ASPs For Metalworking: Software You Can Use But Don't Have To Buy

Modern Machine Shop, Nov, 2000 by Mark Albert

It is, but the company has now made it available to small machine shops in an ASP initiative, starting with a service called quote-A-part (www.quoteapart.Com). Tecnomatix is partnering with Spatial-CAD's Planet CAD division to provide this service.

Accroding to Harel Beit-On, president and CEO of Tecnomatix, this service will enable machining job shops and small manufacturers to use the company's sophisticated software on a pay-per-use basis. Using the Internet, the user will be able to obtain a quote by filling in a template on a Web page with manufacturing information, then attaching the part's 3D CAD data. The shop will receive a quote providing information on costing, features, operations and tool requirements. According to Mr. Beit-On the turnaround is "within minutes." The shop can then use this quote to submit a bid to its customers when competing for a job.

When the shop's 3D part data is uploaded to quote-A-part, it is processed by Tecnomatix's eMPower Machining solution. Processing follows four steps:

* Automatic machining feature recognition,

* Automatic operation and cutting tool selection

* Detailed time and cost estimations,

* Process plan and quotation report generation.

With quote-A-part, Mr. Beit-On says that shops can spend less time preparing quotes, avoid, placing overly aggressive quotes that might cause the shop to lose money, and be consistent from quote-to-quote even if different individuals prepare the quote. The time saved allows the shop to bid on more jobs and thus win more jobs. It also helps the shop identify jobs that are not worth the While to pursue. Job shops, can use the quote as a "second opinion" on quotes it prepares in-house.

Job shop customers can utilize the software to validate quotes from prospective suppliers. For example, Quote-A-part provides a handy benchmark to screen bids that are unrealistically low.

Tecnomatix has targeted this ASP to small shops but it promises to be a big business. "This unique service," says Mr. Beit-On, "leverages the Internet to reach 45,000 job shops worldwide expanding our addressable market to an industry with over $175 billion in annual revenues.