In sheet metal fabrication, every minute matters — and so does every detail. If you work with quotes daily, you know that pricing isn’t just about numbers. It’s a complex process that demands technical expertise, hands-on experience, and often a bit of intuition. When projects involve complex assemblies or unique customer requirements, automation quickly hits its limits. That’s why steel it takes a different approach: it doesn’t replace professionals — it empowers them.

Expertise Still Matters

Many professionals still rely on manual methods or Excel to create quotes. Not because it’s efficient — but because better tools haven’t been available. Quoting involves far more than calculating material costs and machine time. You need to answer questions like:

• Can this part actually be manufactured?
• What’s the correct bending sequence?
• How complex are the welding or assembly steps?
• Which tolerances are critical?

These aren’t questions software can answer with a simple algorithm. They require experience, technical judgment, and a deep understanding of your shop’s capabilities. And that’s exactly where human expertise comes in.

What steel it Does—and Doesn’t Do

steel it wasn’t built to replace skilled estimators. That’s not even possible. The more complex a part or assembly becomes, the more valuable your expertise is.

What steel it can do is streamline your quoting process — without compromising accuracy or quality.

Here’s how it helps:

• Automatically calculates simple parts with precision
• Standardizes and automates routine workflows
• Eliminates repetitive tasks like manual data entry
• Reduces errors through consistent, rule-based logic
• Supports feasibility and plausibility checks with built-in rule sets

By handling the repetitive work, steel it frees you up to focus on what really matters — reviewing complex assemblies, refining production strategies, and advising customers.

Speed Without Compromise

Speed is critical in today’s market. Customers expect quotes within hours — not days. For large RFQs with dozens of line items, that’s nearly impossible without digital support.

steel it helps you build reliable quotes fast. It processes geometry data automatically, applies predefined rules, and pulls from integrated material databases. With that foundation in place, you can fine-tune and finalize quotes quickly — even for complex projects.

Human + Machine — Not Human vs. Machine

You can’t fully automate sheet metal quoting — and that’s a good thing. It’s not just about numbers. It’s about technical feasibility, process knowledge, and meeting customer-specific needs.

steel it doesn’t take your job — it takes the time-consuming tasks off your plate. That gives you more time to apply your expertise, make informed decisions, and deliver high-quality quotes faster.

Want to see how steel it can accelerate your quoting process without compromising quality?

Let’s talk—we’ll show you how people and software can achieve more together.