Free Decision Tools

Decide in minutes, not days.

Data-backed tools and comparisons to choose the right material, process and finish — free, no login.

Material Selector & Comparison

Filter 87 metals and plastics by strength, weight, cost, machinability and more — then compare side by side.

Process Selector

Answer 4 questions about volume, material, geometry and tolerance to find the right manufacturing process.

CNC Cost Estimator

Get a ballpark machining cost from material, size, complexity and quantity — budget before you send a drawing.

ISO 286 Limits & Fits Calculator

Enter a nominal size and a fit like H7/g6 to get hole and shaft tolerances and the clearance or interference, per ISO 286.

DFM Checker

Pick a process and check your design against its key manufacturability rules — wall thickness, radii, draft, bend limits and more.

Material Comparisons

24 side-by-side 'X vs Y' comparison guides, each with a real data table and a clear verdict.

Surface Finish Selector

Compare anodizing, powder coating, plating and more by look, durability and cost.

What these tools do and why they matter

When you design a custom-manufactured part, three decisions sit at the center of cost, lead time and whether the part actually works: which material you specify, which process makes it, and which finish protects or decorates it. These choices are not independent. A material that machines beautifully may be wrong for injection molding; a tight tolerance can rule out a cheaper process; a finish chosen for looks may not survive the part's environment. Get one wrong and you find out late — in a quote that comes back triple your budget, a re-spin after first articles, or a field failure.

The tools on this page exist to move those decisions to the front of your project, where they are cheap to change. Use the Material Selector to filter 87 metals and plastics by the properties that matter and compare candidates side by side. Use the Process Selector to match volume, geometry and tolerance to a manufacturing method. Use the Surface Finish Selector to weigh anodizing, powder coating and plating on look, durability and cost. Supporting tools — the CNC Cost Estimator, DFM Checker and ISO 286 Limits & Fits Calculator — let you pressure-test a direction before a drawing ever leaves your desk. Each tool is free and needs no login, so you can iterate as fast as you think.

Which tool should I use?

Each tool answers a different question in the material-process-finish decision. Start with the row that matches the choice you are stuck on, then chain the others as your design firms up.

If you need to...UseWhat you get
Pick the right metal or plastic, or settle a material debateMaterial Selector & ComparisonFilter 87 materials by strength, weight, cost and machinability, then compare candidates side by side
Match your volume, geometry and tolerance to a manufacturing methodProcess SelectorA recommended process from four questions about volume, material, geometry and tolerance
Choose between anodizing, powder coating, plating and other finishesSurface Finish SelectorA side-by-side read on look, durability and cost so you specify the right surface treatment
Sanity-check machining cost before you send a drawing out for quoteCNC Cost EstimatorA ballpark CNC cost from material, size, complexity and quantity to set your budget
Confirm your design follows the manufacturability rules for a processDFM CheckerA check of wall thickness, radii, draft, bend limits and more against the rules for your chosen process
Translate a fit callout into real hole and shaft tolerancesISO 286 Limits & Fits CalculatorHole and shaft tolerances plus clearance or interference for a fit like H7/g6, per ISO 286
See a head-to-head verdict on two common material or process optionsMaterial & Process ComparisonsSide-by-side 'X vs Y' guides, each with a real data table and a clear verdict

Who these tools help

These tools are built for the people who own — or get blamed for — a part's cost, lead time and performance. Product designers and mechanical engineers use them to lock material, process and finish early, while the design is still cheap to change. Manufacturing and DFM engineers lean on the Process Selector, DFM Checker and tolerance calculator to catch problems before tooling is cut. Hardware startups and solo founders without an in-house manufacturing team use them to make defensible calls fast. Procurement and sourcing teams use the cost estimator and comparisons to challenge a quote or pick between suppliers. And OEMs standardizing across many SKUs use the selectors to keep material and process choices consistent and documented.

Product designersMechanical engineersManufacturing & DFM engineersHardware startupsSolo / first-time foundersProcurement & sourcingOEMsProject & program managersR&D teamsBuyers comparing quotes

Why these tools help you decide

A decision tool is only useful if you can see how it reached its answer. Everything here is built around that idea.

  • Transparent logic. Recommendations come from the inputs you give — volume, geometry, tolerance, material properties — not a black box. Comparisons show the data table and the reasoning behind the verdict.
  • Independent. The tools are not tied to a single shop's machine list or capacity, so a recommendation reflects your part, not what someone happens to want to sell.
  • Free, with no sign-up. No account, no email wall, no login. Open a tool and use it as many times as you need.
  • Built for early decisions. Estimates and selections are meant for the budgeting and design stage, where changing direction is cheap — not as a substitute for a supplier's formal quote and DFM review.
  • Honest about scope. Cost figures are ballpark ranges to frame a conversation, and selectors narrow your options rather than make the final call for you.

More frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to use these tools?

No. Every tool on this page is free and requires no login, account or email. Open the tool you need, enter your inputs and get an answer — you can come back and run them as many times as you like.

In what order should I use the tools?

Most projects flow material → process → finish, then a cost and manufacturability check. Start with the <a href="/tools/material-selector/">Material Selector</a> to narrow your candidates, use the <a href="/tools/process-selector/">Process Selector</a> to match them to a manufacturing method, then the <a href="/tools/finish-selector/">Surface Finish Selector</a> for the surface treatment. Pressure-test the direction with the <a href="/tools/cnc-cost-estimator/">CNC Cost Estimator</a>, <a href="/tools/dfm-checker/">DFM Checker</a> and <a href="/tools/tolerance-lookup/">tolerance calculator</a> before you finalize a drawing.

Are the cost estimates accurate enough to budget from?

The <a href="/tools/cnc-cost-estimator/">CNC Cost Estimator</a> gives a ballpark figure from material, size, complexity and quantity — enough to set a budget and sanity-check a quote before you send a drawing. It is a planning estimate, not a binding price. For a firm number on your specific geometry, get a supplier quote.

Can you quote my actual part once I've used the tools?

Yes. When you've used the selectors to settle material, process and finish, you can request a quote through our <a href="/quote/">quote page</a> or reach the team via <a href="/contact/">contact</a>. Sharing the choices the tools helped you make — plus a drawing or model — gets you a faster, more accurate response.