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About Us

Who We Are

OnCourse Technologies, Inc. is a leading producer of engineering software widely used by metal working manufacturers. Its cloud based product ShouldCost(TM) is built upon the brand leadership of OnCourse’s current brand Micro Estimating, a major supplier of process engineering, planning, and estimating products for manufacturing.

As stated in our mission statement from the year 2001 “We understand how to increase profits for manufacturers through innovative and intelligent software solutions. We are both technology focused and manufacturing savvy. Because we understand not only technology, but also manufacturing issues we can help implement the right strategic solutions that will benefit our customers’ use of technology enabling long-term benefits”.

OnCourse’s upcoming Internet platform ShouldCost will give manufacturers convenient online access to OnCourse software for engineering, estimating and machine programming. It will be fully integrated to trading portals providing additional instantaneous access for ordering job specific materials, tooling, and related manufacturing items.

What We Do

The ShouldCost proprietary cloud-based software helps machine shops quote faster and more accurately. Our true cost-based estimation software simulates a machine shops equipment and resource use so precisely, their estimates are 98% accurate. This level of precision helps shorten lead-times, control costs, cut waste, and guarantee delivery.

Our automated solutions can do 100% of the work for simple parts, and vastly reduce the need for user interaction on more complex parts, freeing operators to simultaneously work on other projects.

Built into the software are pre-filled templates for machines and cutting tools allowing for quicker setup times and overall turnaround. Users can also customize any of the hundreds of variables for each of their machines to achieve an even higher rate of accuracy.

Material pricing for quick selection of material types, shapes, bar length options for easy accurate estimating.

Do you need an Estimate or a Quote?

Why settle for Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) when you can have Actual Intelligence? The U.S. government does not believe that it works, so why would you?

Our true cost-based estimate allows you to know what it will to cost to produce and ship parts, and most importantly, make a profit! Stock material costs have rapidly increased in recent years, so past estimation methods are obsolete.

When you just need to get a job and want to know how low you can go on price, our true cost-based estimation provides a break-even analysis.

Price, Costs, & Time

A quote is how much the other party will pay for parts but is that enough to cover your bills?

The cost of producing a part is determined by examining the features of the part, understanding how to produce it, and adding up the time and materials. Price, on the other hand, is what the customer is willing to pay for the part.
Having a true cost-based estimation for producing a part as opposed to a quote based on historical data, can be the difference between a profit and a loss. Our cost-based estimation software is highly advanced and stays up to date with the ever-changing costs of raw materials and labor.

Some of our competitors rely on historical data or they rely on you to provide your time and costs. Instead of being a time sheet for your shop and verifying that your speculations were correct, would you not rather know what your time and expenses should cost?

Contact ShouldCost today

Learn how we can help you control costs and shorten lead-times for your customers!

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Who we serve

For 40 years, Micro Estimating Systems has provided many fortune 500 companies with state-of the-art-technologies. Utilizing our decades of experience and the latest in technology, we created ShouldCost, a cutting-edge “quote” software that helps machine shops quote faster and more accurately.

Micro Estimating Systems has a strong reputation and proven track record for providing the highest quality products and services for manufacturers who work in CNC machining processes such as fabrication, automatic screw machining, general manufacturing including grinding, gear hobbing, deburring, inspection, and many others.

We specialize in metal, but we also have some capabilities for plastics. Our secondary target are engineers who want to know how their design changes affect price.

We serve the following industries but not limited to:

  • Aerospace
  • Automotive
  • Construction
  • Consumer Products
  • Defense Manufacturing
  • Energy
  • Engineering Services
  • Fluid Power
  • Hydraulics
  • Industrial Equipment
  • Injection Molding
  • Machine Shops
  • Machine Tooling
  • Manufacturing
  • Medical and Surgical Equipment
  • Mining Equipment
  • OEM
  • Oil & Gas
  • Power Equipment
  • Solar Power
  • Wind Power