Start Simple: With a Proven Feeds and Speeds Engine

The best Cost Estimates are based on the actual features that have to be machined for your part.

Here is G-Wizard Estimator with a list of features on a typical Turning Job:

G-Wizard Estimator...

The Estimate page captures the basic operations needed to make your part along with information about the customer and description. There's also a handy quick report on Cycle Times, Costs, and Production Rates. Costs can be divided into Variable (per-part) and Fixed Costs (one-time). Think of Fixed Costs for things like the cost of creating fixtures for the job.

Add a Proven Feeds and Speeds Engine

Why wouldn't you want to use the same Feeds and Speeds you'll use to manufacture the part? G-Wizard Estimator uses the proven G-Wizard Calculator Feeds and Speeds engine applied to those features to estimate Real World cycle times for each feature. You can use the CADCAM Wizards for easy generation of operations (Roughing, Finishing, and so on):

CADCAM Wizards are available for all common Turning and Milling Operations...

From just a few inputs, a full strategy is created for each operation including Tool Choice, Cut Depth, Cut Width, Feeds and Speeds, MRR, and so on. For further fine tuning you can use the Feeds and Speeds Tab:

Detailed Feeds and Speeds with Comprehensive Tooling Choices...

These are the same tools with all the features found in our popular G-Wizard Calculator software, but enhanced for Cost Estimation.

 

Design for Manufacturing

You've gotten back an Estimate, but the cost seems very high. What's the best way to get to a lower cost? Design for Manufacturing is the art of knowing what to change in the design to make it cheaper to manufacture. G-Wizard Estimator is chock full of tips that it can share to help you reduce your cost to manufacture. Here's an example:

DFM: Design for Manufacturing hints to reduce the cost of manufacturing...

In this case, the part had a deep pocket and tiny corner radius needed within the pocket. The DFM hint suggests keeping corner radii greater than 1/6 of pocket depth. Tips like this can dramatically save on costs. In this case, increasing the corner radius 4x reduced the cycle time by a factor of almost 60. It's quick and easy to experiment with these tradeoffs in GW Estimator.

 

Built-In Calculators

A variety of built-in calculators optimized for the needs of Cost Estimation are available to provide even more answers easily. For example, we include a Machine Hourly Cost Calculator:

Machine Hourly Cost Calculator...

You can figure the hourly cost of each machine in the shop and keep the information databased with each Machine Profile. It will be used in the Cost Estimate as each machine is designated for a particular operation.

 

So Many Tools to Choose From

Computer people like to say, "There's an app for that." Seems like CNC people ought to be saying, "There's a Tool for that," because we sure do use a lot of different tools. And every single one of them needs it's very own Feeds and Speeds. G-Wizard Estimator covers a great many tools and we're constantly adding new ones. Our tool menu is large enough you can't really take it in with a single screen shot:

          

And like that old TV ad used to say, "But wait, there's more!" Because using the Geometry menu you can access even more tool types:

You'll notice some specialized cutters for CNC Routers there. We have most comprehensive selection of cutters and geometries for milling machines, routers, and lathes of any feeds and speeds product--you will not be disappointed.

Plus, we offer comprehensive Tool Tables that we call "Tool Cribs" so you can further configure and simplify tool choices based on your Shop's Best Practices.

 

There's Much, Much, More To See

There is so much more to see that we haven't shown you yet. Why read the book when you can see the movie? Go ahead. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and see for yourself all the great things G-Wizard Estimator can do for you.