How to prepare a request for quotation with drawings

Why the RFQ decides the price

Suppliers quote on what they can read from your documents. If information is missing, they make an assumption – usually in their own favour or with a safety margin. If it is missing for several suppliers, each one assumes something different. The result: three quotations that differ by a factor of two, and nobody knows why.

A complete RFQ with drawings therefore does more than save follow-up questions – it is the precondition for a fair comparison. This is especially true for suppliers in China, where every query can cost a day because of the time difference. The checklist below helps you not to forget anything important.

Stating quantities correctly: annual volume, batch and call-off

The most common cause of unsuitable quotations is an unclear quantity. “5,000 pieces” can mean a one-off order, an annual volume or a total over three years – for the supplier, these are three completely different calculations.

So always give three figures: the annual volume (determines tool design and number of cavities), the batch size (quantity per production order, determines the share of set-up costs and material purchasing) and the call-off (how often and in what quantities you take delivery). If, for example, you want 12,000 pieces a year produced in two batches but delivered at 1,000 pieces a month, you need a warehouse – at the supplier, at a service provider or on your own premises.

Ask for graduated prices, for example for 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 pieces per batch. This shows you how strongly set-up costs drive the price.

Tolerances and functional dimensions: less is more

A drawing on which every dimension is tightly toleranced becomes expensive – and the supplier cannot tell which dimensions really matter. Tolerances should follow from the function: fits, sealing surfaces, interface dimensions. Everything else is covered by the general tolerance.

Mark functional dimensions or special characteristics on the drawing. That way the supplier knows where to concentrate inspection effort and process reliability. More on this in the article Specifying tolerances correctly.

No up-to-date drawing available?

Especially with spare parts or older machines, there is often only a sample part, an old paper drawing or a model without tolerances. You can still send an enquiry – it just takes longer, because the missing information has to be worked out first.

In this case, send photos with a scale, the existing material and a description of the function: where does the part sit, what is connected to it, which forces, temperatures and media act on it? Geometry and material can be determined from a sample part, but not the tolerances the designer originally intended. You have to approve these. The page Reverse engineering describes how this works.

What makes quotations comparable

Ask all suppliers for the same quotation structure. These items should be shown separately:

Send your RFQ to TOP Asia Technik GmbH

TOP Asia Technik GmbH handles the technical clarification of your drawing, selects several suitable factories and obtains quotations. Before drawings go to a factory, they are always neutralised – customer name and logo are removed. On request, we sign a non-disclosure agreement in advance; we also sign your own NDA.

You can send your documents via the enquiry form; you will receive an e-mail confirmation of receipt and a response within 24 hours on working days. For simple parts with complete documents, you will usually receive a quotation within 1–2 weeks; complex parts and assemblies can take longer. If you have a target price, feel free to state it with your enquiry. What happens next is described under Sourcing from China. If you are not sure which process is suitable, you will find guidance on the individual part pages, such as CNC precision parts, sheet metal parts or assemblies.

Frequently asked questions about RFQs with drawings