A clear casting RFQ does not need to be long. It needs to answer the questions that affect material, process, tooling, machining, inspection, and delivery.
When a buyer only sends a part name and quantity, the quotation will usually be vague. For custom cast parts, the supplier needs to understand the drawing and the final function of the component. This is especially important for cast housings, pump and valve bodies, brackets, covers, and CNC-machined cast components.
The Short RFQ Checklist
| Drawing package | 2D drawing, 3D model, and revision number if available. |
| Material | Material grade, equivalent standard, or working condition if the material is not fixed yet. |
| Quantity | Prototype quantity, trial order quantity, and expected repeat volume. |
| Critical surfaces | Machined faces, bearing seats, sealing faces, threaded holes, datum points, and assembly areas. |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, pressure test, leakage test, hardness, surface inspection, or third-party inspection if required. |
| Finishing and delivery | Coating, deburring, cleaning, packing, export documents, and delivery expectation. |
Mark the Machined Areas Clearly
Many casting problems appear after machining, not before it. If the RFQ includes bearing bores, sealing faces, threaded ports, or flat mounting surfaces, mark them clearly. This helps the supplier review machining allowance, datum selection, inspection method, and the practical casting route.
Explain the Working Condition When the Material Is Open
If you are not sure whether the part should be aluminum, cast iron, cast steel, stainless steel, or copper alloy, send the working condition. Load, temperature, corrosion, media, pressure, weight target, and assembly position can all affect material choice.
Tell the Supplier What Has Gone Wrong Before
If this is a supplier-change project or a failed sample, include the problem. Useful notes include porosity near sealing faces, poor flatness, thread problems, coating damage, wrong material, unstable dimensions, or late delivery. A good RFQ should make the risk visible early.
A Practical Example
Instead of asking for “a high quality pump housing,” a better RFQ says: aluminum or ductile iron pump housing, drawing attached, sealing face and flange must be CNC machined, threaded ports marked, pressure test required, sample quantity 5 pieces, production quantity to be confirmed after sample approval.
Related pages: Custom Cast Parts, Pump & Valve Castings, Metal Casting Materials, Quality Control.
Send the drawing, quantity, material, machined areas, and inspection notes. We will review the RFQ before quotation.
