aPriori Reviews

“UI & UX Should be better with multi-tasking

Pros

I have access to auto-formulated modules that allow me to cost a specific product and obtain its Design Cost.

Cons

I can't multitask on the software, and I'm unable to edit file names. It also logs me out automatically, and I wish there were settings to change that. The response rate is too much slow most of the time, even with fast internet. Additionally, the loading time is quite long.

“aPriori for Design Engineers

Pros

aPriori Design and Professional serve as valuable manufacturing insight tools for me. They help me identify incorrectly modeled parts and errors. These tools are instrumental in approximating material and manual labor costs, as well as guiding the simplification of mechanical designs. Additionally, they can sort and indirectly recommend the most cost-effective manufacturing methods and materials for my product.

Cons

While the software helps catch errors, it doesn't provide specific feedback on how to improve designs. It can only point out issues without recommending things like bend radii. Although aP Design is a useful quick costing tool, it lacks in comparison to aP Pro, which offers more features at a higher cost. It should be a staple in the repertoire of Design/Mechanical Engineers.

“Few observation , as we are inducted into CLOUD environments

Pros

The cost analysis features are excellent and ready to use. They are particularly helpful for our costing purposes. However, I believe there is room for more better features to be built into the system.

Cons

Your library management needs a more focused approach for each region. One size doesn't fit all. Additionally, frequent updates are required for material handling rates (MHR) and raw material (RM) prices from reputable companies with different price structures, considering the company's spend analysis.

“aPriori user review

Pros

The system works well for single-part sheet metal projects. It would be beneficial to have additional features like bending, hole creation, slot cutting and other functions.

Cons

It's disappointing that non-metal materials like rubber and composites cannot be cost calculated. The fabrication cost for welded parts is also not calculated.

“cool but not usefull for quoting process

Pros

It is easy to use, but I did have to take some training to become proficient.

Cons

We never managed to align the estimates generated by aPriori with the actual quotes provided by our suppliers. Therefore, it's totally useless as a quoting tool.

“Honest Apriori Review

Pros

I really love the option which allow me to quickly compare two prototype concepts and obtain a relative cost difference. I also see the value in having a user friendly software that allows me to input a part and obtain cost estimates with just a few clicks.

Cons

There seems to be a significant difference between the actual cost and the cost provided by aPriori. The software is not as user friendly as advertised. It has strange quirks and poorly set defaults on the interface. When a cost is inaccurate, there are too many parameters to check, requiring advanced users to troubleshoot. The Virtual Production Environment (VPE) is not updated frequently enough. I'm unable to cost painted parts. The weld tool is difficult to use and takes a long time. The cost estimates for weldments are significantly different from the actual cost. Special materials are not included in the list unless manually added. Our commonly used steel types are not set as defaults, so I have to search for them each time. It would be helpful if the material could be automatically imported from Creo. Although I've been told the tool can recommend cost-saving measures such as better thicknesses, clearance hole sizes, or tolerances, we already choose these based on our standards and best practices. Thus, I haven't seen any valuable cost reductions from recommended geometry changes. The material nesting tool is highly inaccurate since our manufacturing group uses their own software for nesting laser-cut parts. Sometimes, the software defaults to the wrong manufacturing processes, choosing the cheapest option instead of how we actually produce the parts. For example, I've seen laser-cut parts default to water jet, which we don't have, so I have to manually change the process. The costs for individual parts are starting to align with the actual costs, but the estimates for assemblies are way off.

“Why not aPriori :)

Pros

The aPriori Bulk costing and deep costing options are highly valuable for my costing needs. I also like the freedom to add new machines and materials as required.

Cons

Overall, the software is excellent, but it should expand the database to keep up with the growing market size. The machine database needs to accommodate larger components and giants in the industry.

“aPriori comments

Pros

One of the greatest advantageous aspects is the upfront ability to determine costing during the design phase. I can perform objective and detailed analyses of component costs, including optimal processing methods.

Cons

In some cases, the recommendations from aPriori contradict what we observe in our supply base. For instance, it suggests using ductile cast iron instead of gray cast iron based on cost. However, we haven't found any evidence supporting this in our supply base. This discrepancy has discouraged several key team members from using aPriori.

“aPriori in Japanese Automotive OEM

Pros

I basically rely on the fully automated solution provided by aPriori, as it consistently delivers accurate estimates.

Cons

Customizing the software to fit our company's specific needs is not as easy as expected.

“Very good costing tool and user freindly

Pros

The speed at which I can cost a model for machining is impressive, and the flexibility to adjust the GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) is highly beneficial.

Cons

There is still room for improvement in optimizing machine hour rates for processes like passivation and anodizing.

“aPriori is the bomb

Pros

It's easy to use, providing consistent results, and suitable to our products.

Cons

It would be helpful if the software could be more easily modified to our products.

“aPriori - Quoting friend

Pros

As a user of aPriori, I can't speak much about the product's implementation, but I can share how it has helped me in my everyday job as a Plastic Injection Molding quoter. With this software, I can analyze a part's geometry and quickly estimate the cost of a mold within minutes. There are numerous manual variables that can be adjusted to provide a more accurate overall cost representation. The response time is fast and I can generate many reports afterward. This saves me days of work on certain quotes and gives me confidence in the accuracy of my work and quotes.

Cons

Personally, I don't have any major complaints. However the split screen user interface can be a bit awkward at times, but you can adjust it according to your preferences. It would be great to have additional viewing features for the displayed 3D part, particularly section view.

“Good software

Pros

I find the software to be easy to use and quickly understandable.

Cons

The software has major restrictions in monitoring the kind of development we undertake. It would be interesting to incorporate more functions into the software, especially in the development and conception process.

“Great tool! Needs more material availability

Pros

It's easy to use and provides excellent cost intelligence and tools for negotiation.

Cons

Sometimes, the software fails to identify certain geometries that could assist in identifying specific machining processes.

“Create robust Supplier Relationships

Pros

It's a fantastic tool for fostering collaboration and transparency between suppliers and sourcing to build robust supplier relationships.

Cons

Since our company designs many products from extrusions, it would be beneficial to have the option to upload the extrusion file for costing analysis.

“Tool to support negotiation with fact base

Pros

What I like the most is that how easy it is to customize the built-in data and logic.

Cons

Complex parts can sometimes lead to failures for which we have to manually check of the logics.

“aPriori is a Costing Software partner rather than a Costing Software supplier.

Pros

As a member of the implementation team, I have experience with various costing software packages. I must say that aPriori is the first company that feels like a costing partner, genuinely invested in the success of our initiative, rather than just a software supplier that provides a service and then disappears.

Cons

The software is fantastic and relatively intuitive. However, there is room for improvement in the user-based costing spaces, particularly when 3D information is unavailable.

“User friendly aPriori software feedback

Pros

It's user-friendly and can be easily molded to meet XYZ company's requirements. It saves time.

Cons

The DTC feature needs to be improved, especially for fabrication and sheet metal parts involving soft and hard tools. Accurate raw material data for pipes, plates, tubes, etc., is quite necessary. The time lag issue should be addressed, and the tooling cost needs to be more realistic as it is currently too high.

“It is a One Size Fits All tool for Product Lifecycle

Pros

aPriori offers a wide range of options for costing and analysis which makes it suitable for all stakeholders during product development or improvement. It's an excellent tool for engineers to evaluate early cost impacts and understand manufacturing limitations and design rule violations through Design to Cost feedback. It also helps with alternate design and manufacturing evaluations. Cost engineers can quickly simulate different cost scenarios in various regions and parameters. Purchasing teams benefit from detailed cost breakdowns to negotiate with suppliers. Additionally, aPriori provides a Business Intelligence tool with Cost Insight Reporting, which is helpful for project managers to track project status and cost targets. Overall, aPriori is an indispensable tool for any industry looking to excel with a well-evaluated approach and a good understanding of product cost. Thank you.

Cons

There are certain process groups missing in aPriori for costing, such as Hydraulic Hoses, Black Box, Valves, Assembly/Welding tooling, etc. These processes are widely used in industries and are essential to have expertise in aPriori.

“aPriori Review after 2+ Years

Pros

I'm impressed with how quickly it can estimate costs with a high level of detail. The constant updates and feature upgrades are notable. We have design time that allows for customization, which is great.

Cons

Working with a 2D file can be cumbersome at times, even though the tool was primarily built for 3D files. Some of the features are a bit costly, which may restrict their usability.