Guide · Buyer essentials
How to Write an RFQ for Custom Machined Parts
The information suppliers need to quote quickly and accurately, plus a copy-paste RFQ checklist.
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On this page8 sections
The six inputs an RFQ must carry
Each card is one input: what to state, an example of the right level of detail, and what happens when it is left out. Together they are the whole enquiry.
Drawing and model
The controlling document
- State
- PDF drawing with the revision mark, plus a STEP or IGES model
- Example
- PN-4412 rev C, PDF, with PN-4412.step
- Why
- The PDF carries the tolerances and notes; the model removes geometry guesswork
- If omitted
- Quoted from a sketch, with assumptions you will have to correct later
Material and grade
Named, not described
- State
- Grade in a recognised designation, plus condition where it matters
- Example
- SS 316 annealed, or EN24 hardened and tempered
- Why
- Price, machinability and availability all move with the grade
- If omitted
- A substitution is assumed, which may not suit the environment
Quantity
Two numbers, not one
- State
- Quantity for this order, and expected annual usage, separately
- Example
- 100 pieces now, around 1,200 per year in four releases
- Why
- Setup is amortised against annual volume, and bar stock bought once
- If omitted
- Priced as a one-off, so the piece price looks worse than it is
Tolerances and finish
General class plus named exceptions
- State
- General tolerance class, then the individual fits that matter
- Example
- ISO 2768-m overall; Ø25 h6 on the bearing seat, Ra 0.8 µm
- Why
- It separates the few controlled features from the many that are not
- If omitted
- Everything is treated as critical, and the quote reflects that
Documents required
Asked for now, not after dispatch
- State
- Material certificate and inspection report requirements
- Example
- EN 10204 3.1 material certificate; dimensional report on five pieces
- Why
- Certification is arranged at order stage; it cannot be issued retrospectively
- If omitted
- A standard inspection report is supplied, with no material traceability
Delivery and terms
Where, when and on whose terms
- State
- Incoterm with named place, destination port or address, target date
- Example
- CIF Hamburg, Incoterms 2020, required in week 18
- Why
- Freight mode, packing and the document set all follow from this
- If omitted
- The quote carries no freight, or freight to the wrong basis
- 01 / 03
Must-have information
Drawing (PDF) with revision, 3D model (STEP), material and grade, quantity (per order and per year), tolerances and finish, required documents, delivery address or port and target date.
- 02 / 03
Nice-to-have information
Target price, application description, current supplier issues and packaging preferences.
Illustrative machining and inspection imagery. - 03 / 03
Checklist
Part number and revision · Material/grade · Qty/EAU · Critical dimensions highlighted · Surface finish/coating · Certificates required · Incoterm and destination · Required delivery date
Assembling the enquiry in one pass
- 01
Put the NDA in place first
If the drawing is confidential, sign the NDA before sending anything. It is available on request and takes less time than the quotation itself.
- 02
Export a clean drawing and model together
A PDF with the revision mark visible, and a STEP file of the same revision. Confirm the two match before they leave your system.
- 03
Mark what is functional
Highlight or list the two or three dimensions that decide assembly. State the general tolerance class so the rest of the drawing is read correctly.
- 04
Give both quantities and the timing
First order quantity, expected annual usage and the date you need parts in hand. Say whether the date is for dispatch or for delivery at your address.
- 05
Add the context that cannot be drawn
Target price if you have one, the application, what the current supplier gets wrong and any packaging preference. None of it is mandatory; all of it improves the answer.
- 06
Send one message, then expect questions
A complete pack is answered within 24 hours. Where a drawing is genuinely ambiguous, expect a question rather than a silent assumption.
A thin enquiry against a complete RFQ
The same part, enquired about two ways. The difference is not politeness; it is whether the number you receive can be relied upon.
| Criterion | Thin enquiry Part name, quantity, "best price" | Complete RFQ Drawing, model, grade, quantities, terms |
|---|---|---|
| What the supplier does first | Asks questions, or guesses | Reviews the drawing and plans the operations |
| Response time | As long as the clarification loop takes | Within 24 hours |
| Confidence in the price | Padded against the unknowns | Based on actual cycle time, setup and material |
| Hidden assumptions | Material, tolerance and finish all assumed | Any remaining assumption is stated in the quotation |
| Comparing two suppliers | Two different parts have been priced | Two prices for the same defined part |
| First-article outcome | Fit or finish surprises are common | Measured against a drawing both sides agreed |
| Revisions needed | Several, often after samples | Rare, and usually only on tolerance refinement |
RFQ checklist, copy it into your enquiry
Run down the left column before sending. The right column lists what reliably turns a quotation into a conversation.
Include
- Part number and drawing revision
- PDF drawing and a matching STEP or IGES model
- Material grade and condition
- Quantity for this order and expected annual usage
- Critical dimensions identified, with the general tolerance class stated
- Surface finish or coating, with the standard and the acceptance point
- Certificates required, for example EN 10204 3.1 and a dimensional report
- Incoterm with named place, destination port or address
- Required delivery date, and whether it is dispatch or arrival
- Application, target price and packaging preference, where you can share them
Leave these out of the enquiry
- A photograph or screenshot of a part with no drawing
- A drawing with no revision, so nobody knows which issue was quoted
- A STEP file that no longer matches the PDF
- Tight tolerances on every feature instead of the functional ones
- "Export quality" or "as per standard" in place of a named standard
- A delivery date with no indication of whether freight time is included
- A request for CMM inspection, in-house material testing or AS9100 or ISO 13485 scope, none of which apply here
The short answer
What should an RFQ for machined parts contain?
Nine things: part number and drawing revision, a PDF drawing with a matching STEP model, material grade and condition, quantity for this order and per year, the critical dimensions and general tolerance class, surface finish or coating, the certificates you need, the Incoterm with its named place and destination, and the required date. Send them in one message and a quotation follows within 24 hours; send a subset and you receive a price built on assumptions.
- One message with the full pack beats a week of clarification emails
- Name the general tolerance class, for example ISO 2768-m, then the individual fits
- Ask for EN 10204 3.1 or an inspection report at RFQ stage, not after dispatch
- Give both quantities so setup can be amortised honestly
- NDA available on request before the drawing is sent; no fixed minimum order quantity
Keep exploring
Related capabilities, materials and markets
Everything below is machined in the same Pune plant to the same ISO 9001:2015 system. Follow whichever is closest to the part you are sourcing.
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- 10 Ways to Reduce the Cost of CNC Machined Parts
- Export Packaging for Machined Parts: VCI, ISPM-15 and Crating
Machining capabilities
4Request for quotation
Send your drawing. Get a quote in 24 hours.
Upload STEP, IGES or PDF files. NDA available on request. Quoting: How to Write an RFQ for Custom Machined Parts.