AI quoting for metal fabrication: where Merlin fits and where it doesn't
Merlin can draft quotes for the stock and catalog side of a metal fabrication business, such as standard brackets, cut-to-length stock or repeat parts with fixed prices in your price sheet. Custom fabricated parts that need drawings, routing and costing are flagged for a human, and a CAD-based quoting tool such as Paperless Parts may be a better fit for that work.
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What kind of quoting does a fab shop do?
Most metal fabrication shops quote two very different things. Some requests are repeat or catalog items with a known price: a standard bracket, a stocked plate size, a part you have made a hundred times. Others are new custom parts sent as drawings or CAD files, where an estimator works out material, cutting, bending, welding, finishing and setup time.
Merlin is built for the first kind. It does not read drawings or calculate fabrication costs.
What does Merlin do with a typical fab RFQ?
| Illustrative RFQ line | What Merlin does |
|---|---|
| 50 x part BRK-204 zinc-plated bracket, same as PO 1187 | Matches the catalog item and prices it from your sheet |
| 10 x 1/4 in. A36 plate, 12 x 12 in., cut to size | Matches if cut sizes are priced in your sheet; flags otherwise |
| 200 x custom enclosure per attached drawing, 14 ga, powder coat | Flags for an estimator: needs drawing review and costing |
| Rev C of the weldment we quoted last month | Flags: a revision may change cost, so a human decides |
Examples are illustrative, not from a real customer.
When might Paperless Parts be the better tool?
Paperless Parts describes itself as quoting and estimating software for job shops and contract manufacturers, and says it analyzes part files for processes such as sheet metal, CNC machining and additive manufacturing. If most of your RFQs are custom parts with CAD files, a tool built for that is likely a better fit than Merlin.
Merlin is aimed at the email desk: catalog quotes, order status, document requests and follow-up. Some shops could use both. We cover the differences in detail in Merlin vs Paperless Parts.
Where is Merlin a good fit for a fab shop?
- You sell a meaningful share of standard, repeat or catalog items with fixed prices.
- Customers email 'where's my order' and 'send me the cert' requests that eat into estimators' time.
- You want custom RFQs sorted out of the inbox and routed to a person quickly, instead of sitting unread.
- Not a fit as your only quoting tool if nearly every job is a custom part costed from drawings.
What data does it need?
A price sheet for your catalog and repeat items, from Excel, CSV or an ERP report. Shops using JobBOSS or similar systems can export one; see JobBOSS. Order data powers Order Status, and material certs or ISO certificates in your document library power Documents. There is no native real-time ERP connector in the standard product.
Is funding available for AI in manufacturing?
Québec manufacturers may be eligible for programs such as DEC's IRIA or Investissement Québec's ESSOR, depending on the project. Eligibility is never guaranteed. See Québec AI funding for an overview, and check program details directly with the funder.
Frequently asked questions
Can Merlin quote parts from a drawing?
No. Merlin does not read drawings or calculate fabrication costs. Custom parts are flagged for an estimator.
Should a job shop use Paperless Parts instead?
If most of your quotes are custom parts with CAD files, a tool like Paperless Parts, which says it analyzes part files, is likely the better fit. Merlin handles catalog quotes and the email desk.
What can Merlin do for a fab shop, then?
Draft quotes for catalog and repeat items with fixed prices, answer order status emails, send certificates and follow up on open quotes, all with human approval.
Does it work with JobBOSS?
Through exports. Merlin imports price sheets and orders from Excel, CSV or ERP reports. There is no native JobBOSS connector.
