Forge Labs Steam is now live. It is our new instant quote and order configuration platform for production-ready parts, built to reduce the friction between file upload, engineering review, and manufacturing execution.
For most teams, the quoting process still breaks down across email threads, manual handoffs, and disconnected review steps. A part file gets sent over, requirements are clarified in follow-up messages, drawings arrive later, and manufacturability issues are often caught only after the conversation has already started moving.
Steam brings those steps into one workflow. You can upload CAD, configure materials and quantities, review manufacturability, attach engineering drawings, and move toward production without losing the context of the job along the way.
File ProcessingUpload CAD files and configure entire orders in seconds
Batch configuration lets teams assign materials, finishes, quantities, and order requirements across multiple parts without resetting the workflow for every file. Instead of managing each part through fragmented quoting steps, Steam keeps the order together from upload through review.
That structure matters because pricing is not separated from part setup. Steam version-controls the uploaded data, verifies geometry against process rules, and builds a live quote workspace around the order itself. For engineering and procurement teams, that means fewer clarification loops, faster quoting, and less chance of losing context between upload and production approval.
It also creates a better starting point for larger assemblies. When multiple parts need to be reviewed together, the platform gives teams one place to organize scope, review revisions, and move directly toward a production-ready quote.
Try the Platform
Run manufacturability checks before production starts
Upload STEP or STL files and Steam begins manufacturability analysis immediately. Instead of waiting for a manual review before obvious issues surface, teams can identify concerns earlier in the quoting process and make faster decisions about whether a design is ready to move forward.
The platform is built around part-level intelligence. Thin walls, geometry risks, and process-fit concerns can be reviewed per file, while the broader order stays intact. That is especially useful for complex assemblies where each component may require different manufacturing decisions.
Steam combines automated DFM with engineering oversight, which makes the output more useful than a pass-fail gate. It gives teams a faster way to review manufacturability, preserve tolerancing context, and reduce the friction that normally appears between design evaluation and quoting.
See DFM analysis
Built for desktop and mobile
Forge Labs Steam works just as well on mobile. Teams can review DFM analysis, annotate drawings, place orders, and track production without being tied to a desktop-only workflow. That matters when approvals, clarifications, and manufacturing decisions need to happen quickly.
The platform is built as a live quote workspace for teams, not just a pricing screen. Stakeholders can review updates, preserve part-specific notes, and keep decisions tied to the order record as it moves toward production. That shared context is what reduces rework once a job becomes real.
Drawing markup and annotation are part of that system. Manufacturing notes, callouts, and review comments stay attached to the job instead of getting buried in email. Combined with mobile access, that gives teams a cleaner handoff from quoting into execution and tracking.
Open on Mobile
New: 2D drawing annotation and markup inside the quote flow
One of the biggest feature announcements in this launch is the new 2D drawing annotation workspace. Customers can now upload drawings directly inside the quote flow and mark them up in context, turning what is normally a static reference file into a live manufacturing conversation.
Instead of sending separate notes by email or relying on disconnected review comments, users can now place callouts on exact locations, identify thread and heat-set insert requirements, add dimensional instructions, and capture manufacturing details directly on the drawing itself. This gives customers a much clearer way to communicate critical production details before a job moves into review or release.
The collaborative side of the feature is just as important. Shared comments, review cues, and live drawing updates give both the customer and the Forge Labs team a clearer record of what has been requested, what has changed, and what still needs to be resolved. By keeping those requirements attached to the drawing, the platform reduces the back-and-forth that usually slows down quoting, engineering review, and production release.
Launch Resources
If you want to explore the broader workflow behind the platform, these pages provide the best supporting context:
- Our quality commitment for inspection tracking, documentation, and part-level traceability
- Instant quoting platform for the main quoting entry point
- Design guides by technology for process- specific design requirements across SLS, MJF, DMLS, FDM, and SLA
Start with a Part
Steam is built to give engineering teams a faster path from upload to reviewed quote, with better visibility into manufacturability and fewer handoffs between design intent and production execution.
If you want to see the platform in action, start here.