STL/IGES/DXF the engine estimates: bounding-box dimensions (L×W×H), part volume (for material and print/mold cost), surface area (for finish and plating), and feature hints from your selections (holes, threads, bends, cavities implied by process choice).
From manual entry it uses your L/W/H, quantity, process and material directly. Either way the estimate is a combination of physical quantities, not a guess: cost ≈ material + machine time + finishing + tooling amortization + margin.
2. The cost building blocks
Material: volume × density × material price index (aluminum ≈1, steel ≈1.2, stainless ≈3–4, titanium ≈8–12, PEEK ≈30–60). Machining time scales with envelope and feature complexity; 3D printing with volume and height; molding with cycle time and cavity count.
Finishing: anodize/powder/plating by area; heat treat by weight; laser mark per part. Quantity tiers discount setup: 1–9, 10–49, 50–99, 100–499, 500+ typically step down 5–15% per tier. Tooling (molds, dies) is a separate one-time line.
3. Tolerances and lead time
Standard tolerance is included; precision (±0.025 mm on machined features) adds a multiplier because it slows every setup and inspection. Same for tighter surface finish (grinding/polishing). Lead time is a cost lever: expedited service adds a premium; standard lead is the baseline price.
The engine returns both price and lead time so trade-offs are visible — relaxing tolerance or finish on non-critical features is the easiest way to cut cost without touching function.
4. Verifying your quote
Every quote shows the line items: material, processing, finishing, tooling, overhead and margin. Check the bounding box and volume against your model — if the engine over-reads volume, the quote is high.
Quotes are valid for 30 days, place an order to lock the price and lead time; manufacturing feedback (DFM notes) ships with the quote so you can fix risky features before production.
Quick reference
| Input | How it prices |
|---|---|
| Dimensions L/W/H | Machine time, print volume, mold size |
| Material | Volume × density × price index |
| Process | Per-process rate × envelope/volume |
| Quantity | Tier discounts 5–15% per step |
| Finish | Area × finish rate (anodize/powder/plating) |
| Tolerance | Multiplier for precision |
| Lead time | Standard baseline; expedite premium |
| Tooling | Separate one-time line (mold/die) |
Sources & references
- Xometry Learning Center — How Quoting Works (public engineering reference)
- ISO 2768 — Tolerance standards behind defaults