I guess I should change the title to "are Industrial market place's like Xometry worth the time for finding new work" because I guess that was my biggest question here, but I didn't know "industrial market places" were a thing until Garwood mentioned Xometry.
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Are Industrial market place's like Xometry worth the time for finding new work
- Thread starter kyle0800
- Start date
- Replies 31
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MCritchley
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2007
- Location
- Brooklyn WI
Xometry???
Hey guys. Does anyone works with the Xometry? Share your experience, thoughts, maybe some who you know used to work with them? I’m thinking to give it a try. Let’s talk
www.practicalmachinist.com
Also
Building a client list for a new shop
Good Afternoon, I started a small shop up in the garage roughly a year ago. I have been using Xometry for work and have had decent luck with it, although a lot of the work is trash. Id really like to build up a client list and get away from brokers period, Im just not sure the best way to go it...
www.practicalmachinist.com
Last edited:
DouglasJRizzo
Titanium
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2011
- Location
- Ramsey, NJ.
My experience has been that these places are a race to the bottom.
With regards to Xometry I would argue it's worth getting on their approval list by completing the test part. They actually pay you for the test part albeit not much. Either way you're not out of pocket for doing so.
My reasoning for doing this is that as a one man operation you can go from absolutely flat out to sitting idle very quickly. Sure, some may argue that you'd be better off knocking on doors in that time and in many ways you're probably right - long term that will pay off. But it is handy to have a couple of these platforms where you can pick up a couple of jobs to fill some down time. Once you're signed up you are under no obligation to take a job on so if you have some spare material sitting around and you need a couple of quick jobs to pay the bills this month then it's good to know there is a steady stream of work there. Thankfully I've not had to rely on work from these platforms and from what I have seen there are jobs that are paying barely what the material cost but if it's bought and paid for material left over from another job then you can still make reasonable money on some jobs.
What a lot of these automatic quoting platforms don't seem to understand is that there is a PITA factor that goes with a lot of jobs, especially in low volume work. Sure it's only maybe a 10 minute cycle time once you've figured everything out but it's getting from drawing to being ready to hit the green button can waste a lot of time that they don't seem to think you should be paid for.
My reasoning for doing this is that as a one man operation you can go from absolutely flat out to sitting idle very quickly. Sure, some may argue that you'd be better off knocking on doors in that time and in many ways you're probably right - long term that will pay off. But it is handy to have a couple of these platforms where you can pick up a couple of jobs to fill some down time. Once you're signed up you are under no obligation to take a job on so if you have some spare material sitting around and you need a couple of quick jobs to pay the bills this month then it's good to know there is a steady stream of work there. Thankfully I've not had to rely on work from these platforms and from what I have seen there are jobs that are paying barely what the material cost but if it's bought and paid for material left over from another job then you can still make reasonable money on some jobs.
What a lot of these automatic quoting platforms don't seem to understand is that there is a PITA factor that goes with a lot of jobs, especially in low volume work. Sure it's only maybe a 10 minute cycle time once you've figured everything out but it's getting from drawing to being ready to hit the green button can waste a lot of time that they don't seem to think you should be paid for.
standardparts
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2019
The BA Precision / "wheelieking71" thread should be a part of some tech school machine technology classes....could even be a YouTube mini series. Would certainly thin the herd of dreamers with a dose of reality.
Don't be apologetic, he is just ignorant. There are many people that do really well with Xometry but you have to have skills that get you out of competing with every other shop for BS work. If you're going after 2D work with no certifications, you will compete with garage guys and loose.
mhajicek
Diamond
- Joined
- May 11, 2017
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN, USA
False. I am not the cheapest shop, but for my clients I try to be the best. There are many factors other than price that many clients hold important, including quality, responsiveness, lead time, understanding of design intent, and the client relationship. If a potential client is looking for the cheapest shop I will tell them I'm not the right shop for them. I've been running my little shop for a year and a half now, and it's been pedal to the metal the whole time. I don't need to lower my prices.
Larry Dickman
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Location
- Temecula, Ca
not a single Hot Dog Cart remark?
jccaclimber
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2015
- Location
- San Francisco
At my day job we hire the cheapest shop. What I really mean by this is the shop that can make our parts right the first time, fix them fast if they don’t, do so on short notice, provide us with decent feedback, and put up with our BS. Our time costs money, as does delaying our programs even if it is our fault.
I ordered 2 batches of identical parts this week from different shops. One cost me $20/part and is going to take 3 weeks, it will be correct. If I give them 8 weeks notice and slightly more volume the price gets lower than what I can by the material for. The other shop cost me $500/part and is going to take 2 days, They will aim for perfect, but will end up being 95% correct. They will put up with a giant pile of “right now, send them hot off the machine” BS.
Same part, similar volumes.
Note that the dollar amount on the quote only comes in after those other requirements. I don’t know you from Adam, and I have an established supply base. That means I’m only coming to you because I have a problem my base can’t solve. I’m going to cast a wide net with places found online, in which case you need to be cheaper/faster on the first job so that I have an opportunity to discover that you are better.
Alternatively, I’m going to take a recommendation from a shop I already know. I actually did that just this month. The best way to get into that network is going to be doing overflow work, initially at unreasonable low rates or fast timelines until you’ve proven yourself reliable.
I ordered 2 batches of identical parts this week from different shops. One cost me $20/part and is going to take 3 weeks, it will be correct. If I give them 8 weeks notice and slightly more volume the price gets lower than what I can by the material for. The other shop cost me $500/part and is going to take 2 days, They will aim for perfect, but will end up being 95% correct. They will put up with a giant pile of “right now, send them hot off the machine” BS.
Same part, similar volumes.
Note that the dollar amount on the quote only comes in after those other requirements. I don’t know you from Adam, and I have an established supply base. That means I’m only coming to you because I have a problem my base can’t solve. I’m going to cast a wide net with places found online, in which case you need to be cheaper/faster on the first job so that I have an opportunity to discover that you are better.
Alternatively, I’m going to take a recommendation from a shop I already know. I actually did that just this month. The best way to get into that network is going to be doing overflow work, initially at unreasonable low rates or fast timelines until you’ve proven yourself reliable.
cnctoolcat
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2006
- Location
- Abingdon, VA
All you have to have is an idea, and some business cards.
Go around to all the larger machine shops in your region (they're usually somewhat easy to get inside of, have your safety glasses on). Try to chat with someone about helping them out with overflow jobs, or PITA jobs. Leave a card or two.
For the larger factories in your region, a sly way in is to go around to receiving as if you've got a delivery, then go inside (safety glasses ON), chat with someone back there. They can usually tell you who you need to talk to about quoting work, often they will walk you up front to see the person (if you're polite and cordial enough.)
Be frank and honest about getting started soon, your experience, and what type of machine would be most effective for the work these places may have. Don't take up much of their time---be succinct and to-the-point, yet friendly!
There is a lot of work out there, you don't have to be the cheapest.
If you can't do this, then forget it.
ToolCat
Go around to all the larger machine shops in your region (they're usually somewhat easy to get inside of, have your safety glasses on). Try to chat with someone about helping them out with overflow jobs, or PITA jobs. Leave a card or two.
For the larger factories in your region, a sly way in is to go around to receiving as if you've got a delivery, then go inside (safety glasses ON), chat with someone back there. They can usually tell you who you need to talk to about quoting work, often they will walk you up front to see the person (if you're polite and cordial enough.)
Be frank and honest about getting started soon, your experience, and what type of machine would be most effective for the work these places may have. Don't take up much of their time---be succinct and to-the-point, yet friendly!
There is a lot of work out there, you don't have to be the cheapest.
If you can't do this, then forget it.
ToolCat
We need a pop-up every time someone tries to start a thread with Xometry in the title or opening post that says, "It's a race to the bottom, AND YOU AREN'T BUILDING A CUSTOMER BASE!"
Well, you sort of are building a customer base, but it's for Xometry and not for you.
Well, you sort of are building a customer base, but it's for Xometry and not for you.
jacobs_molds
Plastic
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2020
I use them for fill in work only. The jobs are way under quoted, but if I have material on hand I can make a buck or two. Better than nothing. Most of the jobs are on there are absolute losers or impossible to make. I've crunched the numbers on numerous jobs that would cost more for the material than there AI quoted Any jobs on there with plating, heat treat, or other post machining processes are guaranteed losers.
