Qualify
Pulls material, gauge, part numbers, quantities, operations, tolerances, hardware, and finish requirements from the drawings and BOM, then flags anything missing.
Forgepoint for metal fabricators
Quote fabrication jobs before your buyer moves on.
Frank pulls material, quantities, operations, hardware, finish, and prior-job data from drawings and BOMs, then applies your configured shop rates to build a quote for review.
See the fabrication workflowMI
Midwest Industrial Equipment
Ready to qualifyRFQ: Mounting bracket assembly, qty 200
Hi, attached are drawings for a custom mounting bracket. We need 200 pieces in 11-gauge mild steel, powder coated black, with PEM studs installed per the drawing. Please provide price and lead time. This may become a repeat production order.
✓ MIE-4472-dwg.pdf✓ bracket.step✓ bom.xlsx
How Frank handles the RFQ
One RFQ. Four controlled steps.
Quote
Checks the RFQ against laser and press brake capacity, nesting yield, setup and run time, welding and assembly labor, and finishing rates. Frank then sends the draft quote to your team for human approval.
Close
Builds a customer-ready quote with piece price, tooling or fixture charges, and lead time, then tracks replies and follow-up.
Track
Logs the RFQ, drawings, revisions, and quote history in the systems your team already uses.
Fabrication context
Frank knows what to look for in a fabrication RFQ.
Frank checks each RFQ against your equipment, material range, tolerances, outside processes, shop rates, capacity, and approval rules.
Process and capacity
- Laser or plasma cutting and press brake operations
- Cutting, bending, welding, and assembly routing
- Nesting yield and sheet utilization
- Prototype, short-run, and production routing
Material and specification
- Material grade, gauge, and mill certification
- Weldment and assembly requirements
- Drawing tolerances and weld symbols
- Prints, BOMs, and revision control
Finishing and hardware
- Powder coating, paint, and plating requirements
- Inserted hardware, including PEM studs and other fasteners
- Deburring, inspection, and quality documentation
- Secondary and outsourced operations
Commercial and delivery
- Shop rates, setup time, and run-time assumptions
- Tooling and fixture cost by job
- Freight, FOB terms, and lead time
- Volume pricing and repeat-order terms
- 01Processes and equipment capacity
- 02Material grades and gauge range
- 03Shop rates and setup-time assumptions
- 04Weld and assembly capabilities
- 05Finishing and hardware options
- 06Tolerance and quality standards
- 07Prints, BOM, and revision-control rules
- 08Volume pricing and repeat-order terms
- 09Plants, shipping points, and freight lanes
Frank quotes based on your shop's equipment, rates, and capacity.
Frank turns each RFQ into a reviewable draft quote by checking the equipment, shop rates, capacity, tolerances, lead times, and approval rules your team maintains.
FAQ
Questions from the quoting desk.
Does Frank replace our estimator?+
No. Frank assembles the RFQ, drawing context, operations, and draft pricing so your estimator focuses on judgment calls and the customer relationship.
Does Frank read prints and weld symbols?+
Frank extracts dimensions, materials, weld symbols, hardware, and finish notes from drawings and BOMs, then checks them against your shop rules and flags anything that needs estimator or engineering review.
Can it work with our shop rates and nesting logic?+
Yes. Frank uses your shop rates, setup-time assumptions, nesting-yield rules, and approval limits.
What if the drawing is missing critical requirements?+
Frank flags missing details such as finish, tolerance, weld requirements, hardware, or revision level and prepares a clarification for review.
Does Frank replace our engineer?+
No. Frank organizes the RFQ and flags missing requirements so engineering can focus on manufacturability, tooling, and technical exceptions.
Can it handle complex assemblies and weldments?+
Frank breaks out the parts and weld requirements in an assembly, then flags complex or ambiguous work for senior estimator review.
Can we control what gets sent to a customer?+
Yes. Human approval rules control which quotes and messages are released.
