Frequently Asked Questions

MFC (Metal Finishing Calculator) is a professional estimation tool for the metal finishing industry. It calculates surface areas using 20+ geometric shapes, applies process-specific pricing for anodizing, plating, powder coat, chem film, wet paint, and more, generates professional quotes, and imports 3D STEP files for part analysis. It runs entirely offline on Windows — no internet connection required.

MFC is built for metal finishing shops — job shops, captive shops, and production facilities that perform anodizing, plating, powder coating, chem film, wet paint, or other surface finishing processes. Estimators, shop owners, and operations managers use MFC to quote jobs faster, more accurately, and more consistently than manual methods.

MFC supports all major metal finishing processes including: anodizing (Type I, II, III / hardcoat), chemical film / chromate conversion (Alodine/Iridite), plating (nickel, chrome, zinc, cadmium, silver, gold, tin, copper), powder coating, wet paint, passivation, electropolishing, and custom processes. Each process has its own pricing model with support for lot charges, minimum charges, masking, and expedite fees.

MFC is currently Windows only. It's built on Electron and optimized for the Windows desktop environment, which is the standard in metal finishing shops. macOS and Linux versions are not currently planned but may be considered in the future.

Yes. MFC runs 100% offline with zero data transmission. No telemetry, no cloud dependencies, no phone-home features. Part dimensions, pricing data, customer information, and quotes never leave your machine. MFC is designed specifically for environments handling controlled data under ITAR, CUI, and CMMC requirements.

No. MFC has absolutely zero network activity. License validation is performed locally using SHA-256 hash comparison — your computer never contacts a server to validate your license. No data, metadata, or usage statistics are ever transmitted. You can verify this with any network monitor or firewall tool.

Yes. MFC's fully offline architecture means it does not affect your system boundary for CMMC assessment. It stores no CUI, connects to no external services, and requires no elevated permissions. License data is stored only in the application's own AppData directory — no registry writes, no system-level files.

A single MFC license is $4,999.99 — a one-time, lifetime purchase for one machine. Additional licenses (same or returning customer) are $3,499.99 each. There are no recurring fees for the software itself. Optional 24/7 Instant Support is $99.99/month or $999.99/year.

Each license is tied to one computer's MAC address. After purchase, you'll receive an activation link via email. Enter your computer's MAC address on the activation page, and you'll receive your license key. Enter the key in MFC to activate. The license is permanent and works entirely offline.

Yes. Each license includes one free transfer per year. Use the Transfer License option in MFC's Settings menu. The app will generate a transfer token, which you submit via our website or support email. You'll receive a new activation link for your new machine. The old license is automatically deactivated. Need more than one transfer per year? Contact us for approval.

You can purchase multiple licenses in a single order. Additional licenses (beyond the first) are priced at $3,499.99 each. Each license gets its own MAC-specific activation. Contact [email protected] for volume pricing on large orders.

We don't offer a free trial of the software, but you can try the MFC Demo online to experience the calculator in action. Every purchase also includes a complimentary 1-month assisted setup period and 30-day free trial of 24/7 Instant Support.

24/7 Instant Support is our premium AI-powered support service. Email [email protected] and receive an immediate, expert response — any time of day, any day of the week. Our AI specialist can answer application questions, edit your settings files, help with configuration, process license transfers, and more. Plans start at $99.99/month or $999.99/year (save $199.89/yr).

All MFC customers can email [email protected] for standard support with a 3-5 business day response time at no additional charge. The 24/7 Instant Support subscription upgrades you to immediate AI-powered responses.

Yes. If you attach your MFC settings file to a support email, our AI specialist can make the changes you request and send back the edited file. For example: "Change my Type II anodize rate to $X/sqft" or "Add a new process called XYZ." You receive the modified file and simply import it back into MFC.

One subscription covers your entire business domain. If your billing email is @yourcompany.com, anyone at that domain can email for support. For personal email addresses (Gmail, etc.), up to 5 specific email addresses can be registered.

After purchase, you'll receive a download link via email. Download the installer, run it on your Windows computer, and enter your license key when prompted. No administrator privileges are required for installation. MFC installs to your user profile and doesn't require elevated permissions — important for ITAR-controlled environments.

When a new version is released, you'll receive an email notification with release notes and a download link. Download the new installer and run it — your existing license key remains valid. Updates are free for the lifetime of your license.

Open Command Prompt on Windows and type ipconfig /all. Look for "Physical Address" under your active network adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). It will be in the format AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF — six pairs of hexadecimal characters separated by dashes or colons.

MFC can import 3D STEP files (.stp, .step) — the standard format for CAD models in manufacturing. MFC analyzes the geometry to extract surface areas, which can then be used for estimation. This eliminates manual measurement of complex parts and dramatically improves accuracy for parts with curved surfaces, holes, and other features.

MFC includes 20+ geometric shape calculators covering virtually every part geometry you'll encounter: flat plates, cylinders, cones, spheres, channels, L-angles, T-shapes, I-beams, hex bar, round tube, square tube, washers, and more. Each calculator computes exact surface area using precise geometric formulas — no approximations.

Absolutely. MFC's pricing engine is fully customizable. Set your own rates per square foot for each process, configure lot charges, minimum charges, masking fees, expedite multipliers, and material markups. Everything is stored in a settings file that you control. Your pricing data never leaves your machine.