Northern Machining Shaves off Quoting Time by 75%
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About
Northern Machining
The Challenge
The Solution
Results with AMFG
- 75% Faster Quoting: Reduced time spent quoting by 75% with AMFG’s CAD to quote estimating engine.
- Costing Flexibility: Dedicated implementation teams tailor workflows to handle multi operation processes and volume based pricing adjustments.
- Scalable Operations: An intuitive software that has set Chad up to be able to train other team members to delegate estimating.
- Consistent and Reliable Quotes: AMFG provides reliable quotes by basing calculation on geometry and actual tooling speeds and feeds rather than predictive algorithms.
From JobBOSS to AMFG
Background:
Founded in 1986, Northern Machining is a precision CNC machine shop in Norfolk, NY with a strong focus on accuracy, reliability and craftsmanship. Supporting demanding industries like aerospace, energy, medical, automotive and racing include:
- CNC turning
- CNC milling
- Grinding
- Superfinishing
- Welding
- Custom metal fabrication
- Engineering support
Challenge:
Prior to partnering with AMFG, Chad was the sole estimator handling estimating and quoting manually. His process relied entirely on personal experience, breaking down each operation step by step and estimating how much time he thought each feature would take. Because quoting was tied to one person on the team, it created an operational bottleneck that pulled the him away from the shop floor.
"I'm the only one that does the quoting at the moment... I've been trying to make my quoting more consistent, try to automate some of it more, and my plan is to eventually train somebody else on AMFG," shared Chad, the estimator at Northern Machining, Inc.
Solution:
While evaluating estimating software, Northern Machining chose AMFG over competitors whose algorithms relied on historical data to create estimates.
AMFG’s Estimating & Quoting software’s algorithm takes into consideration 2D drawings and 3D CAD models. AMFG analyzes the 3D geometry to identify machinable features and requirements to select tools and calculate paths, speeds and feeds. The estimates factor in run time, set up time, programming times, raw materials, secondary operations and target margins to deliver a significantly more accurate estimate than competitors relying on historical job costing data.
"What I really liked is that the thought process behind the design of the software seemed like it was based on actual feed and speed values from tooling used in the cut, like I'm actually thinking about it myself as a manual quoter," Chad explained. "The other software... were based on results over time, where their algorithm corrects itself. I just felt AMFG was a cleaner method."
Chad also values the flexibility of AMFG’s software as the team adapted it to Northern Machining’s workflow needs. To match their production mix, the AMFG team adjusted the pricing algorithm, aligning the software with their shop floor operations.
“The way the team works to optimize it for our own shop has been amazing,” he shared.
Results:
With AMFG helping with Northern Machining’s estimating and quoting, they achieved:
- Increased Time Savings
When CAD models are provided, Northern Machining is able to cut quoting time drastically. “When I have the models, it’s extremely quick. I would say a quarter of the time to do it through AMFG versus manually,” says Chad. - Personalized Customization and Support
AMFG works as a partner with Northern Machining to build flexible options in the platform to provide customized solutions to support their processes. - Foundation for Delegation
Set up Northern Machining to be ready to train an estimator and reduce risk of only one person being able to estimate by putting AMFG into place.
“The way the team works to optimize it for our own shop has been amazing”
