Understanding Your Quote

Every instant quote on OpusFab is calculated from your part geometry and the options you choose. This article breaks down what makes up the price, so you can see where the money goes and which changes move it most.

What the price is made of

The same cost categories a human estimator would build by hand are calculated automatically for each part:

Material

The raw stock or resin your part is made from, priced from the part’s volume and current material pricing. Exotic materials cost more per kilogram, and bulky parts use more of whatever you pick. Swapping 7075-T6 for 6061-T6 aluminum, for example, usually lowers material cost; see aluminum 6061 vs 7075.

Machine time

The biggest factor for most parts. The costing engine estimates how long the part takes to produce from its geometry: features to machine, setups required, layer count for 3D printing. Complex parts with deep pockets, thin walls, or tight internal corners take longer, and time on a machine is what you are largely paying for. Design changes that reduce machine time reduce price directly; see minimum radius and wall thickness for the common drivers.

Finish

Each post-processing step adds cost. Raw (As-Machined) or As Printed adds nothing, while bead blasting, anodizing, powder coating, and PVD each add a per-part charge. The surface finishes overview explains what each finish includes.

Quantity

Unit price falls as quantity rises, because setup and programming costs spread across more parts. Going from 1 to 10 units usually cuts the unit price sharply; going from 50 to 100 cuts it further but by less. Instant quotes cover 1 to 100 units per part.

Production speed

Production speed is a single choice per batch, made in the totals bar:

• Standard: the default, lower price, longer lead time.
• Expedited: faster turnaround for a higher price.

Speed cannot be mixed within one batch. If only some parts are urgent, split them into separate batches. See standard vs expedited for details.

Shipping

Shipping is added to the order total. Orders ship via DHL, consolidated into one parcel per order where possible. See shipping and tracking for how delivery works.

Unit price vs total price

In the quote table, each row shows both:

• Unit price: what one piece of that part costs at the selected quantity.
• Total price: unit price multiplied by quantity for that row.

The batch total at the bottom sums all part totals, then applies the production speed choice and shipping. When you compare options, watch the unit price to judge part-level cost and the batch total to judge the whole order.

Lead time

The lead time shown for a batch is the longest lead time of any part in it. One slow part, for example a metal 3D printed part next to simple CNC brackets, sets the lead time for the whole batch. If you need the fast parts sooner, order them as a separate batch. More detail in lead times.

Why prices change when you edit

The quote recalculates live on every change, so you can use the editor as a cost-exploration tool:

• Try a different material and watch the material component move.
• Raise the quantity and watch the unit price fall.
• Remove a finish and see the per-part charge drop.
• After a DFM-driven redesign, re-upload the file and compare.

This is the practical difference from a traditional RFQ, where each of those experiments meant resubmitting and waiting days. Here each one takes seconds, so you can iterate on cost before you ever place an order.

Ready to buy? Continue to checkout and payment.