When you’re requesting a quote for a prototype part, you may be tempted to ask your machine shop to provide a production quote simultaneously. Understandably, it can be helpful to know the cost of manufacturing larger quantities up front. But there’s one small (but often costly) problem:

It’s virtually impossible for manufacturers to accurately quote production before building a prototype. 

In fact, when machine shops delay quoting production volumes until after a prototype has been made, customers typically get the benefits of faster lead times and lower costs.

The Disadvantages of Quoting Prototype and Production Simultaneously

The bottom line is that it’s already challenging for manufacturers to estimate the cost of a part that they haven’t made before—and almost impossible to tell how the price will vary if we’re making 1,000 of that same part. When we quote a prototype part for the first time, we’re inevitably making educated assumptions about setup time, run time, inspection time, outside processing, and other factors that impact the end estimate. 

While these assumptions are to be expected for a prototype quote, our goal is to have as much information as possible before giving our customers a production quote. Quoting prototype and production simultaneously increases the likelihood of receiving an inaccurate production quote: 

• More often than not, the production quote is too high, because anytime a machine shop makes educated assumptions, they need to estimate conservatively 

• If for any reason the quote is too low, the shop will have to revise for production volumes and provide a new quote anyway

However, once we’ve built a prototype part, we have a much better idea of the cost that goes into making that part. And chances are we’ll have identified areas where we can improve efficiency and save you money on production runs.

The Best Way to Quote Prototype and Production

At Focused on Machining, we’re committed to efficiency and accuracy—not only in the parts we build, but in the quotes we provide to our valued customers.

Instead of rushing to put a production quote on paper immediately, your best bet is to let us get to work on the prototype first. We want to turn around your prototype parts as soon as possible. You’ll have your prototype in 2-3 weeks for testing; and once we know how to make it, we’ll provide you with an extremely detailed production quote. 

In other words, you’ll only have to wait a few weeks to receive your production quote, and you’ll know that the quote you get is extremely accurate (and may even save you money).

We do recommend that you tell us up front if you want a production quote—even though we won’t provide it immediately. If we know that you plan to order hundreds of parts following the prototype, we’ll be on the lookout for ways to streamline our processes specifically for production, resulting in shorter lead times and lower costs for you. 

If you need to get parts quoted for prototype, production, or both, turn to a trusted machine shop like Focused on Machining in Denver, CO that prioritizes accuracy and precision every step of the way. Request a quote today.