Cost Estimating Software for Manufacturing
Use Costimator®
Quote faster. Estimate smarter.
Win more jobs!
Costimator® is advanced cost estimating and quoting software purpose-built for manufacturers. Whether you’re quoting CNC machining, sheet metal, assembly, or fabrication, it delivers fast, accurate, and consistent estimates with or without a 3D CAD model.
Estimators Worldwide Use Costimator®
Manufacturing
Machine Shop and Part Estimating Solutions.
330 Feature-based Cost Models
Fabrication
Sheet metal fabrication cost estimating.
3500 Fabrication Process Time Standards
Should Cost
Find the should cost with accurate quoting to win more bids.
2200 Speed and Feed Grades
Quoting
See how Costimator can transform your quoting process. Generate precise quotes using real-world labor, material, and machine data.
Who uses Costimator®
Machine shops and job shops Machine shops use Costimator® to estimate the cost of machined parts quickly and consistently — replacing long-hand forms, spreadsheets, and informal estimates with validated cost models that reflect their specific equipment and shop rates. Shops report cutting quote turnaround time dramatically while improving pricing accuracy and bid win rates.
Sheet metal fabricators Sheet metal fabrication shops use Costimator® to quote laser-cut, punched, bent, welded, and stamped parts — with cost models that automatically calculate cycle times based on material type, thickness, cut length, bend count, and other part parameters.
OEMs and contract manufacturers OEMs and contract manufacturers use Costimator® for both outbound quoting and inward should cost analysis — calculating what sourced parts should cost to manufacture, benchmarking supplier quotes, and identifying cost reduction opportunities across their supply chain.
Engineering firms Engineering firms use Costimator® to perform design-for-cost analysis on behalf of OEM clients — estimating the manufacturing cost impact of design decisions and supporting make-vs-buy evaluations before parts enter full production.
Industries served Costimator® is used by manufacturers across aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices, heavy equipment, agriculture, electronics, energy, oil and gas, transportation, construction, retail display, and consumer products.
40+
40+ years of innovation
What Is Costimator®?
Costimator is a cost estimating solution designed to help manufacturers:
Generate precise quotes using real-world labor, material, and machine data- Standardize quoting across departments or teams
- Reduce estimating time and eliminate guesswork
- Improve win rates with data-driven pricing
Used by job shops, OEMs, and contract manufacturers across industries from aerospace and defense to medical devices, retail display and automotive. You can start quoting immediately with the built-in data or import your own shop’s data for fully customized estimates.
413-733-1972
Key Features of Costimator®
Cost Estimating Software
Hundreds of industry-validated cost models Costimator® ships pre-loaded with hundreds of cost models (cycle time calculators) covering machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, and assembly — all developed and validated over 40+ years of use by real manufacturing shops. Estimators can use them immediately out of the box, or customize them to match their shop's specific equipment, materials, and production strategies using the built-in model editor.
Works with or without a 3D CAD model Costimator® supports feature-based estimating from 3D solid models as well as manual estimating from 2D drawings, blueprints, or part descriptions. This flexibility covers every quoting scenario a shop encounters — from early-stage RFQ responses to detailed production quotes.
3DFX automatic feature recognition The optional 3DFX add-on reads 3D CAD files and automatically identifies machining and sheet metal fabrication features, mapping them directly to Costimator® cost models with a single click. This accelerates detailed estimating by up to 90% and supports over 30 CAD formats including SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, Autodesk Inventor, Siemens NX, Solid Edge, STEP, IGES, and Parasolid.
Speed and feed library with 2,000+ material grades Costimator®'s speed and feed library covers over 2,000 grades of material with cutting parameter references for a wide range of tools — ensuring that machining cycle time calculations are grounded in material-specific real-world data rather than generic averages.
ERP and MRP integration Costimator® exports estimate data via XML into Epicor, JobBoss (ECI), E2 Shop System (Shoptech), and ProfitKey — eliminating manual re-entry of cost data when a quote converts to a live production job.
Shop rate calculator Costimator® includes a built-in shop rate calculator that helps shops calculate accurate machine and labor rates to feed into their cost models, ensuring that overhead and burden costs are properly accounted for in every quote.
Customizable routing templates Costimator® allows shops to build manufacturing routing templates that encode their specific process sequences and manufacturing rules — ensuring that the right operations are applied consistently for each part type, and that estimators with limited manufacturing experience can still produce accurate quotes.
How Much Does Costimator® Cost?
Every shop is different and so is their path to accurate estimating. That’s why Costimator offers flexible options: You can purchase the software outright with a full, perpetual license and it’s yours to use forever. Or, if you prefer, we also offer subscription licensing to suit all budgets.
No matter which option you choose, your investment includes:
- Access to our proven cost models and calculators
- Expert setup, onboarding, and training
- Optional annual maintenance with updates, technical support, and customer portal access
Want to see which option is right for your team? Request a personalized demo and we’ll walk you through it.
Save Big On Costimator®
When Purchasing Two or More Licenses of Costimator®
When Purchasing Four or More Licenses of Costimator®
When Purchasing Six or More Licenses of Costimator®
Industries and applications
Costimator® has been used across virtually every segment of manufacturing since 1982. Notable industry applications include:
Aerospace and defense — estimating precision-machined components, complex multi-operation parts, and subcontract fabrication for prime contractors and Tier 1 suppliers. IBM used Costimator® to save more than $10 million in part costs between 2003 and 2004.
Automotive — quoting machined and fabricated parts for automotive OEMs and their supply chains, including should cost analysis for supplier benchmarking and cost reduction programs.
Medical devices — estimating precision-machined medical components where accuracy, repeatability, and traceability of the estimating process are critical.
Heavy equipment and agriculture — quoting large fabricated assemblies, weldments, and machined components for heavy equipment manufacturers and agricultural machinery OEMs.
Electronics and consumer products — estimating machined and fabricated components and assemblies for electronics and consumer goods manufacturers.
Energy, oil and gas, and transportation — supporting estimators in the energy, oil and gas, transportation, and construction sectors where part variety, material complexity, and supply chain cost management are ongoing challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Costimator® manufacturing cost estimating software?
Costimator® is cost estimating and quoting software developed by MTI Systems, Inc. and purpose-built for the manufacturing industry. It enables machine shops, sheet metal fabricators, job shops, OEMs, and contract manufacturers to calculate accurate cycle times and part costs using hundreds of industry-validated cost models — covering machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, and should cost analysis. It has been used by nearly 2,000 manufacturing organizations worldwide since 1982.
What industries use Costimator®?
Costimator® is used by manufacturers across aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices, heavy equipment, agriculture, electronics, energy, oil and gas, transportation, construction, and consumer products — serving both part suppliers and OEMs.
Does Costimator® work without a CAD model?
Yes. Costimator® can generate cost estimates for machined and fabricated parts with or without a 3D CAD model. Estimators can work from 2D drawings, blueprints, or manual part inputs. When 3D CAD files are available, the optional 3DFX add-on accelerates estimating by up to 90%.
What manufacturing processes does Costimator® cover?
Costimator® covers CNC milling, turning, drilling, EDM, grinding, broaching, hobbing, honing, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, plasma cutting, punch press, press brake bending, stamping, MIG welding, TIG welding, spot welding, rolling, drawing, shearing, and mechanical assembly.
What ERP systems does Costimator® integrate with?
Costimator® integrates with Epicor, JobBoss (ECI), E2 Shop System (Shoptech), and ProfitKey via XML export, transferring estimate data directly into your ERP system without manual re-entry.
How quickly can Costimator® produce a cost estimate?
Costimator® enables estimators to quote complex parts in minutes rather than hours. Manufacturers report a 78% increase in estimating speed and a 61% reduction in time spent on estimates. With the 3DFX add-on, quote throughput can increase by up to 90%.
Why Choose Costimator?
- 40+ years of innovation in manufacturing estimating
- Trusted by over 2,000 shops worldwide
- Fast implementation and ongoing support
- Designed specifically for manufacturers—not adapted from other industries
Learn More
Learn More
Can Costimator® be customized for a specific shop?
Yes. Cost models can be edited or created from scratch using the built-in model editor, allowing the software to be tailored to your specific machines, materials, tooling, overhead rates, and production strategies. Shops can start immediately with pre-built models or import their own data for fully customized estimates.
See why nearly 2,000 manufacturers worldwide trust Costimator® for their cost estimating and quoting.
Whether you run a machine shop, a fabrication operation, or a procurement team that needs to benchmark supplier costs — Costimator® is built for your workflow. Request a free demo to see the software applied to your own parts, processes, and shop rates.