A good request for quote gets an accurate price the first time. A vague one gets a round of questions, or worse, a price for the wrong material. Most back-and-forth on a metal order comes from the same few missing details. Put these in and the quote comes back faster and matches what shows up on your dock.
The five things every line needs
1. Alloy and temper
Write the full callout: 6061-T651, 304 2B, A36, 1018 cold finish, 4140 pre-hard. "Aluminum" or "stainless" is not enough. Two aluminum alloys at the same size can behave completely differently in the shop. If you are not sure which one you need, say what the part does and we will suggest one. The aluminum alloy and temper guide covers the common choices.
2. Dimensions, with units, and which one is critical
Give thickness or diameter, width and length, and say inches or millimeters. For tube and pipe, give OD, wall or schedule, and length. Then say which dimension matters. A 1 inch plate you will face to 0.875 is a different buy than one that has to measure 1.000. If one dimension is critical and the others are loose, saying so can open up faster or less costly ways to get it.
3. Quantity in pieces
Ask for pieces, not pounds or feet, unless you are buying full lengths or full sheets. "12 pcs at 6 x 18" is clear. "About 200 lb" leaves someone guessing how you want it cut. If you want a quote at two quantities, ask for both.
4. Tolerance and cut method
Say how close the cut needs to be. Saw cut, shear, plasma, laser and waterjet all hold different tolerances and leave different edges. If you are going to machine every edge anyway, a looser cut is fine and costs less. If the pieces go straight into a weldment, ask for the cut that fits. See cut-to-size for how the methods compare.
5. Finish and certs
Name the finish: mill finish, 2B, #4 with PVC film, hot rolled, P&O, galvanized G90. Then say whether you need mill certs. If your customer requires traceability, say so on the RFQ, not after the material ships.
What goes on the request as a whole
- Ship-to ZIP. Freight often decides the delivered price. A ZIP lets us quote it properly.
- Need-by date. The day you need it, not "ASAP." A real date lets us tell you what is possible and what it costs to get there.
- Drawings. For profiles cut by laser, plasma or waterjet, send a DXF at 1:1 scale. A PDF with dimensions works for review, but a DXF is what gets cut.
- Acceptable substitutes. If 5052 would do in place of 6061, or 304 in place of 316, say so. It gives us room to find better availability.
- Contact name and phone. One person who can answer a quick question.
A worked example
Here is an example of a request that can be quoted with no follow-up questions. The shop, parts and quantities are made up to show the format.
- Example RFQ. Ship to ZIP 78666. Need by the 15th of next month. Contact: shop foreman, cell on file.
- Line 1: 6061-T651 aluminum plate, 0.500 in thick, 8 x 12 in, 20 pcs. Saw cut, +/- 1/16 in OK, we machine all edges. Mill finish. Certs required.
- Line 2: 5052-H32 aluminum sheet, 0.090 in thick, 24 x 36 in, 10 pcs. Shear cut. PVC film one side. No certs.
- Line 3: A500 Grade B square tube, 2 x 2 x 0.120 wall, 12 pcs at 48 in. Saw cut square, +/- 1/16 in. No certs.
- Line 4: A36 plate, 0.250 in, laser cut to attached DXF (gusset-rev2.dxf), 40 pcs. Deburred.
- Substitutes: 6061-T6 OK on line 1 if T651 is not available at that thickness. Galvanized OK on line 3.
Why the detail pays off
Every missing detail becomes an assumption. Assumptions get priced conservatively, or they get priced wrong and show up as a problem on delivery. A complete RFQ is the fastest way to a sharp number. When you are ready, the quote form has a field for each item above, and you can attach drawings.