![Diecasting [Source: SolidSmack]](https://fabbaloo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/image-asset_img_5eb0a13aca2ec.jpg)
Finding other people to do your grunt work for you just got a heck of a lot easier.
Online manufacturing network platform Xometry, known for being one of the best on-demand manufacturing platforms, has announced a new RFQ (request for quotation) service which allows users to scout for quotes on die casting, stamping, and extrusion jobs from the company’s ever-growing list of manufacturing partners.
To take advantage of the new quote request offering, all you have to do is upload your part file to the Xometry webpage (it’s on the left-hand side of the main page), specify the requirements, and the RFQ algorithm searches Xometry’s network of connections to get in touch with potential partners within the course of seven days.
Once you have a list of potential partners, you can communicate with all of them and select a supplier once you decide on one.
This service isn’t free though; as it requires a base $20 fee plus tax to send out an RFQ out to Xometry’s network. Still, that’s peanuts when considering the convenience.
For the uninitiated, request for quotation (RFQ) is a process in which you invite suppliers to bid on a product or job you want to be done.
These suppliers list down what they need to complete the job (such as the price of materials, payment, and the estimated duration of the project) and put it up against other prospective contractors who want the same job. The client then chooses a quotation from a potential list and works with the supplier for the duration of the job.
Read the rest at SolidSmack
MakerOS has a brilliant hidden feature in their online service: a sophisticated 3D print pricing calculator that allows operators to determine exactly how to price prints.