Thread: Xometry-Who is doing it?

Originally Posted by Coadster32

If shops keep turning down their machining work, they should eventually get the hint, and hopefully raies their rates. After all, they are a middle guy that still needs to get parts to their customers.

The worrisome part is that there are evidently enough shops working at those low rates to keep Xometry's business model working as-is. That's bad, mkay?

Originally Posted by [email protected]

The worrisome part is that there are evidently enough shops working at those low rates to keep Xometry's business model working as-is. That's bad, mkay?

Yeah. I have a love hate relationship with them. About halfway through the job I'm always smacking myself for taking it. So why? There is a lot of temptation when someone is waving work at you. Some jobs are not "unreasonable" but from my experience they are only OK paying if everything goes perfectly to plan(and when does that happen).
EDIT: For reference, I've only done 5 of their jobs.

To date we have done 298 jobs with them. We made money on all of them. We vette the parts fisrt to make sure they match our capabilities. Then we quote it and see if it meets the Margin requirements. If it passes we take the job. If not we don't take it.

Our challenge is getting questions answered having to go through X first and then they get back to us. This has created delays n the process and we revise the delivery dates accordingly.

If you vette the jobs you should never lose money on them unless you screw up your estimate.

Originally Posted by 4 FN 27

If you vette the jobs you should never lose money on them unless you screw up your estimate.

You're exactly right, and this is the reason we never quoted a single job for them. But to be fair, we really suck at very low quantity jobs, and I think the biggest I saw was Qty 10. Gross.

Well, I'd run 10 gross...

???


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Originally Posted by Ox

Well, I'd run 10 gross...

???


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

There was a period in between that you missed.

Like a stop sign.....

Seems like they claim a lot of sources and they say they can deliver. By using them I would suppose they would like to add the shop who uses them to be on their vendor list? It is interesting. Our shop had proven vendors - other shops to do things we jobbed out. We know them because we are in the same locale. After some trial and error we settle on a set bunch who serve the need well.

I believe there are realistically a smaller number of reliable number of shops we can rely on and really know. I balk at the concept of a conduit of such size and scope. It may be just fine however and I will watch with interest. Fortunately the decision of a move to this is not my call. ��

Email this morning:

Hi Bill,
I'm excited to share with you that through January 31, 2019 we will beat any competitor's CNC Machining, 3D Printing, or Sheet Metal Fabrication quote by 10% on jobs of $5,000 USD or less.*

To take advantage of this offer, simply respond to this e-mail and attach your competitive quote. Then, I'll get you a quote that beats that quote's price by 10%. It's really that easy.

I'm looking forward to working with you!

Thanks,
Marqus

*Offer valid only on quotes of $5,000 USD or less ordered by January 31st, 2019. Offer only valid in the US and Canada, and on quotes from competitors based in the US or Canada. Competitive quotes subject to review by Xometry. Standard Xometry terms and conditions apply; part must be deemed manufacturable by Xometry and/or Xometry partners to be eligible. Xometry reserves the sole right to determine quote eligibility, change program terms at any time, or end the promotion at any time.
Xometry | 7940 Cessna Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20879

I just don't understand how the fuck this can be a good thing?!
They are adding another hand in the till. And, driving shop rates down.
This is already one of the most expensive trades to operate in. How can a 3rd party ever be a good thing.
And, shit like above. If I have ever seen an example of how "the race to the bottom" happens, there it is!
While they (Xometry) laugh all the way to the bank.

The kicker?
I was sitting there at my desk looking at their stupid sample part, actually thinking about making it, when the email rolled in. WTF?!

complete waste of time

Originally Posted by sknies

How is online metals? Never heard of it

Convenient for small quantities, but expensive.

I just threw a part model and print at Xometry to see what it would do. It's a Swiss part, and a little finicky, but Xometry quoted $350 each for a batch of 30. I think we're getting them for about $120 from a local supplier. I also don't like how it handles tolerancing and surface finish in the quoting process. You really need to look at and understand the print in order to plan and quote a part properly, an automated web form isn't going to cut it.

I tried up loading a part one time and tried various quantities to see where the price breaks were. It was all over the place and made no sense. I'm guessing their cut is about 50%, but I'm no expert.

I have done several jobs for them, and planning to do more this year, like others have said pick and choose the ones that work for you.

Its an automated quoting platform, its not perfect and there are times its in your favor, there is a method to their system, be smarter than the system

Don't get me wrong, majority of parts are designed by message board engineers, so there is no consideration for end mill size or number of setups. Simple parts that requires multiple setups cause the designer just got fancy with his pirated copy of Solidworks (tons of the drawings actually have the Solidworks "Student License, for academic use only" stamp on the drawings, apparently Xometry is cool with people using pirated stuff)

Originally Posted by wheelieking71

Email this morning:

Hi Bill,
I'm excited to share with you that through January 31, 2019 we will beat any competitor's CNC Machining, 3D Printing, or Sheet Metal Fabrication quote by 10% on jobs of $5,000 USD or less.*

To take advantage of this offer, simply respond to this e-mail and attach your competitive quote. Then, I'll get you a quote that beats that quote's price by 10%. It's really that easy.

I'm looking forward to working with you!

Thanks,
Marqus

*Offer valid only on quotes of $5,000 USD or less ordered by January 31st, 2019. Offer only valid in the US and Canada, and on quotes from competitors based in the US or Canada. Competitive quotes subject to review by Xometry. Standard Xometry terms and conditions apply; part must be deemed manufacturable by Xometry and/or Xometry partners to be eligible. Xometry reserves the sole right to determine quote eligibility, change program terms at any time, or end the promotion at any time.
Xometry | 7940 Cessna Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20879

I just don't understand how the fuck this can be a good thing?!
They are adding another hand in the till. And, driving shop rates down.
This is already one of the most expensive trades to operate in. How can a 3rd party ever be a good thing.
And, shit like above. If I have ever seen an example of how "the race to the bottom" happens, there it is!
While they (Xometry) laugh all the way to the bank.

The kicker?
I was sitting there at my desk looking at their stupid sample part, actually thinking about making it, when the email rolled in. WTF?!

Don't do it Bill. I did their sample part 1-1/2 years ago when I was real slow, more to see what they were offering work for than anything else. Unless you are going to put some effort into doing this type of work well you will be working for $30 hr or less, at best I think $70 or so but that is probably rare if you include all your time spent on the part.

They used to offer 20% off on Online Metals but now sell materials themselves. I just compared their price to Online Metals yesterday on an aluminum plate, they were less than half. They even beat what I paid Coastal Aluminum by 30%.

Less than half? When I design my parts I use Online Metals and McMaster as a gauge to how much my parts will cost, and I check both every time. I can generally guess how much % to take off the prices they show for when I order through my local supplier. But taking half off the price is nuts. Can you only order through Xometry if the material is for one of their jobs?

It is not unusual for Online Metals to be double the price of a normal distributor, though certainly not always. Occasionally, I'll find them to be the lowest price I can find.

I think I read that you can buy from Xometry not just for their jobs. Right now I think you have to request a quote on everything though. I saw an example of their material pricing, but since the cut charges were more than the cost of the actual material, I couldn't tell if their pricing was reasonable.

Originally Posted by DethloffMfg

Less than half? When I design my parts I use Online Metals and McMaster as a gauge to how much my parts will cost, and I check both every time. I can generally guess how much % to take off the prices they show for when I order through my local supplier. But taking half off the price is nuts. Can you only order through Xometry if the material is for one of their jobs?

The 50% I'm talking about is how much they are charging for their main service. If I go to the front end and ask them to make me a part, they turn around on the back end and find a shop to do it. Their cut would be 50% if the end customer paid them $100 for the part and they paid the machine shop $50. I wasn't considering material cost at all, although on a lot of their jobs it is significant. %50 is a guess, but I bet it's no %10-20 which would be reasonable.

Originally Posted by robert123

It is not unusual for Online Metals to be double the price of a normal distributor, though certainly not always. Occasionally, I'll find them to be the lowest price I can find.

I think I read that you can buy from Xometry not just for their jobs. Right now I think you have to request a quote on everything though. I saw an example of their material pricing, but since the cut charges were more than the cost of the actual material, I couldn't tell if their pricing was reasonable.

The piece in question was 1"x12"x18" 6061 22 lbs. $88 from Xometry, $100 + $10 surcharge from Coastal who I don't order enough to get a decent price from, and $180 from Online Metals for 1"x12"x24". I know the piece is bigger from Online Metals but if I had them cut it down it would probably cost the same.

Right now the material doesn't have to be for one of their jobs.

[in my best Nostradamus voice]

I predict another "Junk Import Material" thread topping the list soon.

[/in my best Nostradamus voice]



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

I became a Xometry Partner, afterI filled all the application and setup my account, they sent me as a final test a print and model to manufacture a test piece to proof to them that we were able to do the job. I had to make a piece in 316 s/s, it took 5 setups to completed the part, plus that a full inspection report. They paid me $135.0 for 10 hours of my time plus material, I sent the piece (they paid for it), after a week my shop got approved as a partner. We started receiving e-mails with work offers. I re-quote every job because the prices were too low and they need it with in 2 weeks or less, the money they offered didn't cover material. I have no clue how people work for this guys, there is not money, is like work for free. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME LIKE ME. Now I am ex-partner.

01-17-2019 02:02 PM
Default
I became a Xometry Partner, afterI filled all the application and setup my account, they sent me as a final test a print and model to manufacture a test piece to proof to them that we were able to do the job. I had to make a piece in 316 s/s, it took 5 setups to completed the part, plus that a full inspection report. They paid me $135.0 for 10 hours of my time plus material, I sent the piece (they paid for it), after a week my shop got approved as a partner. We started receiving e-mails with work offers. I re-quote every job because the prices were too low and they need it with in 2 weeks or less, the money they offered didn't cover material. I have no clue how people work for this guys, there is not money, is like work for free. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME LIKE ME. Now I am ex-partner.