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Thread: Automatic customer quotes

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    So Devin, what kind of laser or lasers do you have in your shop. Sounds like your really busy to want a automatic quoting system set up?
    I owned a ULS X100 for a few years, but now use a Trotec Speedy 400 at TechShop Pittsburgh. I started out doing mostly plywood, now do almost exclusively leather. I also have a few friends with laser shops I've been talking to about this (one uses an Epilog, one has a bunch of Rabbits and one has a big 2000w fiber laser as part of a much larger shop).

    Aside from making physical products, I've also worked in software development and have seen good software make things that seem like irreducible pains actually move a lot smoother. Another friend of mine and I have started working on a first version of this for me and other folks at TechShop, but wanted to see if there was broader interest. It would be overkill for just one shop, but if a lot of people wanted it, we could make something really nice.

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    So Devin, what kind of laser or lasers do you have in your shop. Sounds like your really busy to want a automatic quoting system set up?
    I haven't said anything to this point, but I think it's going to turn out that Devin wants to sell you this implementation...at least it seems that way with this being his first post here.
    60W, Boss Laser 1630
    75W, Epilog Legend 24EX
    Jet Left Tilting table saw and Jet 18" Band saw
    Adobe Creative suite and Laserworks 8

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Downing View Post
    I haven't said anything to this point, but I think it's going to turn out that Devin wants to sell you this implementation...at least it seems that way with this being his first post here.
    Fair enough. I'm a long-time reader, first time poster. I want the thing for sure, trying to figure out if it already exists (which would be great) or is worth building.

  4. #19
    I was in IT before this this laser business. During my time as a network admin at a major national print house, one site alone had 4 estimators. So even with software to get any degree of automation to quote, it took 4 people to estimate. But that was not enough, you have input from the salesman, press man and pre-prep. it goes on and on. How long has mass printing for the populus been around and print automation is still way behind.

    What do they say on that goofy show Shark Tank... I'm Out.
    Red Bolt Laser Engraving
    Houston, Texas

  5. #20
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    I don't think there are enough businesses that run laser engraving are that large enough to justify the price tag of your estimating software. However I think a program like I referenced (VinylMaster) above for laser control systems with multi controller driver capabilities would make you rich.
    Last edited by Bill George; 12-09-2016 at 8:48 AM.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  6. #21
    Ponoko and Shapeways are great examples of current implementation of automatic quotes, if one needs proof of concept. They've been around for years and have a wide variety of processes and materials. The ability for a one-person corporation or similar small business to have such a feature might be appealing to those who wouldn't normally have access or ability. If you get enough interest and make a return on your investment and talent -- good for you.

  7. #22
    Putting this software in established shops would require them to change the way they do business, which is hard. You can see this in the first response to you post. Also, smaller shops don't need this software as much as their advantage is in personal interaction.

    OTOH, I've been down this path already and have been successful with it. I wrote the quoting software for Big Blue Saw.

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon Arthur View Post
    Putting this software in established shops would require them to change the way they do business, which is hard. You can see this in the first response to you post. Also, smaller shops don't need this software as much as their advantage is in personal interaction.

    OTOH, I've been down this path already and have been successful with it. I wrote the quoting software for Big Blue Saw.
    I'd love to hear more about that. I think you guys were the first to do it, at least the earliest I saw. Is the Big Blue Saw shop built entirely around the auto-quoting software or does it run along side more traditional jobs?

  9. #24
    eMachineshop was before Big Blue Saw, but it's a little different in that you design using their software.

    The answer to your question is complicated. E-mail me if you want to know more.

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