Ordering custom metal furniture parts: drawing and RFQ checklist
Most slow quotes are slow because the enquiry is missing something. Send the items on this list and a manufacturer can price the part in one pass.
1. A drawing or a sample
- Best: a 3D file (STEP) plus a dimensioned 2D drawing (PDF).
- For flat laser-cut parts: a DXF or DWG at 1:1 scale.
- If you have neither: a physical sample or clear photos with the main dimensions written on them.
2. Material and thickness
State the material (mild steel or stainless steel and its grade if known), sheet thickness, and for tube parts the section and wall thickness, for example 25 × 25 × 1.6 mm square tube. If you are open to an equivalent, say so; it often saves cost.
3. Tolerances that matter
Mark only the dimensions that must hold tight: hole centres that mate with another part, overall lengths that fit a module, flatness of a mounting face. Tight tolerances everywhere raise the price without improving the product.
4. Finish
Powder coat (RAL number and gloss), chrome or nickel plating, or unfinished. Say which faces are visible in the final product.
5. Quantity and schedule
Give the first order quantity and the expected monthly or yearly volume. Tooling and fixtures are planned around volume, so the price per piece changes with it.
6. Assembly and packing
Say whether you want loose parts or welded assemblies, whether fasteners should be included, and how the goods should be packed: bulk, bundled or individually wrapped for export.
7. Delivery place
City for domestic orders; port and Incoterm for export.
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