swestrup | Virtual Machine shop.

Here's something I found posted by Dan Clemmensen <dgc@cox.net> on Extropy Chat:

There is a company at

http://www.emachineshop.com

That has a completely web-based business model. You start by downloading their software, which is fairly nice CAD program, at no
cost. It's proprietary Windows software, and the license requires that you refrain from using it to create designs that you then fabricate
elsewhere, but it's free.

In addition to being a fairly good CAD program, the software has some neat features::
   1) You can select materials from an extensive list including dozens of plastics, steels, and aluminiums, and lots of other metals.
   2) You select a machine (e.g, punch, 3-axis mill, tap) for each line or set of lines.
   3) You select "finishes" for each surface.
   3) After you design your part, or at any time during the design, the program can evaluate whether or not the design can actually be machined.
   4) The program computes a set of prices for the part, based on delivery time and quantity.

After you are happy with your design, you select the quantity and the delivery time, and click on the "purchase" button. The program sends the design to the
company, and the company sends the parts back by mail.