RFQ Guide: Quote a Binh Duong Machining Workshop

If you send a workshop only a photo and the words “how much and how fast?”, expect a slow, padded, or wrong quote. The fix is a complete request for quote (RFQ). This article shows exactly what to put in an RFQ so a Binh Duong machining workshop can price your part accurately the first time, and gives you a checklist you can reuse for every order.

Why quotes come back slow, high, or wrong

A quote is a risk calculation. When information is missing, the shop has two choices: chase you with questions, or guess and add a safety margin. Both cost you. Missing tolerances, unclear material, and unknown quantity are the three gaps that force a shop to inflate the price or delay the reply. A tight RFQ removes the guessing, so the number you get is closer to the real cost.

What a complete RFQ package contains

Drawing with tolerances, not just a shape

Send a 2D drawing (PDF) plus a 3D model (STEP is the safe, neutral format) when you have one. On the drawing, mark which dimensions are critical and their tolerance. If most features are non-critical, state a general tolerance standard such as ISO 2768-m so the shop knows where it can save time and where it cannot. A part with every dimension toleranced to a few microns costs far more than the same part with tolerances only where they matter.

Quantity and repeat expectation

Price per piece changes sharply with quantity because setup time is spread across the batch. One prototype and 500 units are different jobs. Tell the shop the batch size and whether this is a one-off or a recurring order. Repeat business often unlocks a better rate.

Material and surface finish

Name the exact material and grade (for example, aluminum 6061-T6, S45C steel, SUS304 stainless), not just “metal”. State the surface finish and any coating: as-machined, anodizing, powder coat, zinc plating. Finishing is often outsourced, so it affects both price and lead time.

Deadline and delivery point

Give a real deadline and say where the parts must arrive. “Urgent” is not a date. A firm date lets the shop tell you honestly whether it fits their current load.

A real scenario

A furniture maker needed 200 steel brackets. The first RFQ was a phone photo with no dimensions. Three shops replied with wide, cautious ranges and lots of questions. The buyer then sent a dimensioned PDF, specified S45C steel with zinc plating, quantity 200, and a two-week deadline. The same shops replied within a day with prices that landed within a narrow band of each other. Nothing about the part changed, only the clarity of the request.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Sending only a picture. Fix: attach a dimensioned drawing and, if possible, a STEP file.
No tolerances at all. Fix: mark critical dimensions and cite a general tolerance standard for the rest.
Vague material. Fix: state the grade. “Aluminum” hides a large price and property difference between grades.
Hiding the quantity. Fix: give the batch size; ask for price breaks at higher volumes.
Comparing only the number. Fix: compare lead time, included finishing, and inspection too, not price alone.

RFQ checklist

2D drawing (PDF) with critical dimensions marked
3D model in STEP format if available
General tolerance standard stated (e.g., ISO 2768-m)
Exact material and grade
Surface finish and coating
Quantity and whether it repeats
Firm deadline and delivery location
Any inspection or documentation you require

Conclusion and next step

An accurate quote is something you engineer, not something you wait for. Build one RFQ template with the fields above and reuse it. Your next step: take your current part, fill in every checklist item, and send the same package to two or three shops so you can compare answers that actually mean the same thing.

FAQ

What file format should I send?

Send a PDF drawing for tolerances and a STEP (.stp) file for geometry. STEP is neutral and readable by almost any CAM software, which avoids conversion errors.

What if I do not have a drawing, only a sample?

A physical sample can work, but the shop must reverse-measure it, which adds time and some uncertainty. Say clearly which dimensions are critical so they measure those carefully.

Why do quotes for the same part differ so much?

Different machines, current workload, and what each shop includes (finishing, inspection, packaging). Ask each to itemize so you compare like with like.

Should I share my target price?

Sharing a budget can help a shop propose a design or process that fits it. It is optional, but honesty about volume and repeat orders usually helps more than a target number.

References

ISO 2768 — General tolerances for linear and angular dimensions (International Organization for Standardization).
ISO 10303 (STEP) — Standard for the exchange of product model data.