Paperless Parts
A manufacturing quoting and estimating platform for job shops and contract manufacturers that quote custom parts from 3D CAD models or 2D drawings.
Product Overview
Paperless Parts is cloud-based quoting software that estimates the cost to manufacture custom machined or fabricated parts. Job shops, contract manufacturers, and metal fabricators can upload a 3D model or 2D drawing, and the software prices the part from the model and drawing details, your shop’s costing templates, and live material prices. It sits on top of an existing ERP instead of replacing it, with native connections to 15 ERP systems, including JobBOSS², Epicor Kinetic, and Global Shop Solutions.
Paperless Parts’ Wingman AI reads engineering drawings and RFQ emails, pulling material specs, threads, finishes, and quantities into the quote. Sheet metal fabricators get built-in nesting and unfolding for sheet, tube, angle, and U-channel parts. And for defense contractors and suppliers handling controlled drawings, the platform runs on AWS GovCloud and is ITAR-registered.
Pros
- AI extracts specs from drawings and RFQ emails
- Strong security and ITAR compliance
- Clean online quote portal improves buyer experience
- Integrates with many leading ERPs
- Built-in sheet metal nesting and unfolding
Cons
- Costly for low volume job shops
- Does not include ERP or MES functionality
- Needs heavy setup; often 10 to 12 weeks
Target Market
Job shops and contract manufacturers with 5 to 500 employees and dedicated estimators, especially sheet metal fabricators and defense suppliers.Not Recommended For
Smaller CNC shops quoting mostly mill-and-lathe work and owner-operators without dedicated estimators.Video Overview
Key Features
Geometric Costing and Pricing Templates
- Geometric Pricing Engine: Prices each part from its 3D model geometry, so estimators start from a calculated cost instead of a blank sheet.
- Costing Templates & Geometrically-Driven Routers: Builds routings from part features using the shop’s own templates.
- Fully Customizable Pricing Templates: Applies shop-specific markups and margins, with the P3L Pricing Language for custom pricing logic.
Wingman AI Drawing and RFQ Extraction
- Spec Recognition: Reads 10,000+ ASTM, AMS, MIL-SPEC, NADCAP, GD&T, and OEM specs on drawings. It also pulls threads, part and revision numbers, material, and CUI markings.
- RFQ Email Intake: Turns a forwarded RFQ email into a quote with part numbers, revisions, and quantities filled in.
- Drawing Callouts: Picks up surface finish, bend lines, chamfers, weld symbols, and critical-to-quality dimensions, then suggests a material for the part.
Requirements Review
- Rules Builder: Maps drawing signals, such as a material or spec, to a set resolution the shop defines.
- Burn-Down list: Auto-assigns review items to the right person.
- Past-Part history: Shows up to 5 past parts where the same rule was used, and can surface a No-Quote option for unsupported materials.
Sheet Metal Nesting and DfM Checks
- Sheet Metal Model Nesting & Unfolding: Nests and unfolds sheet metal models during quoting.
- Automatic Interrogations and DfM Warnings: Checks each model and flags design-for-manufacturability issues before the quote goes out.
- 3D Part Viewer: Lets estimators inspect the model alongside the quote.
Material and Component Pricing
- Metal Pricing: Pulls real-time pricing and availability from OnlineMetals and Thyssenkrupp.
- Purchased Components: Pulls component pricing from ID-PC, plus fastener pricing.
- Current Costs in Quotes: Keeps material and hardware costs tied to supplier prices instead of manually updated price sheets.
Digital Quotes and Online Checkout
- Smart RFQ Form: Collects files and requirements from customers in one submission.
- Digital Quotes: Lets customers review a quote and check out online.
- In-app Messaging: Discuss quote changes and message customers back-and-forth inside the platform rather than email threads.
ITAR and CMMC-Ready Security
- GovCloud and ITAR: Hosted on AWS US GovCloud and ITAR-registered, with US-based admins and support.
- FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent: Audited yearly by a FedRAMP third-party assessor, though not FedRAMP Certified.
- CMMC Level 2 Assessment-Ready: Supports DFARS 252.204-7012, with an optional compliance audit trails module.
Collaboration
- Team Collaboration: In-context chat and task assignment, so estimators can hand off and discuss quotes without leaving the platform.
- Review threads: Each Requirements Review item carries its own discussion thread, which doubles as an audit trail.
- Secure File Sharing: Shares drawings and quote files with access controls and expiration dates.
Paperless Parts Integrations
Paperless Parts connects to the following systems so quotes and estimates reach your existing software without manual reentry. It also has a documented API for anything not listed.
- ERP: ECI E2 Shop, ECI JobBOSS, ECI JobBOSS², ECI M1, Epicor (10, 11, and Kinetic), Fulcrum, Genius ERP, Global Shop Solutions, Infor SyteLine, Infor VISUAL, Made2Manage, MIE Trak Pro, Plex, ProShop, and StartProto.
- CRM: HubSpot and Salesforce.
- Accounting: QuickBooks.
- Analytics and project management: Power BI and Trello.
Paperless Parts Pricing
Paperless Parts doesn’t publish prices and requires a custom quote based on these factors:
- Shop size and complexity
- Modules required
- Integrations, such as ERP or CRM connections
- Contract length, with multi-year contracts typically priced lower
- Onboarding
Paperless Parts Alternatives
Paperless Parts is a great option for manufacturers and job shops with dedicated estimators, but it’s not a fit for everyone. Below are three alternative manufacturing estimating platforms that Paperless Parts is often compared against:
Toolpath
Try out Toolpath if your shop mostly quotes CNC mill and lathe work and wants a published per-seat price instead of a quote-based contract. It’s built around machining, with cycle-time estimates from the CAD model, and starts at $40 per seat per month billed annually.
SecturaFAB
Get a demo with SecturaFAB if your shop does only sheet metal and fabrication and wants a tool built for that work alone. Its true-shape nesting engine reads part geometry to determine material usage and run times, and you can configure its calculators to match your shop’s quoting.
Costimator
Choose Costimator if your shop needs defensible, auditable estimates. It ships with more than 330 cost models for machining and fabrication operations and can estimate costs with or without a 3D CAD model.
Product Overview
Developer Overview
User Reviews of Paperless Parts
No reviews have been submitted. Do you use Paperless Parts? Have you considered it as part of your software evaluation process? Share your perspective by writing a review, and help other organizations like yours make smarter, more informed software selection decisions!
