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WORKFLOW DIRECTORY / 11 PRODUCTS

Manufacturing cost estimating software

Estimate complete production costs before setting a selling price.

What should you evaluate?

Evaluate material, fixed batch work, per-piece operations, outside processing and rate assumptions. A fast machining-time estimate is an input; the complete route is the evaluation unit.

Complete cost buckets

Omitted setup or inspection can invalidate a precise cycle estimate.

Ask: Which activities are included, excluded or manually added?

Rate ownership

Rates can double count labor or overhead.

Ask: Can each rate be decomposed and versioned?

Quantity behavior

Fixed costs and minimum charges change unit economics.

Ask: Show the same job at two quantities and explain every difference.
Sources behind these evaluation criteria
PRODUCTS WITH RELEVANT PUBLISHED SCOPE

Explore the options.

Alphabetical, with evidence labels and explicit unknowns. No invented ratings.

Sources checked
Manufacturing cost estimating software

AMFG

AMFG describes automated estimating and quoting that accepts emailed requests or CAD uploads and builds time estimates and work plans. Its pricing FAQ identifies CNC machining and additive manufacturing as supported technology areas. It is relevant to buyers evaluating RFQ intake and process planning together, particularly when quotation data must flow into other systems. Confirm which production capabilities are available in the purchased plan and budget for the separately charged onboarding.

CNC machiningJob shopCustom manufacturing
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

aPriori

aPriori positions its quoting workflow around manufacturing simulation and geometry-derived cost analysis. Estimators and commercial teams can compare material, process and production-site assumptions and review costs collaboratively. This scope is relevant when an estimate must explain manufacturing choices across factories rather than only produce a customer price. Buyers should investigate the effort needed to model their manufacturing environment and validate the assumptions behind the generated estimates.

CNC machiningSheet metalCustom manufacturing
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

CloudNC CAM Assist

CloudNC CAM Assist supports CAM programming and machining estimation within supported CAM packages. It describes generating machining strategies and toolpaths from configured machines, tools, materials and workholding. This is an adjacent estimation workflow rather than evidence of a complete RFQ and customer quoting system. Buyers should validate programming review, supported operations and estimator handoff with their own parts. The reviewed FAQ excludes lathes and mill-turn.

CNC machiningJob shop
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

Costimator

Costimator is manufacturing estimating software from MTI Systems with published machining and sheet metal workflows. It can work with or without a 3D model, using a library of cycle-time and activity cost models. This makes it a candidate for estimators who need a repeatable process model even when incoming CAD data is incomplete. Buyers should test how the available models correspond to their equipment, tooling and secondary operations.

CNC machiningSheet metalFabrication
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

DigiFabster

DigiFabster presents quoting and an online storefront for additive, CNC and sheet metal businesses. Its appeal is the connection between customer-facing quotation and an online purchase rather than an isolated internal spreadsheet. A buyer should evaluate how the storefront handles their manufacturing rules and how much estimator intervention unusual parts require. The public pricing page also lists payment processing fees and plan-dependent services.

CNC machiningSheet metalCustom manufacturing
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

Machine Research

Machine Research describes an estimating platform for CNC and precision machine shops that combines part intake, geometry analysis and quote preparation. Its published workflow includes programming, setup and runtime estimates, together with similar-part search and a centralized part library. A buyer considering it should examine whether historical job data is sufficiently consistent to support the proposed learning workflow and how estimators review exceptions before pricing work.

CNC machiningJob shopAssembly
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

Paperless Parts

Paperless Parts focuses on the RFQ-to-quote work performed by custom part manufacturers. Its published workflow combines part-file analysis, costing rules, BOMs and routers with digital quotes for customers. It is a candidate for shops evaluating a dedicated estimating layer alongside existing business systems, particularly when drawing requirements and repeated administrative steps consume estimator time. Confirm process-specific coverage in a demonstration.

CNC machiningSheet metalJob shop
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

RADAN Quoting

RADAN Quoting is described by Hexagon as a cloud quoting system for sheet metal parts. The official product page identifies support for 2D and 3D part files and automated material and machining cost calculations. This is a candidate for fabrication teams comparing specialist quoting systems rather than a complete manufacturing ERP. Buyers should establish which machine data, operations and production handoffs are supported for their exact installation.

Sheet metalFabrication
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

SecturaFAB

SecturaFAB documents a fabrication estimating workflow that starts with quote details and CAD files or a shape library. Estimators can clean geometry, select machines and materials, change quantities and prices, and add secondary operations before completing a quote. Its documented nest step makes it relevant to buyers investigating material usage during estimating. The documentation establishes workflow availability, while accuracy and configuration effort still require a shop-specific test.

Sheet metalFabrication
PRICINGContact vendor for pricing
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

Tempus Tools

Tempus Tools targets laser cutting and fabrication quoting with file preparation, material rules and secondary-process costing. The vendor describes drawing cleanup, extraction of sheet metal parts from 3D files and a customer Web Store. It is relevant when a fabricator wants to connect file intake to internal quotes and online ordering. Compare plans carefully because quote limits, storefront access and advanced pricing controls differ.

Sheet metalFabricationJob shop
PRICINGStarter: US $75/user/month equivalent billed annually; $100 monthly
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Manufacturing cost estimating software

Toolpath

Toolpath combines manufacturability analysis, cycle-time estimating and customer quotation with an Autodesk Fusion CAM workflow. The vendor describes estimates based on machining strategies, shop tools and cutting parameters, with review retained by the programmer. It is relevant when a CNC team wants an estimating path connected to milling preparation. Compare Free, Core and Pro carefully because the free analysis tier differs from paid estimating and Fusion export.

CNC machiningJob shop
PRICINGCore $40/seat/month billed annually ($480/seat upfront); $50 monthly. Free tier covers DFM/tooling, not Core estimating.
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