Method for quoting part production

Abstract

One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for quoting manufacture of a real part during construction of a virtual model of the real part within a computer-aided drafting engine executing on a computing device, the method comprising:
 at the computer-aided drafting engine, receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility;   at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry of the virtual model into the computer-aided drafting engine, calculating a manufacturing quote for the real part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file;   displaying the manufacturing quote within the computer-aided drafting engine;   at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry of the virtual model into the computer-aided drafting engine, updating the manufacturing quote displayed within the computer-aided drafting engine based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and   at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting, over a computer network, a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the real part.